Fun In Fundraising

Turtle Creek Conservancy A Day At The Races With Chris Denney And Tiffany Divis

How does a nonprofit successfully create a signature fundraising event around a major cultural event?  Today, I talk with Chris Denney, Director of Advancement, and Tiffany Divis, President and CEO of the Turtle Creek Conservancy to discuss their signature fundraising event Day At The Races.
Celebrating its 16th year, Day At The Races is a Kentucky Derby-themed party held in the early evening on the first Saturday in May to coincide with the annual run for the roses at Churchill Downs. Held on the Turtle Creek Park grounds each year, funds raised from the event benefit the Turtle Creek Conservancy, which manages Turtle Creek Park, a public greenspace in the heart of Dallas that patrons and residents have been using for over 100 years.
In this episode, Chris and Tiffany talk about a wide range of topics including creating a devoted following for your signature fundraising event, how to effectively utilize the most majestic parts of your space at signature fundraising events to recruit more donors, and ways the team keeps adding new twists to keep the event lively and fun each year. This is one episode you will not want to miss.

DACAMERA Gala 2024 With Brandon Bell and Suzanne Sippel

How does a nonprofit successfully incorporate their mission at their annual gala to help major donors connect with the organization?  Today, I talk with Brandon Bell, General Manager and Suzanne Sippel, Director of Invidual Giving at DACAMERA to talk about their signature fundraising event DACAMERA Gala 2024.
DACAMERA provides innovative concert experiences that connect music with literature and the visual arts. Many of the concerts hosted by the organization are held in unique spaces that make each concert performance all the more special. This year's event is made all the more special as it will celebrate Artistic Director Sarah Rothenberg's 30th anniversary with the organization.
In this episode, Brandon and Suzanne talk about a wide range of topics including partnering with an event venue to create a memorable menu that ties in with the event theme, tips on offering unique activations that keep donors and guests engaged throughout the event, and how having a fun, unique theme creates buzz and excitement for your annual gala or signature fundraising event.

Mack, Jack, & McConaughey With Auctioneer Heath Hale

What does it take for a nonprofit to host a top live auction that raises millions for an organization?  On today's special episode, I talk with Heath Hale, owner of Cowboy Auctioneer and the lead auctioneer for Texas' largest annual nonprofit signature fundraising event, Mack, Jack & McConaughey.
Heath and his team of over a dozen auctioneers raised over $50 million through nonprofit live auctions in 2023. The largest of which was a jaw-dropping $8 million at Mack, Jack, & McConaughey with the proceeds benefiting five children's oriented nonprofits.
In this episode, Heath talks about a fun range of topics including tips on establishing a good relationship with an auctioneer, finding the right live auction items that resonate with your audience, and how he creates emotional ties to the cause that compel donors to give more. This is one episode you will not want to miss.

St. David's Foundation Toast Of The Town With Cara Abazari And Tobie Funte

How does a nonprofit raise large sums of money through a signature fundraising event that consists entirely of small, intimate events?  Today, I talk with Cara Abazari, Director of Community Affairs at St. David's Foundation, and Tobie Funte, Chair of the organization's signature fundraising event, Toast of the Town.
Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, the Toast of the Town party series is a one-of-a-kind signature fundraiser. Each year, St. David's Foundation hosts 20 bespoke events ranging from 10-50 people in one month that is a mix of experiences, guest speakers, and celebrity guests. The result: an event that raises over $1.5 million each year for the foundation Neal Kocurek Scholarship Fund.
In this episode, Cara and Tobie talk about a wide range of topics including the importance of having a strong relationship between the organization and the event chair, the ways the event has evolved over the past 40 years, and how the team curates the 20 unique party experiences each year. This is one episode you will not want to miss.

The TEX Gala With Karin Morris

How do champions on the field fundraise for their community like champions off (and on) the field?  Today, I talk with Karin Morris, Senior Vice President of Community Impact for the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation to talk about the upcoming The TEX Gala.
Over the past several years, the foundation arm of the reigning World Series champions has hosted a seven-figure fundraising gala held on Globe Life Field that brings together sports enthusiasts, top musical acts, A-list celebrities, and philanthropists to create an unforgettable night benefiting youth, relief, and military/first responders causes in North Texas.
In this episode, Karin provides great insights on a range of topics including how to make a large space feel intimate, the ways the organization partners with nonprofits in their area, and utilizing the Rangers first-ever World Series win to draw more donors.

Mad Hatter's Gardens of Greece Luncheon With Allison Brodnax, Karen Sargent, and Jan Strimple

How does a nonprofit create an event that has its guests highly engaged long before the event begins?  Today, I talk with three special guests to talk about the upcoming Mad Hatter's Luncheon benefitting the Women's Council of the Dallas Arboretum: Event Chair, Allison Brodnax, Board President Karen Sargent, and Event Producer Jan Strimple.
Mad Hatter's is one of the most inventive events you will ever go to. All the attendees wear a hat around the theme of the event. This year's theme: Gardens of Greece, will feature hundreds sporting elaborate hats inspired by the beautiful country where attendees can enter their hats into one of six hat-judging categories.
In this episode, husbands Allison, Karen, and Jan provide great insights on a range of topics including the importance of having your chair fully behind the theme of your event, how everyone dressed up in unique attire can help facilitate conversation, and how effectively engage a production partner when producing a fashion show at your event. This is one episode you will not want to miss.

Round Top Festival Institute Gala With Reenie Harwood Collins and Linda Plant

How does a small community effectively draw donors from around the area to their gala or signature fundraising event?  Today, I talk with Reenie Harwood Collins and Linda Plant, who are the co-chairs for the upcoming Round Top Festival Institute Gala.
The smallest incorporated town in Texas, Round Top is a town of approximately 90 residents known primarily as a destination for quality antiques. The town also features the Round Top Festival Institute, a grand performance concert venue founded by James Dick that hosts top musical prodigies from around the world each year for their annual Summer program. Completed in 2007, the space crafted entirely by hand (yes you read that correctly) rivals any 19th Century Viennese Opera House in terms of quality and acoustics.
In this episode, Reenie and Linda provide great insights on a range of topics including how to galvanize your entire community to be a part of your gala, how event chairs successfully collaborate with the founder of an organization, and the concept of creating a "non-gala, gala". 

Dallas Museum of Art - Art Ball 2024 With Andy Smith And Paul von Wupperfield

How does an organization create a signature fundraising event that is one of the hottest tickets in town year after year?  Today, I talk with Andy Smith and Paul von Wupperfield, who are the co-chairs for the upcoming Art Ball 2024 benefiting the Dallas Museum of Art.
The Dallas Museum of Art is one of the world's premier art museums featuring works from Monet, Van Gough, Matisse and more. Each Spring, DMA hosts its annual Art Ball, which has drawn top art patrons from around the world since its first ball in 1962.
In this episode, husbands Andy and Paul provide great insights on a range of topics including the importance of having a fun theme that draws patrons to your event, tips on successfully co-chairing a gala with your spouse, and creating an epic after-party that has guests staying at your signature fundraising event well into the night. This is one episode you will not want to miss.

THE BIG GOOD With Kelsey Patterson

How does an organization successfully host an event that provides funds to multiple nonprofits to maximizes a positive impact on their community?
Today, I talk with THE BIG GOOD co-founder Kelsey Patterson about their upcoming annual flagship fundraising event THE BIG GOOD, which benefits three organizations in North Texas: The Tarrant To & Through Partnership, United Community Centers, and UpSpire.
THE BIG GOOD, is an organization founded by Gary and Kelsey Patterson & Leon Bridges that assesses key need gaps in the North Texas community. The organization works with select nonprofit partners in the area through three-year partnerships to provide maximum community impact.
In this episode, Kelsey provides great insights on a range of topics including effectively engaging celebrities for your gala, how combining sport and music at your event enhances the guest experience for your donors, and ways that a comfortable, casual-chic vibe entices donors to give more generously.

Imagine Muny Gala With Ben Crenshaw And Scotty Sayers

How does an organization successfully attract a wide range of people throughout the donor community to a signature fundraising event? Today, I talk with Scotty Sayers and Two-Time Masters Champion Ben Crenshaw about the upcoming Imagine Muny Gala benefitting The Muny Conservancy.
The Muny Conservancy is an organization seeking to preserve Lions Municipal Golf Course, a 141-acre greenspace just west of downtown Austin. The organization's first gala in 2022, was a million-dollar night that brought an incredible mix of people from throughout the Austin community including art patrons, merchants, sports fans, musicians, politicians, nature lovers, and many more.
In this episode, Ben and Scotty provide great insights on a range of topics including the importance of preserving historical green spaces, what goes into creating a lightning-in-a-bottle inaugural event, and utilizing a historic space in new and unique ways.