Donor Events That Really Work!

What if your next fundraising event wasn’t just another rubber chicken gala—but a magnetic, mission-driven experience people couldn’t stop talking about? That’s exactly what Brittany Bedford, Customer Success Manager at Bloomerang, urges nonprofit leaders to imagine.

In this high-energy episode, Brittany dives deep into the art of turning events from forgettable to phenomenal. She shares fresh research, real-world examples, and wildly creative strategies that help nonprofits connect with long-term donors in meaningful, memorable ways.

“We’ve got to shift from the fundraiser’s point of view to the attendee’s,” Brittany emphasizes. “They’re coming to feel connected. This is their chance to be a part of something meaningful.”

Julia Patrick, host, agrees—and doesn’t hold back: “We don’t even sit down and ask, what do our guests need? That’s dreadful. We just copy and paste the last event!”

From gamified donor experiences and staff-led greetings to runway walk-offs and dogs painting art live onstage, Brittany proves that creativity isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a donor retention superpower. In one standout example, she describes an event where guests interacted with service dogs creating art, then bid on those pieces at auction. “People were laughing, posting, and telling the story for weeks,” she recalls.

She also unpacks Bloomerang’s new research showing that:

·        70% of donors say a fun experience makes them more likely to stay engaged

·        53% say gamification was their most memorable event moment

·        Yet only 6% of fundraisers are implementing this!

The takeaway? Nonprofits must ditch the rinse-and-repeat and embrace innovation—starting with the very first hello. Whether you're planning your first gala or your fiftieth, this episode is a game-changer for how you think about donor events.

00:00:00 Welcome and Guest Introduction
00:02:00 Brittany’s Role at Bloomerang
00:03:40 Transitioning from Transactional to Inspirational Events
00:06:00 Copy-Paste Event Planning Pitfalls
00:08:30 New Research: What Donors Really Want
00:10:20 Gamification at Events: Why It Works
00:13:00 Making Staff and Board Comfortable with Engagement
00:15:00 Rethinking Guest Check-In and First Impressions
00:17:00 Dogs Painting Art: An Unforgettable Event Idea
00:20:00 Peer-to-Peer Meets Fashion Show Fundraiser
00:23:30 Using Event Data for Future Engagement
00:27:00 Can Small Teams Pull This Off?

#DonorEngagement #NonprofitEvents #FundraisingInnovation

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