How can steady and passionate leadership help take your gala or signature fundraiser to become a must-attend event that raises seven figures?  Today, I talk with Texas Advocacy Project CEO Heather Bellino about the organization's signature fundraising event The Black & White Ball.

For over 20 years, Heather's tireless advocacy and passion to provide free legal services to survivors of dating and domestic abuse, sexual assault, child abuse, and human trafficking has created an organization that is one of the most respected and admired in the United States. Over the years, the Black & White Ball has steadily grown and evolved and last year broke the million-dollar mark for the first time.

In this episode, Heather talks about a wide range of topics including ways to successfully evolve your organization with a growing city and state, the importance of long-term planning in creating a successful gala, and tips on creating an exciting live auction that encourages donors to give generously. This is one episode you will not want to miss.

How does a successful gala celebrate a milestone to honor key people who have made the event a success?   Today, I talk with Lisa Tynan, the Events Manager for Houston PetSet about the 20th Annual Fierce & Fabulous Soirée.

Founded by nationally known animal advocates Tama Lundquist and Tena Lundquist Faust, Houston PetSet has long been one of the city's most anticipated annual signature fundraising events. In honor of the 20th anniversary of the event, this year's Fierce & Fabulous Soirée will honor 20 individuals who have made an impact on the event and the organization.

In this episode, Lisa talks about a wide range of topics including the secrets to hosting a successful live and silent auction at your gala, how to a devoted following for your signature fundraiser, and tips on engaging celebrities for your event.

How does an organization take their annual fundraising gala from four figures to seven figures?  Today, I talk with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas CEO Kedrick Jeffries and CMO Brenda Lindfors to talk about the 20th annual Big Brothers BIg Sisters of Central Texas Ice Ball.

In its first year, the Ice Ball raised a little over $6,000. After 20 years and a lot of hard work, recruiting quality event chairs, and effective donor engagement the Ice Ball is now one of Central Texas' top fundraising galas, raising over $1 million annually for the organization.

In this episode, Kedrick and Brenda talk about a wide range of topics including ways to successfully evolve your gala or signature fundraising event, using anniversary year as an opportunity to reengage with past event chairs and major donors, and tips on finding successful gala chairs to take your event to the next level.

One key element of any successful gala or signature fundraising event is a signature cocktail that helps make your event fun and memorable. Today, special guest cohost Lance Avery Morgan and I talk with André Darlington, author of a dozen cocktail books including his latest book  Cowboy Cocktails: 60 Recipes Inspired by the American West.

In this episode, André provides his expert insights about the importance of a signature cocktail to set the tone for your event, successfully pairing cocktails with food, and some trends he is seeing in the cocktail space. This is one episode you will not want to miss.

What key steps can nonprofits take to host fun and profitable galas and signature fundraising events? Today, I talk with event producer turned nonprofit fundraising thought-leader AJ Steinberg.

Based in Southern California, AJ has been involved in the nonprofit fundraising scene for over 20 years. Her company, Queen Bee Fundraising works with nonprofits to engage and inspire their donors to optimize their galas and signature fundraising events.

In this episode, AJ provides valuable insights on a range of of topics before, during, and after the event including the importance of securing corporate sponsorships, creating donor engagement to host an effective paddle raise, and what organizations need to do in the days after a gala or singature fundraising event to maintain goodwill with donors. This is one episode you will not want to miss.

What is a unique way to hold a signature fundraiser without holding an inperson event? Today, I talk with Kit Moncrief and Gloria Moncrief Holmsten of The Saving Hope Foundation to talk about their annual signature fundraising book, Hope & Friends.

In this episode, Kit and Gloria provide great insights on the organization including their inspiring story that launched the Saving Hope Foundation, finding underwriters for a unique fundraising concept, ways their unique fundraising concept helps the organization maintain ongoing relationships with donors and families.

One of the biggest questions often ask when planning their nonprofit event: How do I find and work with talent? I could not think of a better person to talk about this subject with than today's guest, actor, director, and singer Nicholas Rodriguez.

This talented artist is a veteran of a multitude of film, television, and stage performances. Over the years he has performed numbers and directing performance programs for nonprofit galas and signature fundraising events all around the United States.

In this episode, Nicholas provides valuable insights on how to successfully engage talent for your gala or signature fundraising event including the differences between handling onstage versus behind-the-scenes talent, the steps nonprofits need to take before approaching talent to appear at their event, and working with talent before the event so their performance is something your gala guests will remember for a long time to come. This is one episode you will not want to miss.

How can a nonprofit gala or signature fundraising event create a great experience for their guests and donors? Provide keepsakes that have your guests thinking about your event long after it has ended. Today, I talk with Stephanie Schiller, owner of Vogue Vignette.

Vogue Vignette is a team of seven artists led by Stephanie who provide custom sketches of guests at nonprofit events, weddings, birthday parties, and corporate events. This gives guests and donors a beautiful piece of art that can be framed in their home that remind them of your great gala or signature fundraising event all year long.

In this episode, Stephanie provides valuable insights on what makes for a great subject to sketch, the various ways nonprofits use Vogue Vignette at their events to cultivate and recruit donors, and what all successful galas and signature fundraising events have in common.

What is one of the most critical things you can do to host a successful event? Find an emcee that sets the tone you want to set to ensure the event's success. Today, special guest co-host Lance Avery Morgan joins me to talk with media personality and presenter Holly Mills-Gardner.

Holly Mills-Gardner is one of the very best emcees in the business. Over the past 25 years, she has emceed hundreds of high-profile nonprofit, corporate, and live events for everything ranging from local charities to events hosted by former presidents and cabinet secretaries.

In this episode, Holly provides so many invaluable insights on numerous topics on the many ways that an emcee is your most valuable event asset...including tips on how to find the right emcee for your event, why you should set aside a budget to hire a quality event emcee, and tips on what to look for when organizations are looking to have co-emcees. This is one episode you will not want to miss.

What does it take host a successful Fund-A-Need to help your gala meet its fundraising goals?  Today, I talk with TK Kenney, Founder & Principal Auctioneer of Astounding Auctions, as well as the auctioneer for the Dell Children's Ball.

Dell Children's Ball made the decision post-COVID to pivot to a Fund-A-Need from the traditional Auction and/or Auction + Fund-A-Need model. TK's skills allowed Dell Children's to raise $1 million at this year's Fund-A-Need...in a room with less than 500 guests. The 2024 Dell Children's Ball raised a record-breaking $3,000,000 for the organization.

In this episode, TK provides so many invaluable insights on hosting a successful Fund-A-Need including how organizations successfully partner with auctioneers, the importance of knowing the donors in the room in advance of the event, and how to effectively utilize a donor match to drive up the bidding of donors.  This is one episode you will not want to miss.