Last updated: November 8, 2024
Want to host a fundraiser that actually raises money while keeping your guests engaged?
Let me show you my top tips that combine the best of event hosting and fundraising strategies.
In this article, you’ll learn:
- How to maximize donations without making things awkward
- Ways to keep your fundraiser engaging and energetic
- Proven strategies that make giving feel natural
- Tips for turning one-time donors into long-term supporters
As someone who’s hosted hundreds of successful events, I’ll share my most effective techniques for making your fundraiser both fun and profitable.
Why you should listen to me: My name is Nick Gray, and I’m the best–selling author of the party handbook The 2-Hour Cocktail Party. I’ve hosted hundreds of parties all over the world. After making it a habit, I can easily host a gathering and make new friends with no sweat. I’ve been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and New York Magazine once called me a host of “culturally significant” parties.Party Duration
Make your fundraiser a focused 2-hour event.
I’ve consistently seen higher donation totals from shorter events compared to traditional lengthy galas or dinners.
This creates urgency and maintains high energy throughout. Schedule specific moments for:
- Initial welcome and mission statement
- Two structured giving opportunities
- Final donation push before closing
People give more when they’re energized, not exhausted from a long event.
Think of your fundraiser like a well-crafted story – it needs a clear beginning, middle, and end that keeps people engaged.
Core Group
Identify 5-7 key supporters who can:
- Arrive early to help set the tone
- Make the first donations to build momentum
- Help facilitate conversations about your cause
- Encourage others to participate
Their enthusiasm will inspire others to give more generously.
This core group acts as unofficial ambassadors for your cause, creating natural momentum for giving.
Consider meeting with this group beforehand to brief them on specific goals and talking points.
Name tags
Name tags aren’t just for introductions— they’re donation motivators. Write first names in large letters and add conversation prompts like:
- “Ask me why I give”
- “Ask about our impact”
- “Ask me about matching gifts”
This simple tool creates natural opportunities for guests to discuss their connection to your mission and share why they give, making donation conversations flow more naturally.
Donation Stations
Create 3 distinct areas that make donating easy and engaging:
- Impact showcase with specific examples of what donations provide
- Mobile giving station with text-to-donate options
- Recognition wall where donors can mark their participation
This gives people multiple ways to support your cause comfortably.
I’ve seen donation rates increase significantly when guests can choose their preferred giving method, whether it’s digital payments, text-to-donate, or traditional methods.
Matching Gift Periods
Schedule 2-3 specific times during your event when donations will be matched by a pre-arranged donor.
- Announce matches during icebreakers
- Create urgency with time limits
- Celebrate when matching goals are met
This creates natural urgency and excitement, often doubling or tripling typical donation amounts.
Pro tip: Announce these periods during high-energy moments and celebrate when matching goals are met to maintain momentum.
Facilitate Icebreakers
Guide your charity event attendees through 2-3 quick icebreaker sessions that connect to your cause.
These should be brief (30 seconds per person) but meaningful, allowing guests to share their connection to your mission.
Here are 5 proven icebreakers specifically designed for fundraising events:
The Gratitude Circle
Ask each person to share one thing they’re grateful for that relates to your cause. This icebreaker works because it creates an immediate emotional connection to your mission while keeping things positive.
Impact Story Share
Have each person share a brief story about how they’ve seen your organization make a difference.
This helps create emotional investment in your mission while giving concrete examples of your impact. It’s especially powerful when your core supporters go first with compelling stories.
The “Why I’m Here” Round
Each person states how they heard about your organization and what motivated them to come to your event.
This icebreaker helps identify common connections and motivations among your guests. It also gives you valuable insight into what draws people to your cause.
The Future Vision Share
Ask participants to share one dream they have for the future of your cause.
This forward-looking icebreaker helps people think big about your mission’s potential. It creates excitement about what donations can help achieve.
The Connection Chain
Have each person mention who invited them and one thing that surprised them about your organization’s work
This helps map relationships in the room while highlighting your organization’s unique value. It also acknowledges the power of personal invitations in fundraising.
Tips for Leading These Icebreakers:
- Keep responses to 30 seconds or less
- Go first to model the desired length and tone
- Stand in a circle rather than sitting
- Use a harmonica or bell to keep things moving
- Thank each person briefly after they share
Nick’s note: The goal of these icebreakers isn't just to warm up the room – it's to create natural opportunities for people to connect with your cause and understand its impact.Party Reminders
Use a proven three-part reminder sequence to maximize attendance at your fundraising event:
- 7 days before: Event info and matching gift teaser
- 3 days before: Share donor stories and impact examples
- Morning of: Final logistics and early-bird giving opportunity
Each message should build excitement while providing clear information about giving opportunities.
I’ve seen attendance rates increase by 30% or more when using this structured reminder approach.
Giving Tiers
Make the impact of each tier clear and specific. Offer 3-4 distinct donation levels:
- Entry level ($50): Accessible for most guests
- Mid-tier ($100): Your suggested amount
- Premium ($250): For those who can give more
- VIP ($500+): Special recognition and perks
Having multiple giving levels acknowledges that your donors have different capacities to give while still making everyone feel valued. Providing clear donation tiers increases average gift size by 30-40%.
Pro tip: Make sure to include both accessible entry points and premium options to accommodate different giving capacities.
Impact Stories
Connect every donation amount to tangible outcomes during your charity event. Use real examples and specific numbers to show exactly what different contribution levels can achieve.
Don’t just ask for money— show exactly what it does:
- “One $50 donation provides a week of meals”
- “Every $100 funds an hour of research”
- “Each $250 gift sponsors a child’s education”
This concrete approach helps donors understand their impact and often leads to larger gifts.
End Your Event
Conclude your fundraising event while energy is high and give specific ways for donors to stay involved:
- Celebrate what you’ve raised
- Thank donors personally
- Share specific follow-up plans
- Offer recurring giving options
This approach helps convert one-time donors into long-term supporters and builds lasting relationships with your cause.
Conclusion
These tips work because they combine effective event hosting with strategic fundraising principles.
Key takeaways:
- Keep your event short and energetic
- Use structured activities to facilitate giving
- Make donation impacts clear and specific
- Create urgency through matching periods
- Build long-term relationships with donors
- End while enthusiasm is high
By following this approach, you’ll create an event that’s both enjoyable and successful at reaching your financial goals.
In my book, The 2-Hour Cocktail Party, I provide helpful guidance on how to host a great party for any event. I wrote this book to support anyone interested in meeting new people.
When is your party? Send me an email and I will give you some bonus tips, including a pre-party checklist that you can print out. Plus, I’ll answer any question you have, free of charge. I love talking about parties, and I’m on a mission to help 1000 people host their first party.
