Do You Need to Host a Gala Event for Your Nonprofit?

Nonprofit GrowthDevelopment
Written By Sherry Quam Taylor

I’ve gotten the same question three times in the last two weeks. And each person asking it had almost this whispering tone while asking for permission.  

That question? 

Do we have to host a Gala? My answer to that question…. 

No. 

Or, Yes. 

Or, sure, if you want.

 

What I mean is…. 

No, you don’t have to have a Gala to be a successful fundraising organization. My clients with the strongest mid- and major-level gift programs don’t have Galas. They secure these gifts through 1:1 solicitations.

 

But, Yes, if you have a successful mid- and major-level gifts program where the Gala is an amazing step in your donor’s journey with your organization you might want to consider keeping it. A Gala is a great touch point with donors. 

 

But I certainly don’t want my top donors giving at it. ←Yep, I said that!

 

Or, sure, if you want to have a Gala….go for it. I wouldn’t tell anyone to just stop their gala without all the information. Obviously, there are many amazing connections, engagement, and story-telling opportunities that happen at events. Galas aren’t just for raising money.

 

Executive Directors…remember… 

Your fundraisers only have a certain amount of hours in their week. 

Whatever decision you make, ensure their hours are aligned with dollars. Galas can support this strategy or work against this strategy. Proceed with caution.

Whenever you’re ready, here are THREE things you can do next:

👣 Follow me on LinkedIn where I share the same lessons I teach my clients about attracting larger gen-ops dollars and adding 7-figures + to their bottom line. 

🍎 Read my GUIDE! THE TRUTH ABOUT GIVE/GETS :: Top 5 Reasons Your Board’s Give/Get Is Leaving Thousands (Sometimes Millions) on the Table. See how limiting board members to the Give/Get model restricts gifts and keeps your staff from reaching their full fundraising potential. Here to get it.

📈 Work with me to scale your org's revenue by 2-5X and fund your organization’s Strategic Plan // If you’re a business-minded CEO already raising MILLIONS but need to diversify revenue and secure more general-operating dollars to invest in growth, you can apply to work with me here.

Sherry Quam Taylor

Sherry Quam Taylor works with business-minded Nonprofit CEOs whose Strategic Plans require expansive budgets and larger amounts of general-operating revenue for growth. To become investment-level ready, Sherry helps leaders see their revenue potential and helps them see what may be blocking donors from giving in this way. Sherry’s clients know how to attract larger donors by solving the funding challenges at the root of the issue.

As a result of learning her methodology, Sherry’s clients become sustainable, diversify revenue, and know how to add significant amounts gen-ops revenue to their budgets. But mostly, their development departments and board have transformed into high-ROI revenue generators – aligning their hours with relational dollars and set free from the limitations of transactional fundraising.

Sherry attributes the success of her business to her passion for modeling radical confidence to the future CEOs in her house - her two college-aged daughters.

https://www.QuamTaylor.com
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