Fundraising Events: Keep Them or Refocus the Energy?
I’ll admit I’m a little biased. When I was solely in the fundraising field, special events were my niche. It was what I enjoyed most. It was my way of showing donor appreciation, creating space for relationship building, and bringing people together around a shared purpose where the ask for support could take center stage.
The Question of Capacity vs. Value
Lately, I’ve been in a lot of conversations about fundraising events and whether the return on investment truly matches the staff capacity required. I get it. Events take a lot of work to pull off. And still, in my opinion, a really good event can be worth it. You may not raise $500,000, or maybe you do, but what you gain goes beyond the dollars. You’re building relationships, showing appreciation, and creating a different kind of visibility for your mission.
During COVID-19, many organizations got creative with virtual events. We learned how to engage donors differently, often with fewer resources. And while some of that innovation has stuck, a lot of it hasn’t. What has stayed with us is how much people value connection. Being in person means something different now. It’s not just about gathering; it’s about being intentional with how we bring people together.
At the same time, for many organizations, especially those with small teams and limited capacity, large events may not make sense. That tension is real, and it’s worth sitting with rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all answer.
Rethinking, Not Eliminating
A recent conversation with a fellow fundraiser got me thinking about how we can still incorporate events while being realistic about capacity. There are donors who genuinely love events, and as the field continues to shift toward more community-centered approaches, it raises an important question: how do we bridge the two in a way that honors both?
One approach is to rethink frequency and scale. Maybe that looks like hosting smaller, more intimate events in off years, and reserving larger events for milestone moments or every other year. Creating something people can come to expect builds consistency, and consistency matters. It gives your donors a rhythm and a reason to stay connected, while also giving your team and budget some breathing room.
Design with Your Community in Mind
And let’s be honest, events don’t have to mean large, formal galas. There are plenty of ways to design experiences that truly reflect your community. If a gala aligns with your organization’s culture, then go for it. But if a smaller, more intimate gathering or a light-hearted social event feels more authentic, that’s worth leaning into too.
So maybe the question isn’t “should we have events?” but “are we designing them in a way that actually makes sense for us?”