Fundraising Events That Drive Engagement

I compared data from 25 nonprofit fundraising events. Traditional galas averaged $45,000 net. Peer-led experiences averaged $127,000 net. The event model you choose isn't just a format decision—it's a revenue decision: • Experiential events have 68% higher attendee satisfaction than traditional galas(1) • Peer-hosted events acquire 3X more new donors than organization-hosted events (2) • Virtual/hybrid components increase event revenue by 24% on average (3) One organization replaced their annual gala with a series of board-hosted experiences and doubled their event revenue while cutting expenses by 40%. (4) The future of event fundraising isn't in ballrooms—it's in authentic experiences. What's your most successful fundraising event format? Share below. ¹ Based on post-event satisfaction surveys across 25 nonprofit events comparing traditional galas to experiential fundraising events. ² Analysis of donor acquisition data from peer-hosted vs. organization-hosted fundraising events among surveyed nonprofits. ³ Comparative revenue analysis of events with and without virtual/hybrid components across the sample. ⁴ Case study from a mid-sized educational nonprofit that implemented this strategy in 2023-2024. Full length report will be out early next week: Sign up now to receive report - https://lnkd.in/eHdBA38m

How to raise $50,000 in 30 days using 7 AI prompts (you’ve never thought to use): AI won’t replace fundraisers. But fundraisers who use AI strategically will absolutely outperform the ones who don’t. These 7 prompts aren’t basic. They’re engineered to unlock human behavior, decision-making psychology, and funding at scale. 1. Prompt: “Analyze our past 10 email campaigns. Identify the emotional tone, structure, and CTA that drove the most clicks and donations. Suggest 3 new email angles based on behavioral trends.” Why it works: Donors respond to patterns. This prompt uses your own data to reverse-engineer what actually moves people, not what feels right. 2. Prompt: “Write a donor pitch using the ‘Commitment-Consistency’ principle from Cialdini, reference a donor’s past actions and show how giving now is aligned with who they already are.” Why it works: People are more likely to act in ways that align with their self-image. Donors who’ve volunteered, signed petitions, or shared your content? This is how you turn engagement into dollars. 3. Prompt: “Create a 3-part story arc for LinkedIn posts that subtly shift a corporate contact from passive observer to strategic partner, without ever asking for money.” Why it works: It’s called affinity priming. AI scripts the story. LinkedIn builds trust. You close the deal. 4. Prompt: “Generate 5 donor thank-you messages tailored by giving tier, use loss aversion and social proof to increase chances of a second gift.” Why it works: “Thank you” is a sales moment in disguise. This prompt makes it count. One client turned 23% of first-time donors into recurring givers using tiered messaging like this. 5. Prompt: “Draft a voicemail script for a lapsed donor using the Ben Franklin effect, ask for a small favor instead of a gift, to reactivate the relationship.” Why it works: People feel closer to those they help. Use it to rebuild trust without making an ask. Often, the donation follows. 6. Prompt: “Identify 3 psychological barriers to giving on our donation page. Rewrite the copy to reduce friction using clarity, scarcity, and immediacy.” Why it works: Most pages leak donations. This prompt fixes that, leading to real revenue recovery. One org tested this and saw their average donation increase from $48 to $71 just by shifting copy. 7. Prompt: “Write a short pitch that reframes our mission as a business case for corporate ESG leads, focused on risk reduction, brand lift, and employee retention.” Why it works: Companies don’t give because of charity. They give because it aligns with strategy. This prompt flips the frame, and unlocks five-figure partnerships. These are just a few of the 40+ AI scripts inside our AI Launchpad Cohort, a hands-on experience for nonprofits ready to raise more with less guesswork. Comment Launchpad and we’ll send you details about the upcoming cohort. With purpose and impact, Mario

Feeling grateful for an incredible weekend on Cycle for the Cause - and reflecting on a few Peer-to-Peer fundraising lessons learned while hitting my $15k fundraising goal! 🙌🏼 Cycle for the Cause: The Northeast AIDS Ride has been taking place for nearly 30 years. I joined in 2016 in honor of my Uncle Marlin ❤️ Hundreds of us ride 275 miles from Boston to NYC in 3 days, & raised over $2 million for The NYC LGBT Center’s life-saving HIV / AIDS services 🚴🏼♂️ 1️⃣ P2P fundraising works because people in your network want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. So invite them in & make it exciting! ⚡ The best ways to dial up the excitement are: 👉🏼 Share specifics about the mission that give them something concrete to connect their gift to (I heard that knowing their gift could provide an at-risk person with a year of HIV prevention meds was incredibly eye opening for my donors). 👉🏼 Set a goal! Several people upsized their gift to be “the one” that got me over a certain total fundraising threshold. People like playing a role in your achievement! 2️⃣ Email remains my most valuable channel. It takes time to keep an email list up to date, but it has the highest payoff! 📈 Pro tip: if you have some likely large donors in there, send them a direct personal email if they haven’t given in response to your broader one yet. It’s super effective, but time consuming 😁 3️⃣  I never post on Instagram, but I have to come back to it for fundraising because it’s SO engaging. The ability to tag & thank your donors in stories + include a direct link to your fundraising page… works magic. Was doing this all weekend and led to an extra 50+ gifts 🥳 4️⃣ LinkedIn was actually a great source of donations! I could directly attribute at least a dozen gifts to people that encountered a post of mine - several were folks I didn’t even know! Don’t be afraid to give it a shot 😉 5️⃣ I got 12+ DAFpay gifts thanks to the integration with DonorDrive! I can see a roughly 2x impact on those donor’s gift size vs. their standard credit card gift. There were a few other DAF gifts not made through DAFpay that I’m still waiting on so weren’t in my total at the finish line 😢 6️⃣ Start early! I remember hearing at one point that the average person requires 7 reminders to donate… So the earlier you can start asking, the better. Plus many people will end up giving again towards the end! ⏰ 7️⃣ P2P is about much more than fundraising - it binds participants to the organization & mission in a way that nothing else can 🫂 Especially in the challenging fundraising environment we’re in, I’d encourage folks to measure success as you would a program or service your organization offers, in addition to your revenue total & return on spend like other kinds of fundraising ✅ Thank you to all of the riders, crew, staff and donors that make this an unforgettable experience each year 🫶🏼 #nonprofit #fundraising #philanthropy

Welcome to the Future of Fundraising. Giving Days have become a critical element of annual giving programs, as demonstrated by several of our Version2.ai Innovation Partners this Spring. Now that many giving days have ended and we’ve moved into fiscal year-end, we took the opportunity to analyze how the Virtual Engagement Officer (VEO) contributed to the success of the 12 Giving Days it fundraised for. Gift officers spend time cultivating and engaging donors in their portfolio so that when it’s time to make an ask, it feels natural and personal. Across 12 higher education partner institutions, VEOs supported Giving Day efforts by leveraging the connections they were already building. They held real conversations, elevated the day’s momentum, and even thanked donors in real time when they confirmed gifts. In this sample of Giving Days, here’s how the VEO performed:  • Total Raised: $309,293  • Total Gifts: 1,546  • Average Gift Size: $200  • Largest Gift: $8,000  • LYBUNT giving: $120,000  • Re-Engaged SYBUNT/Long-Lapsed/Non-Donors: 150  • Total Activities: 29,000 personal messages At William & Mary, nearly 50% of the donors in the VEO’s portfolio made a gift. At Bucknell, it was 28%. The largest single gift, $8,000, came from a donor at VCU who had been receiving VEO communications for approximately 4 months. 56 of the re-engaged donors came from College of Charleston alone – significant because CofC’s VEO was one of the first to launch, emphasizing the importance of the long-term moves management strategy. Tying this all together wasn’t urgency, it was consistency. These VEOs didn’t run broad campaigns or chase clicks. As an already familiar channel of communication, they showed up with steady presence, informed by strategy and grounded in voice. They spoke directly to donors, with care. They didn’t replace the work of human fundraisers, they amplified it. In doing so, they made space for more people to feel part of something meaningful. Giving Day has always been about more than raising dollars. It’s about rallying belief. It’s about reminding donors why they give, and who gives alongside them. This Spring, VEOs helped our partners bring that spirit to life. They reminded us of a simple truth: when more donors feel seen and heard, more generosity follows.

I'm probably going to get a lot of push back on this one but can we talk about fundraising events for a second? I feel like we're seeing two very polarized camps at the moment - all in on events v. burn them all down. But I think we need to be honest that there is a lot of grey in the middle here. Yes, I know the kind that take months to plan, burn out your team, and at the end… barely move the needle on long-term support. I’ve actually been there myself, pouring every ounce of energy into silent auctions and gala checklists, only to be left asking: Was this worth it? But here’s what I’ve realized (and what I hear over and over from the 60,000+ fundraisers I’ve coached): I was getting events wrong because I was focused on the wrong outcomes. 👉 Events aren’t inherently bad. But they often reinforce a transactional model of fundraising > chasing one-time donations, measuring success by attendance or dollars-in-the-door, and masking exhaustion as “commitment”. But what happens when events are about building alignment and connection with potential Power Partners—not just collecting checks? Here’s what that could look like: > Design for connection, not just content: Prioritize moments that allow authentic conversations and shared values to emerge. > Ditch the donor performance pressure: You don’t have to wear a mask of perfection to be worthy of investment. > Follow up with alignment, not asks: Use post-event outreach to invite potential partners into deeper relationship (if it’s the right fit). Events can build trust, clarity, and long-term sustainability when they are done right (and when the post event follow-up is really where the magic happens). It isn't all or nothing, it isn't inherently good or bad. It's all what you make it and where you intention lies. Have you ever hosted an event that felt misaligned? What would you change now? #FundraisingEvents #PowerPartners #WhatTheFundraising #NonprofitLeadership

Your fundraising event raised $50,000. Success, right? Maybe. But maybe not. Standard event metrics often miss the full picture: - Dollars raised ÷ Attendees = $500/person But what about the value of relationships built? - Net revenue after expenses = $35,000 But how much staff time did it really take? - New donors acquired = 15 But did existing donors deepen their commitment? Even when resources are tight, some teams are starting to track: 📊 Relationship-based metrics - Meaningful conversations with major gift prospects - Signs of increased donor interest or trust - Referrals or introductions from attendees 📈 Long-term revenue indicators - Giving increases 6–12 months post-event - Retention rates of attendees vs. non-attendees - New names added to your major gifts pipeline 💬 Mission advancement signs - New ambassadors or advocates identified - Improved understanding of your mission (pre/post) - Compelling stories gathered for future use The most valuable outcomes of your events often don’t show up in the final revenue report. What metrics do you track to measure success beyond dollars raised?

The First Commandment of Advancement: Show Don’t Tell A donor once shared with me why he had given so generously to an oceanographic institute on the far coast rather than to an equally renown one in his own backyard. The leader of the closer one, he said, told him, “If enlightened philanthropists like you don’t step forward to make up for cutbacks in our federal funding, our oceans will become increasingly imperiled”. In contrast, a group of scientists from the farther one invited him to join them for a dive to assess the health of several coral reefs. They swam from a healthy area to depleted area and then to a vast expanse of dead reef. The scope of the environmental degradation was profoundly sobering. “When I got back up to the surface,” the donor said, “I knew what I had to do.” The institute farthest from him had won his support by adhering to basic law of communication, “show don’t tell.” This law applies to every area and aspect of advancement. Fundraising is so much more effective when we let donors see for themselves, whether it is a social ill that we are trying to lessen or a cultural enrichment we are trying to create. When we do this well, we can in many instances obviate the need to solicit. The donor will ask, “What can I do to help.” The most effective ways of attracting and engaging new donors and raising the sights of existing ones is not to entertain them or bombard them with propaganda but to draw them into the inner workings of our organizations and allow them to interact with our most impressive mission advancers. A hospital in the Canadian Maritimes tried the usual ways – galas and golf tournaments - which generated spotty turnout while consuming massive amounts of staff time. However, when they began offering onsite lectures and interactions with top docs, they were overwhelmed by the response. The most popular of all turned out to be a talk on “gut flora” from a gastroenterologist. A donor I recently interviewed said, “the only thing that nonprofits should be auctioning are experiences.” Indeed, especially experiences that show donors who your organization serves and why it does what it does. Enterprising stewardship officers find ways to show donors how to see the impact of their giving, whether it is through tours of facilities they funded, by hearing results produced by people they empowered, or with meeting with beneficiaries of programs they have underwritten. Talented advancement writers don’t rely on amped-up promotional prose, they “show” using fact and example to demonstrate current impact and to project greater potential. The most effective proposals don’t urge donors to give; they provide donors with the information they need to draw their own conclusions. Show does not mean put on a show or show off. It means to “allow or cause something to be visible.” What we want to be more visible is mission at work. Show don’t tell. Provide experiences that money can’t buy. That’s advancement at its best.

Imagine paying $50K for your logo on a lanyard and realizing not one person can tell you if it drove a single lead. That’s the sponsorship problem we need to fix. Event sponsorships have always had a special place in my heart. → They offset expenses so the event can be affordable (or free) to attendees → They create and drive a marketplace for buyers to find solutions → They allow for additional moments of connection and activation → They let companies align with the values and reach of the organization hosting the event But now they are at a crossroads. Budgets are flat, costs are rising, and exhibitors are asking tougher questions about ROI. In fact 70% say they are cutting back on sponsorship spend next year. Attendees don’t care about logos on banners; they care about experiences that make their journey better. The old model of selling inventory (logo on a lanyard, coffee cart, banner) is no longer impactful for sponsors. The future belongs to sponsorships that deliver outcomes: → Measurable ROI for sponsors → Predictable revenue for organizers → Meaningful experiences for attendees I love a good research study, and according to new research from Joe Federbush at EVOLIO Marketing, there are three shifts you can make to get there: 1. Too many sponsorships are one-off transactions. Shift: Move to multi-year partnerships. How to do it: → Offer multi-year deals with first-right-of-refusal for stability → Take a consultative approach: ask sponsors what success looks like & co-create packages → Deliver continuous value with quarterly activations like content, campaigns, curated dinners 2. Logos alone don’t influence behavior. 44% of attendees say logos on signs do not affect their choices. Shift: Sponsorships must live both on and beyond the floor. How to do it: → Pair live activations with digital amplification (lounges, highlight reels, sessions, podcasts) → Offer year-round engagement through webinars or co-branded guides → Integrate touchpoints across the journey: pre-event emails, in-event activations, post-event retargeting → Sell campaigns, not placements. Let sponsors “own” a track across multiple events 3. 78% of sponsors say ROI is their top challenge. Shift: Transparency and measurement must be the standard. How to do it: → Share attendee data for smarter targeting → Provide measurable outcomes via dashboards (leads, session traffic, meetings) → Create attendee impact with connection hubs, lounges, or matchmaking → Build trust with outcome-driven design: swap “visibility” for “X leads + Y meetings” Sponsorship MUST evolve beyond selling space for logos if we want to keep selling them. Organizers need to focus on strategic partnerships where everyone wins: → Organizers see stability → Sponsors see pipeline → Attendees see value This is the Sponsorship Evolution. See the full report and get more sponsorship insights inside Club Ichi. #weareichi #sponsorshipevolution Nicole Osibodu, XOXO Sophie Ahmed Nancy Flora

OK, fundraisers. Tired of galas and golf outings? I have written extensively on how events can be a waste of time and talent just to raise a tiny amount once you count all of the staff time involved in planning/executing it - seriously, your ROI is probably not the number you've been calculating. BUT events are here to stay. So what's the next big event? 🎪 Have you been to one or have an idea for one? Some ideas for consideration: Instead of a golf outing... ⛳ Pickleball Tournament: Pickleball leagues are all the rage. 🥒 Everyone I know over 50 is getting into it - a great demographic to engage. This is a sport/game that can be both fun/low stakes as well as very competitive, so you'll have a mix of serious athletes and people goofing off with their friends. Like a golf outing...but cooler. Instead of a gala... 🎉 A Weekend of Luxury & Learning: Attendees gather at a resort destination or local high end hotel where they will stay overnight and have two days of experiences - putting with a top golf pro, a well known baker walking you through their favorite cookie 🍪 recipe, an art class with a trending painter, an expert on your cause reporting the latest data and news. Instead of a Charity Auction with Jewelry & Wine... 💍 Experiences Only Auction: Instead of auctioning off items, auction exclusive experiences like dinner with a celebrity, stargazing with an astronaut, 👩🚀 lunch with the mayor of your town, behind-the-scenes tours of interesting locations, or even a day of mentoring from industry leaders. Last experience of the night to build excitement? A "Leave Right Now" Getaway Raffle. 🏖 Instead of a 5K Race... 🏃♀️ Dancing With the (Your City) Stars: 💃 Pair participants (local celebrities & leaders) with professional dance partners in a DWS-esque competition. It can be a casual daytime event with a focus on hip hop and swing with a DJ or a higher end dinner event (ballroom & salsa dancing with a live band). Now, a few important reminders about events: We WILL count staff time toward the expenses of all events so we know the true ROI of our events and can really understand the value of them. ⏱ When considering a new type of event, we WILL consider what kind of event reflects our mission and what elements we can incorporate to highlight it. We will also avoid elements that could distract from it - think "serving foie gras at a Stop Animal Cruelty event." 😬 As we map out our event's run of show, special guests, speakers, programs, slide shows and all that is communicated during an event, we WILL remember to choose a few strategic key messaging points and ensure that these are shared and emphasized throughout the event. 💬 Planning takes time, so it's a great moment to begin thinking about your 2025 lineup, how you can swap out and replace a dated, stale event with something new, unexpected and intriguing, or enhance one that needs a refresh. 😎 #nonprofits #nonprofitevents #events #2025ideas #fundraising

Five strangers walked into a coffee shop yesterday and we all left as die-hard ambassadors for a cause: What Made It Work So Well? Today, I attended a fundraising meeting I hadn’t planned on for United Hatzalah. I was invited by a friend, and when I arrived, there were four other guests along with the organization’s founder Eli Beer and their local representative Brad Yellen. By the time I left, I wanted to help this organization succeed. I felt personally invested. I walked away asking: What went right? Here’s the breakdown: 1. Friends Bring Friends Everyone at the table had some loose connection to the organization, but no one was fully informed. That meant we came in curious and open. 2. The Founder Told His Story His story was personal and compelling—but also relatable. He wasn’t just sharing his journey; he was inviting us into it. 3. Stories That Were Both Specific and Universal He didn’t just talk about his experience—he shared real stories of the organization’s impact. He painted a picture so vivid that we could see the lives being changed. 4. A Clear, Contextualized Ask Instead of asking for a specific dollar amount, he showed different ways to make an impact: • $X trains one person • $X funds a crucial piece of equipment • $X covers full operations This let each of us find our own entry point into supporting the mission. And even those who may not be able to donate financially saw ways to help. 5. Seamless Connection and Follow-Up At the end, he pulled out his phone and had a QR code for all of us to scan with his phone number, making it easy to stay connected. But here’s the real magic: • We all wanted to hear more stories. • We saw ourselves in the mission. • We left not just inspired, but compelled to share it with others. By the time we walked away, we weren’t just attendees—we were already fundraising ambassadors. I’ve seen (and run) a lot of fundraising meetings, but this one was exceptional. And here’s the best part: • This level of engagement isn’t luck. • It’s a learnable skill. Want to make your fundraising meetings this effective? Drop a comment or send me a message—I’d love to help.