Fun In Fundraising

How do you create an impactful statement moment at your event where guests carry the moment with them long after the event has ended? In today’s episode, I talk with AVDA CEO Maisha Colter and AVDA Board Chair Vanessa Ames to talk about the organization's signature fundraising event: the Home Safe Home Gala. For over 40 years, AVDA has provided services in it's mission to end domestic violence by advocating for the safety and self-determination of victims, promoting accountability for abusers, and fostering a community response to abuse. Over the past few years, the Home Safe Home Gala has become increasingly successful due to a strong program with impactful event moments such as the Be the Light moment where each guest holds a candle to help bring domestic violence out of the shadows. Maisha and Vanessa share their knowledge and expertise on a variety of topics, including tips on consistently and successfully growing your event year after year, creating a strong selection process in selecting an honoree, how a strong relationship between executive leadership and a board contributes to an events success and so much more. This is one episode you will not want to miss.

What does it take for an organization to host a successful fundraising event in a one-of-a-kind urban green space? In today's episode, I talk with Kit Sawers, President & CEO of Klyde Warren Park, to talk about their upcoming signature fundraising event, Party in the Park. Located in the heart of Downtown Dallas, Klyde Warren Park is a modern city oasis. A 5.4-acre park over a suspended 8-lane highway, the world-class green space draws over 1.5 million visitors per year.  Kit share a wealth of valuable insights on a range of topics including using a gala to create deeper relationships with key donors, establishing a strong and active board, how an organization successfully evolves with a changing city and so much more. This is one episode you won’t want to miss.

What does it take for an organization to host a successful fundraising event when the logistics are anything but simple? In today's episode, I talk with Austin Parks Foundation Vice President of Marketing and Communications Katie Kennedy, and Events Manager Caitlyn Denham to talk about the upcoming Party for the Parks. Held on the grounds of Zilker Park, one of the green spaces supported by the Austin Parks Foundation, Party for the Parks takes place between the two weekends of the Austin City Limits Music Festival. This exclusive event offers a rare opportunity to experience the expansive festival grounds in a private, after-hours setting, alongside just 400 fellow attendees. Katie and Caitlyn share a wealth of valuable insights on everything from creating a seamless guest experience in a large venue, to crafting effective messaging for a unique event that both retains and attracts donors. They also dive into the process of booking high-profile musicians and much more. This is one episode you won’t want to miss.

What are the keys to highlighting artistic talents throughout a successful gala or signature fundraising event? In today’s episode, I talk with Dallas Symphony Orchestra Chief Artistic Officer Katie McGuiness and Vanessa Cain, event chair for the upcoming Dallas Symphony Orchestra Gala. Celebrating it's 125th anniversary, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra is one of the world's top artistic organizations. The annual Dallas Symphony Orchestra space makes full use of the world-class Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center with spaces and experiences that enchant guests, including a five-star dinner, a concert featuring world-class musical talent, and one of Texas's best gala after parties. Vanessa and Katie share their knowledge and expertise on a variety of topics, including tips for evolving your organization as your city grows and changes, strategies for effectively incorporating talent that reflects your organization’s mission throughout the night, and building a loyal following that spans generations. This is one episode you will not want to miss.

Having a vision isn't enough. How do you lead your community to get behind a transformative vision that will be felt for generations to come? In today’s episode, I talk with Lynn and Tom Meredith, co-chairs—along with several of their children and spouses—of the upcoming Glow in the Park benefiting the Waterloo Greenway Conservancy. Lynn and Tom’s leadership and vision has been instrumental in transforming Downtown Austin’s Waterloo Greenway into a world-class urban greenspace. Each fall, the organization hosts Glow in the Park at Moody Amphitheater, celebrating completed milestones and the ongoing transformation of the 1.5-mile, 35-acre greenspace. Lynn and Tom share their knowledge and expertise on a range of topics including how to get involved in a community as a new resident, what nonprofits and startups have in common, how nonprofits can successfully evolve with a growing city, overcoming the naysayers who say your vision can't be achieved, and so much more. Don’t miss this inspiring conversation with two transformative leaders.

What should an organization consider when considering a format change for an annual gala or signature fundraising event?  In today's episode, I talk with Tena Faust, Board Co-President of Houston PetSet to talk about the upcoming Fierce & Fabulous Le Brunch.  One of Houston's most beloved and successful annual signature fundraising events for many years, the Houston PetSet. Led for many years by Tena and her sister Tama Lundquist, the organization has decided now is the right time to shift the format of the event from a nighttime gala to a weekend brunch. Proceeds from this highly successful event are disbursed to other Houston animal nonprofit organizations in the form of grants to more widely impact the Houston community. Tena provides so many wonderful insights on a whole host of topics including tips on finding cause that you are passionate about AND uses your strengths to make maximum impact on your community, ways to draw patrons from multiple parts of your city's philanthropic community, the keys to obtaining great silent and live auction items, businesses, and vendors plus so much more This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.

How does an organization build on the success of a highly successful first-year gala?  In today's episode, I talk with Shanna Schanen, Co-Founder of the Round Top Film Festival, and Round Top Film Festival Board Member Shonnery Pettit to talk about the second annual Round Top Film Festival Gala. The smallest incorporated town in Texas, with approximately 90 residents, Round Top is well known for its annual antique markets. To further establish Round Top as a cultural destination, Shanna launched the Round Top Film Festival with a highly successful first year slate that was fueled by their highly successful kickoff gala that successfuly drew film patrons from around Texas. Shanna and Shonnery provide countless valuable insights on a range of topics including how to use a gala to help build buzz for a festival, tips on drawing people from multiple markets for your gala or signature fundraising event, the importance of having a strong gala committee to from year one, and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.

How can an organization host multiple signature fundraising events throughout the year that engage various segments of its donor community? Today, I talk with Karissa Condoianis, Senior Vice President of Public Relations for the State Fair of Texas® to talk about the upcoming Texas State Fair and other signature fundraising events the organization hosts throughout the year. While many know the State Fair of Texas® as a place of family fun that draws over 2 million visitors to the fair each year, it is actually a 501 (c)3 organization. Operating on three core pillars to serve the Texas community: economic development, building capacity, community support, it offers support to many nonprofit organizations to positively impact communities around the state. In this episode, Karissa discusses a wide range of topics including establishing a process to select nonprofit collaboration partners, how the organization hosts different fundraising events targeted at different segments of their audience, obtaining top musical headliners for events, and so much more. This is one episode you will not want to miss.

How does an organization successfully work with an event producer regardless of the size of your budget? Today, I talk with Mia Sims, Founder of Mia the Event Diva and event producer for many notable events of all sizes in and around Central and North Texas. Over the years, Mia has been a go-to event producer for everything from organizations hosting their first gala to longstanding, million-dollar events such as the upcoming Texas Advocacy Project's Black & White Ball. Her can-do attitude and ability to execute on budgets of all sizes has helped many organizations of all sizes achieve their fundraising goals. In this episode, Mia discusses a wide range of topics including what organizations should look for when hiring an event producer, the similarities and differences in planning events with large and small budgets, developing strong relationships with organizations and event chairs, and so much more. This is one episode you will not want to miss..

What are the keys to creating a successful foundation arm for your organization that allows you to create a broad impact on the community it serves? Today, I talk with Kaitlin Mauro, Executive Director of the 4ATX Foundation to talk about the organization's signature fundraising event, the A Night In Verde Gala. Celebrating its 5th year, the A Night In Verde Gala has quickly become one of Austin's top signature fundraising events. The foundation arm of the Austin FC soccer team, the 4ATX Foundation uses the power of soccer to help communities socially, emotionally, and physically thrive.  In this episode, Kaitlin discusses a wide range of topics including how to create strong partnerships with other nonprofits to expand your reach, developing a unique theme that is both fun and ties to the mission of the organization, how the organization selects honorees for each year's gala, and so much more. This is one episode you will not want to miss.

How does an organization host a successful kickoff party to keep guests excited about...and sets the tone for your upcoming gala or signature fundraising event?   Today, I talk with Jenny Todd, Vice President at the American Cancer Society to talk about one of their upcoming signature fundraising events: The 2025 Houston Cattle Baron's Ball.  The American Cancer Society is the nation's leading cancer fighting organization. Their innovative approach of effectively tapping into the spirit local communities is evident with the Houston Cattle Baron's Ball. One of Houston's top annual galas, the event draws well over a thousand attendees each year, raising well into seven figures for the organization. In this episode, Jenny discusses a wide range of topics including creating strong event committees to carry out your events vision, tips on selecting the right theme to connect with your audience, innovative event activations to keep your audience engaged, and so much more. This is one episode you will not want to miss.

What are the keys to getting your board fully engaged in an annual gala or signature fundraising event?   Today, I talk with Sarah Gilbreath, Central Texas Board Chair for Imagine A Way, to talk about their upcoming annual Imagine A Way Gala: Mad Money for A Mission. Imagine A Way provides critical services for families who have children living with autism. Since its founding in 2007, the organization has helped many families ease the financial burden of the care required for children who have autism. Founded in Austin, the organization also has a second successful chapter in Houston. In this episode, Sarah discusses a wide range of topics including tips on leveraging your board to find an effective chair for your gala or signature fundraising event, things to consider when considering opening a chapter in another market, how to keep your audience engaged throughout the entire night at your gala, and so much more.

How can an organization effectively utilize event software to elevate the experience for your event guests?  In today's episode, I talk with Co-Founder and CEO of BetterUnite, Leya Simmons to talk about how event software is a core, critical component to any successful event. Since its founding in 2017, BetterUnite "helps the helpers" in taking their nonprofit fundraising events to new heights. In addition to providing software that has helped elevate the event and event guest experience for thousands of organization, BetterUnite also hosts A Better Conference, a multi-day event that provides valuable tools and resources to help nonprofits take their events...and their organizations to new heights. Leya provides countless valuable insights on what it takes to effectively market and promote your event including utilizing software to elevate your auction or raffle, how galas are an important part of the nonprofit fundraising pipeline, trends in how nonprofits are utilizing event software,  what to expect at this year's A Better Conference, and so much more. This is one episode you will  not want to miss.

What are the keys to creating an effective media and promotion strategy for your event?  In today's episode, I talk Vice President of Public Relations for Children's Museum Houston, Henry Yau. Hosting over 90 events per year ranging from community family events, to million-dollar black-tie galas, Henry and Children's Museum Houston are the gold standard in creating effective event publicity for events large and small. Henry also serves as Children's Museum Houston's Marketing Communications Spokesman where she shares the organizations mission to everything from morning TV show appearances to podcasts. Henry provides countless valuable insights on what it takes to effectively market and promote your event including, tips on understanding and pitching to different types of media outlets, how to create strong long-term partnerships with media and corporate partners, the importance of having a pre-event and post-event media strategy and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.

What are the keys to creating a menu for a gala or signature fundraising event that is both delicious and cost-effective? In today's episode, I talk with one of Texas's top event caterers, Cameron Lockley, Founder of Flavor Hospitality Group. Over the past several years, this top Austin restaurateur has expanded his offerings to include event catering. During this time, Cameron has developed strong relationships with many top Austin philanthropic organizations through offering elevated, delicious meals for guests of all budgets and sizes. Cameron provides countless valuable tips and insights on what it takes to create a great gala meals such as creating a menu that resonates with your audience, tying a meal to your event theme, selecting wine and spirits pairings for your food, the benefits of family-style meals at events, and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.

What are the keys to creating a great signature cocktails that help you set the tone for your event?  In today's episode, special guest co-host Lance Avery Morgan and I talk with Kara Newman, Spirits Editor for Wine Enthusiast and author of The Cocktail Cabinet. The Cocktail Cabinet features two different books: one about gin, the other about whiskey. Instead of a traditional book, each of the two The Cocktail Cabinet books contains 50 cards. Each of the 50 cards features a delectable, signature cocktail recipe that is bound to dazzle and wow your guests. Kara provides fantastic insights on a range of topics including how signature cocktails set the tone for your event, the reason Gin and Whiskey are timeless spirits with broad appeal, tips on effectively integrating wine with spirits at a gala, event, or dinner party, and so much more. This is one episode you will not want to miss.

How does a great event photographer an essential part of any successful gala or signature fundraising event? They serve as the eyes of the event. In today's episode, I talk with two of the very best event photographers in Texas, Tamytha Cameron and Celeste Cass.  For many years, this mother-daughter duo has photographed just about every high-profile and successful nonprofit gala in North Texas. Their ability to capture great moments of an event allow organizations to showcase how they positively help the North Texas community...all while having fun. Tamytha and Celeste provide countless valuable insights on what it takes to lead effective and dynamic live auctions including how to make celebrities and high-profile individuals comfortable when being photographed, traits of great event photographs, trends they are seeing in the nonprofit and gala space to give and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.

What are the keys to creating a dynamic, dazzling live auction that both raises a lot of money and has guests talking about your gala...and auction long after your event has ended? In today's episode, I talk with one of the very best auctioneers in the business, Bobby D. Ehlert, Co-Founder & Chief Inspiration Officer of Inspire Hearts Fundraising. Over the past 25+ years, Bobby D. has helmed many top live auctions around the United States. He is a master at commanding the room to get donors to open their hearts and wallets during live auctions and fund a needs so nonprofits can provide valuable services that help positively transform their communities. Bobby provides countless valuable insights on what it takes to lead effective and dynamic live auctions including how to establish a strong relationship with your auctioneer, tips on creating an auction that taps into the soul of the room and the community it serves, creating emotional ties to the organization that compels new and existing major donors to give and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.

What are the keys to creating a strong partnership between philanthropic organizations and beneficiaries to maximize impact in the communities they serve? There are no two better people to discuss this topic than today's guests: Jennifer Stevens, event producer for Mack, Jack, and McConaughey and Susan Hewlett, the Executive Director for the Dell Children's Medical Center Foundation. For the past 12 years, Dell Children's Foundation has been one of the five beneficiary organizations of Mack, Jack, and McConaughey, Texas's largest annual fundraising gala. The 2025 event raised $17 million, which will benefit Dell Children's and four other nonprofit organizations that fulfill the Mack, Jack, & McConaughey mission to empower kids. Jennifer and Susan share valuable tips and insights on creating a successful nonprofit partnership roadmap including how to effectively communicate so that both organizations are on the same page, highlighting key initiatives that positively impact the communties they serve, and sucessfully evolving a partnership so both organizations grow together. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.

How does an organization effectively showcase how the funds raised from a signature fundraising event benefit the community they serve? In this episode, I talk with Laura Ward, Founder, President & CEO of Houston Children's Charity to discuss the organization's upcoming Chariots for Children event. For nearly 30 years, Houston Children's Charity has been one of Houston's top nonprofit events. This is due in large part to Laura Ward's vision, strong leadership, and passion for helping children in the Houston community. Chariots for Children, a Van Distribution Event provides children with disabilities vans to give them and their families more independence. The van distribution is the end result of an innovative Paddles Up at the organization's annual Houston Children's Charity Gala, Houston's top annual fundraising gala. Attendees raise their paddles to provide one family with a van. This year, a record 66 vans will be distributed to children at Chariots for Children.  Laura Ward provides a masterclass on what it takes to effectively lead a nonprofit organization including tips for creating an efficient application process for services that benefit anywhere from tens to tens of thousands, the importance of understanding the specific need you can fill in your community, and how to attract a top-tier board and hold them accountable. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.