Hannah here. This month, we’re talking large-scale, high-end fundraising events (AKA my least favorite form of fundraising!).

When I was a nonprofit Development staff member, the annual gala was always exciting, always exhausting, and always anxiety-producing for me. Would we make our fundraising goal? Would our honoree speeches be succinct and profound or would we have to be prepared with a “hook” to get them away from the podium? Would anyone bid on that trip to Aspen? Is this tremendous production that allows people to celebrate their wealth really good for building community? 

Now, as I attend my clients’ gala events, I study the experience, pay attention to what the other guests are repeating from the messaging they hear, and what they are having an emotional reaction to. I’m noticing a trend since we’ve come back to gathering as we did pre-pandemic, gala guests seem much more into speaking to one another than engaging in the carefully scripted program and bidding on auction items. The hard truth is that these large scale events are often transactional in nature, and they’re not getting you the long-term, mission investment that you’re after.

Now, we do understand that many nonprofits rely on these large events to raise awareness and the majority of their operating budget. To that we say, did you learn nothing from the pandemic shutdown?! (jk) In all seriousness, If your organization is still relying on events to fund your mission, it’s time to take a look at revamping your strategy to drive more engagement, deepen relationships, and take some burden off the team that produces the big event.

Revamp your events with this advice:

1. Explore your sponsor list

Take a look at your event sponsor lists year over year. Is it generally the same folks showing up consistently? While you probably get a few new companies each year depending on your honorees, you’ll likely find yourself with a list of the same core group.

These folks have shown that they are committed to your cause, so they’ll probably be committed if you decide to pivot away from traditional events. Chances are pretty good that, as long as you ask, they’ll give you the same amount of money whether it comes in the form of an event sponsorship or support for new technology for your organization, or meals for your clients. 

This group can be a great support in expanding your current donor network. Try hosting smaller “friend-raiser” events and asking your most dedicated corporate partners to invite a few of their peers that you haven’t yet connected with. While it might not make you half a million dollars in one evening, the long-term gain of building relationships will ultimately be a much better benefit. 

2. Add up the cost of putting on the event

Literally, do the math. We’re talking about adding up the cost of your employees’ time, the venue fees, entertainment, food, invitation printing, flower arrangements…all of it. While it’s great to see that you raised $250,000, $500,000 or even $1 million in one night, when you start subtracting the event expenses, you might not see the ROI you anticipated.

Not to mention, putting on an event is tiring! It takes a lot of energy especially when you’ve got a small development team, so think about whether it’s really worth it to have your staff get home at 1:00 am and then probably have to come in early the next day to process donations (hint, it’s not good for morale).

3. Talk to your stakeholders

First, connect with your staff – as the folks that produce the event, they know what’s most time consuming and probably have ideas about how to pare down the festivities.

Next, talk to supporters who’ve attended your events. What did they enjoy? What didn’t work? There are likely elements that you can replicate on a smaller scale that will still be effective. Did you have a really great alumni speaker? Invite key donors and new contacts to a small mixer with alumni in attendance, that way folks can connect directly instead of listening to a speech on a stage 50 feet away.

Ask your people about other events they’ve attended, too. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? Don’t be afraid to borrow elements from others if they’ve done something really awesome.

If you’re not ready to move away from traditional galas just yet, our number one tip for you is: get clear on your purpose.

What is the goal of your event? Are you focused on meeting a fundraising minimum? Driving volunteer sign ups? Get specific and be upfront about it! In our experience, nonprofits often rely on events because they’re afraid to straight up ask for money with the thought that people will “get it” if you’ve invited them to a fundraising event.

Let us let you in on a little secret, they still might not “get it” even if you’ve got 100 donation posters around the room. This is not the time to be subtle, tell your guests what you need, respectfully of course. “Hi everyone, tonight we need to raise $500,000 to open a new shelter for unhoused youth, and we are counting on your generous donations to get us there.”

Furthermore, keep your program short, and show, don’t tell. If you provide music programming for kids, have them perform a piece they learned in class. If you provide mentoring services, have a mentee/mentor pair share their experiences. 

VERY IMPORTANT: any client that you invite to speak or perform at your event should be treated as a VIP guest, not a token i.e. make sure they have a reserved seat, a meal, and can participate in any of the other event activities you’ve got going on. If the client providing their testimonial has limited income, offering a small stipend for appropriate clothing and/or their time is also a really great gesture. 

Now, if you’re ready to switch things up, we won’t leave you hanging. Here are some awesome examples of events that are breaking the mold and getting lots of buzz!

Get LIT’s Classic Slam

Why we love it: Classic Slam is the most highly anticipated event at GET Lit, and while they welcome donations and sponsorships, it’s not centered around fundraising. The Classic Slam is a celebration of art – an opportunity for students to gather and share their spoken word poetry in friendly competition and community. It immerses attendees in the work of Get LIT, inviting them to observe and explore the impact of their support in real time. It’s an emotionally charged, vibrant experience – guests can expect tears, cheering, laughter….it’s the total package!

San Diego Humane Society’s Fur Ball

Why we love it: strutting your stuff on the pink carpet with your furry friend? Getting dressed up with your pooch and dining side-by-side? Need we say more?! But seriously, while this is still more of a traditional gala, the fur ball has an edge that would make any animal lover say yes to an invite, whether or not they’ve supported the San Diego Humane Society before.

Liberty Hill Foundation’s Upton Sinclair Celebration

Why we love it: while many traditional fundraising events look for honorees solely based on the $$$ they can raise (we’ve been there, and we get it), Liberty Hill Foundation is focused on honoring the organizers and activists paving the way for social justice progress in Los Angeles. They’ve also got interactive exhibits, engaging performances, and a strolling dinner format that encourages guests to talk, talk, talk until it’s time to sit down in the theater (no food allowed) and experience the impact of their donations through video and spoken acknowledgement.

The moral of the story is, get CREATIVE! Like we said in our 2024 “Ins and Outs” list, doing things the way they’ve always been done is OUT this year, so try something new! The results might amaze you.

As always, we’re rooting for you! You got this.

– Team TPC