Fun In Fundraising

Amplify Austin Day with Piper Stege Nelson

How does an organization successfully raise $10 million online in 24 hours to benefit the entire community? Today, I talk with Piper Stege Nelson, CEO of I Live Here I Give Here to talk about Amplify Austin Day.
Amplify Austin is a platform of over 700 nonprofits from seven counties in Central Texas. Over 24 hours each March, tens of thousands in the Austin area give small and large dollar contributions with the net result being over $10 million raised for these nonprofits in the Central Texas region.
In this episode, Piper provides great insights on a range of topics including tips on obtaining matching grants for your event, the importance of encouraging and engaging young people to give back at an early age, and how to look at nonprofits as an interconnected network to help maximize fundraising. This is one episode you will not want to miss.

Helping Hand Home Crystal Ball with Kerianne Oliver, Jennifer Ramberg, and Beth Plater

How does an organization create a signature fundraising gala with a very large, multi-generational following? Today, I talk with Helping Hand Home Board President Beth Plater, as well as Kerianne Oliver and Jennifer Ramberg, co-chairs of the upcoming annual signature fundraising event, Crystal Ball.
Crystal Ball is the largest nonprofit gala in Austin each year, drawing over 2,000 people with guests ranging from 5 to 105 years old. The event raises over $2,000,000 with proceeds going towards programs to provide a safe haven for children experiencing neglect, abuse, or abandonment.
In this episode, Beth, Kerianne, and Jennifer provide great insights on a range of topics including how to create a strong board of directors AND a a strong advisory board, how board leadership successfully works with event chairs, and tips on creating a successful event that draws people of all ages.

Asia Society's Tiger Ball 2024 With Saleena Jafry And Stephanie Todd Wong

How does a nonprofit create fun, impactful, and visually appealing event that provides an unforgettable experience for donors? Today, I talk with Asia Society's Vice President of Development Saleena Jafry, and Vice President of Communications Stephanie Todd-Wong about the organization's upcoming signature fundraising event Tiger Ball 2024: Celebrating Magnificent Asia.
Tiger Ball is an annual, seven-figure gala in Houston and one of Texas' most anticipated annual nonprofit signature fundraising events. Proceeds raised from Tiger Ball go towards furthering The Asia Society's mission of navigating shared futures for Asia and the world across policy, arts and culture, education, sustainability, business, and technology.
In this episode, Saleena and Stephanie provide great insights on a range of topics including advice on starting a chapter of an organization in a new city, the importance of having great relationships with event chairs, and tips on creating fun, innovative themes that keep donors coming back year after year.

20th Annual Texas Independence Day Dinner With Jan Bullock

How does an organization find an honorary chair who attracts top honorees and gala event chairs year after year? Today, I talk with Jan Bullock, who for 20 years has been the honorary chair of the Texas Independence Day Dinner at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, which is named in honor of her late husband, former Texas Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock.
Each year, this million-dollar night honors two History-Making Texans who have made an impact on the world. Honorees at this event have included Hall-of-Fame athletes, legendary broadcasters, three former First Ladies, and two former Presidents.
In this episode, Jan provides great insights on a range of topics including how the dinner started, creating a successful event people want to attend year after year, and making the ask to get honorees at the highest levels to say yes.

Kidlinks Symphony of Chefs With Hamilton Sneed

How does a nonprofit create a theme for its signature fundraising event that guarantees a one-of-a-kind experience year after year? Today, I talk with Hamilton Sneed, Founder of HAS Events. Hamilton is the event producer for the upcoming Symphony of Chefs benefitting Kidlinks. The event features top chefs from the Dallas/Fort Worth area who provide bespoke menus for each individual table at the event.
In this episode, Hamilton provides great insights on a range of topics including tips on how to get multiple people in the same field to say yes to your signature event, tips on optimizing your event budgets, and what all successful fundraising events have in common.

2024 Houston Ballet Ball With Alexandra Yates and Richard Flowers

How does a nonprofit create a successful relationship with an event planner that results in unforgettable gala or signature fundraising events year after year? Today, I talk with Houston Ballet Senior Director of Events and Individual Giving, Alexandra Yates and legendary event producer Richard Flowers, Owner of The Events Company to talk about the upcoming Houston Ballet Ball. 
In this episode, Alexandra and Richard provide great insights on a range of topics including tips on how a nonprofit can create a successful, long-term relationship with an event producer, what all successful events have in common, and the importance of creating wow moments at an event that entices donors to come back to your event year after year. This is one episode you will not want to miss.

Junior League of Houston’s 76th Annual Charity Ball With Amanda Hanks Bayles

How does a nonprofit successfully create a different and fun theme for a signature fundraising event every year? Today, I talk with Junior League of Houston President, Amanda Hanks Bayles about their upcoming 76th Annual Charity Ball. Long one of Houston's most popular signature fundraising galas, the organization has done a different theme for every one of their 76 events.
In this episode, Amanda provides great insights on a range of topics including ways to create a successful network of volunteers, how the organization selects which nonprofits to support, and tips on how to create a large, devoted following for an organizations signature fundraising event.

SAFE 50th Anniversary Gala with Angela Glode, Tiffany Stillwell, and Yvette Flores

How does a nonprofit - and its signature fundraiser successfully evolve with a rapidly growing city? Today, I talk with Angela Glode, Chief Development Officer for The SAFE Alliance, as well as Yvette Flores and Tiffany Stillwell, the co-chairs for the upcoming SAFE Gala: Celebrating 50 Years. The mission of SAFE is to stop abuse for everyone and provide services to victims of abuse including housing, education, advocacy, and community services.
In this episode, Angela, Tiffany, and Yvette provide great insights on a range of topics which include the importance of long-term planning to create a successful gala, creating a successful, tiered raffle to generate buzz and excitement about your event, and using a milestone year to add new elements to your signature fundraising event to draw in the next generation of donors.

Miss Texas Scholarship Organization with Jan Mitchell

How do you successfully build an all-volunteer organization? Today, Rob talks with Jan Mitchell, Executive Director for Miss Texas, the official preliminary competition to the Miss America Competition and the largest provider of scholarships for young women in the United States. In this episode, Jan provides great insights on a range of topics including the importance of volunteers in making a nonprofit a success, how the organization awards scholarships, and ways to keep your alumni continuously involved with your organization.

Legacy Community Health’s Holiday Schmooze with Bella Villarreal

How do you create a highly successful signature fundraising event during the holiday season? Today, Rob talks with Bella Villarreal, Development Manager of Legacy Community Health to talk about their upcoming signature fundraising event Holiday Schmooze, which is one of the most fun and anticipated events in Houston during the holiday season.  In this episode, Bella provides great insights on a range of topics including how to make your event stand out with donors during the busy holiday season, keep, the differences between a cocktail party and gala format, and how holding your event at a different location each year creates for a fun, bespoke experience for your donors.