This document discusses considerations for nonprofit organizations regarding gala fundraising events. It provides an agenda for a webinar on this topic, including defining fundraising, the board's role in fundraising, staff roles, funding sources and strategies, gala events, and asking for donations. Interactive polls are included to gauge participant's organizations' approaches to board giving policies, fundraising plans, and number of annual fundraising events. The webinar aims to help organizations effectively utilize gala events as part of their overall fundraising efforts.

1. 1
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@AskEmilyD
To
Gala
or
Not
to
Gala
Capital
One
October
28,
2015
©
2015
BoardSource
Emily
Davis,
Emily
Davis
Consul0ng
Cer0fied
Governance
Trainer

2. 2
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Getting
Started…
§ Please
MUTE
your
phone
§ We
will
pause
for
questions/
comments
§ Leave
your
questions/
comments
in
the
chat
box
or
questions
box
§ Resources
following
the
webinar
will
be
provided

3. 3
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@AskEmilyD
Turn
on
Your
Tech
Follow
the
conversation…
@BoardSource
@CapitalOne
@AskEmilyD
#governance
#nonprofit
#fundraising

4. 4
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@AskEmilyD
Emily
Davis,
MNM,
CGT

5. 5
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@BoardSource
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@AskEmilyD
Agenda
I. Define
fundraising
II. Board’s
role
in
fundraising
III. Staff
roles
in
fundraising
IV. Funding
sources
&
strategies
V. Gala
fundraising
VI. Asking
for
gifts

6. 6
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Poll
Question
QUESTION
CHALLENGE

7. 7
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What
is
Fundraising?
§ Investment
in
a
mission
§ Improves
capacity
for
impact
and
change
§ Build
relationships
–
“Friend”raising
§ Not
begging
for
money

8. 8
@CapitalOne
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Board’s
Role
Set
organizational
direction
Provide
oversight
Ensure
necessary
resources

9. 9
@CapitalOne
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@AskEmilyD
What
does
that
mean?

10. 10
@CapitalOne
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@AskEmilyD
Poll
Question
Do
100%
of
board
members
give
a
personally
significant
financial
contribution
to
your
organization
every
year?
q Yes
q No
q Not
Sure/
Maybe

11. 11
@CapitalOne
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@AskEmilyD
100%
Board
Giving

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@CapitalOne
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@BoardSource
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@AskEmilyD
Board
Giving
Expectations
• Give,
Get,
or
Get
Off
• Open-­‐ended
give
and
get
• Flexible
give
or
get
• Specific
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
68%
74%
46%
Board
Par0cipa0on
in
Giving

13. 13
@CapitalOne
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@BoardSource
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@AskEmilyD
Fundraising
Policies
§ Gift
acceptance
policy
§ Personal
giving
policy
§ Ethics
statement
§ Letter
of
Commitment

14. 14
@CapitalOne
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Staff
&
Volunteer
Roles
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
DEVELOPMENT
STAFF
DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE

15. 15
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Shared
Leadership
§ Board
&
staff
roles
should
complement
one
another
§ Training/education
for
board
&
staff
§ Board
introduced
to
staff
members’
strengths
§ Staff
should
understand
board
overall
roles
&
responsibilities,
specifically
fundraising
§ Types
of
support
board
members
can
provide:
§ Fundraising
exper.se
§ Knowledge
of
&
connec.on
to
community
§ Know
details
of
org’s
programs
§ Knowledge
of
current
&
prospec.ve
donors

16. 16
@CapitalOne
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@BoardSource
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@AskEmilyD
Poll
Question
Does
your
organization
have
a
written
fundraising
plan?
q Yes
q No
q Not
Sure/
Maybe

17. 17
@CapitalOne
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@BoardSource
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@AskEmilyD
Fundraising
Plan
Questions
§ Outlines
goals
&
strategies
in
various
categories?
§ What
affects
planning?
§ What
are
the
costs
to
planning?
§ Funding
sources
(contributed/earned)?
§ Controllable
vs.
Uncontrollable?
§ Staff
or
consultant
written?

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@CapitalOne
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@AskEmilyD
Setting
Fundraising
Goals

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@CapitalOne
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Funding
Types
Diversity
is
key
Individuals
Special
events
Foundation
grants
Government
grants
Corporate
sponsorship
Service
clubs
Earned
income/
Social
Enterprise

20. 20
@CapitalOne
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Individual
Funding
Sources
§ Direct
mail
§ Telemarketing
§ Online
giving
(websites)
§ Events
§ Membership
§ Annual
gifts
§ Major
gifts
§ Giving
circles
§ Peer-­‐to-­‐peer
funding
(
crowd
funding)
§ Memorial/honorary
gifts

21. 21
@CapitalOne
|
@BoardSource
|
@AskEmilyD
Fundraising
Process
Prospecting
Identification
Preparation
Cultivating
Build
the
Relationship
Engage
the
Donor
Ask
for
the
Gift
Stewarding
Recognition
Reporting
Communicating
Engagement

22. 22
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Giving
Pyramid

23. 23
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Spheres
of
Influence
New
gifts
Annual
donors
Midsize
donors
Major
donors
Planned
giving

24. 24
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Questions?

25. 25
@CapitalOne
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Poll
Question
How
many
fundraising
events
does
your
organization
host
annually?
q None
q 1
q 2
–
4
q 5
–
7
q 8+

26. 26
@CapitalOne
|
@BoardSource
|
@AskEmilyD
What
is
a
Gala
Event?
“The
term
‘gala
event’
refers
to
a
large
scale
fundraising
event.
Often
the
most
visible
fundraising
strategy
for
a
nonprofit
organization,
gala
events
can
be
a
prominent
way
to
raise
awareness
–
and
funds
–
for
an
organization.”
-­‐
Breaking
the
Gala
Addiction

27. 27
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Galas:
Their
Purpose

28. 28
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Galas:
The
Benefits

29. 29
@CapitalOne
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Galas:
The
Challenges
&
Risks
§ Low
ROI
§ Staff
time
§ Events
frequently
do
not
pay
for
themselves
§ People
power
to
deliver
message,
publicize
§ Need
ongoing
opportunities
for
donor
engagement
§ Much
of
the
work
happens
after
the
event
§ Keeping
expenses
low

30. 30
@CapitalOne
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Gala
Revenue
Sources
§ Individual
ticket
sales
§ Table
sales
§ Silent
&
live
auctions
§ Corporate
sponsorship
§ Program
advertisement
§ Individual
donations–
paddle
raisers,
donation
envelopes,
personal
stories

31. 31
@CapitalOne
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Gala
Expenses
§ Staff
time
§ Venue
selection
§ Marketing
and
outreach
§ Talent/entertainment
§ AV/Production
§ Decorations
§ Printing

32. 32
@CapitalOne
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@AskEmilyD
Galas:
Board
Participation
§ Ask
questions
about
planning
§ Secure
donation
items
§ Procure
in
–kind
support
§ Identify
&
cultivate
sponsors
§ Serve
as
table
captains,
sell
tickets
§ Act
as
an
organizational
ambassador
§ Make
a
personal,
public
contribution
at
the
gala
§ Debrief
event

33. 33
@CapitalOne
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No
matter
what…
§ Say
thank
you
§ Educate
§ Inspire
§ Encourage
participation

34. 34
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Questions

35. 35
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The
Different
Hats
We
Wear…
Legal
Hat
Ambassador
Hat
Volunteer
Hat

36. 36
@CapitalOne
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Board
Cultivation:
Building
Relationships
Cultivating
Build
the
Relationship
Engage
the
Donor
Ask
for
the
Gift

37. 37
@CapitalOne
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YES!!
Yes,
but
not
that
much
No
Making
the
Ask:
Outcomes

38. 38
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One
more
possibility…

39. 39
@CapitalOne
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Tips
for
Making
the
Ask
1. Prepare
2. Ask!
3. Be
specific
4. Thank
5. Communicate
§ Set
a
personal
fundraising
goal
§ Share
your
story/connection
to
the
mission
§ Invite
opportunities
to
continue
the
conversation
§ Be
direct
about
asking
for
gifts
§ Call,
email,
write
thank
yous

40. 40
@CapitalOne
|
@BoardSource
|
@AskEmilyD
Fundraising
Process
Prospecting
Identification
Preparation
Cultivating
Build
the
Relationship
Engage
the
Donor
Ask
for
the
Gift
Stewarding
Recognition
Reporting
Communicating
Engagement

41. 41
@CapitalOne
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@BoardSource
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@AskEmilyD
Board
Stewardship
“Stewardship,
or
taking
the
time
to
recognize,
thank,
and
educate
donors
is
a
critical
component
of
any
fundraising
strategy.
Good
stewardship
techniques
directly
affect
donors’
decisions
to
review
or
increase
their
support
when
there
is
an
opportunity
to
do
so.”
-­‐
Breaking
the
Gala
Addiction
Stewarding
Recognition
Reporting
Communicating
Engagement

42. 42
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Questions

43. 43
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One
Take
Away

44. 44
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Final
Questions

45. 45
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Thank
you!
BoardSource
750
9th
Street,
NW
Suite
650
Washington,
DC
20001
Phone
(202)
349-­‐2500
Web
site:
www.boardsource.org
Emily
Davis,
MNM,
CGT
Emily
Davis
Consulting
(720)
515-­‐082
emily@emilydavisconsulting.com
emilydavisconsulting.com