What Is a Values-Based Event?
- Sarah Staiger
- Feb 25
- 4 min read
And Why We Stopped Rolling Our Eyes at Galas
I am not sure if you know this about us, but Laura and I can be a little judgy about events.
Secret is out.
We have both had seasons where we roll our eyes and say things like:
“Events are so much work.”
“They do not raise that much after costs.”
“They exhaust the team.”
“They do not feel good for clients.”
“They make the donor the hero.”
For lots of years, like you we are betting, we were just out here trying to:
Raise money
Support our missions
Keep our bosses happy
Keep our boards calm
And maybe not completely burn out in the process
If an event keeps the organization afloat, of course fundraisers will do it.
We did.
The Year of Three Luncheons
One year, Laura asked Sarah to run three signature events in the same year.
Big luncheon.
Make them cry three times.
Benevon style.
Three.
Sarah said yes.
Laura said, “I know we cannot always do this.”
And she made a promise that we would scale back.
And we did.
Eventually, we ended all of our luncheons. We migrated the revenue into our emerging Values-Based Major Giving program and asked those event donors to give one on one instead.
We raised as much.
And then we raised more.
But here is what is important.
Those events helped us build our base.
They gave us rooms full of people we could later connect with one on one.
They created momentum.
They helped donors look around the room and say, “It feels like everyone is working on this together.”
That mattered.
So Are We Anti-Event?
If you have heard us say “kill your gala,” you are not wrong.
We have said it. And for some organizations, it really is the right call.
But here is what we want to say more clearly.
Fundraising events can absolutely be helpful, depending on where you are in your organizational life and your individual giving journey.
You deserve an event that:
Raises more money
Does not drift out of alignment with your values
Leaves you feeling good, even if tired, afterward
This is what we have been teaching for the last five years as consultants.
No scrambling for auction items.
No split proceeds raffle.
No paddle raise.
No paid tickets.
You can raise money with a clear and direct ask at the event and through one on one major gift asks before the event even starts.
If you have not read our piece on asking your most important donors before your event, start there:
And yes, it works.
One of our clients has doubled their event income in three years using this model.
What Is a Values-Based Event?
Here is the checklist we use.
A Values-Based Event...
Creates a follow-up opportunity.
If you do not have the capacity to follow up afterward, do not have the event. Contact people and ask for gifts instead.
Has a clear primary purpose.
Is this about fundraising or community connection?
You can care about both. But one has to lead. It is not a fundraising event if fundraising is not the main purpose. Clear is kind.
Treats people the way your values say you should.
Would service users feel comfortable in the room?
Are lived experiences framed as assets?
Are speakers compensated?
Are staff paid for their time?
Your values show up in how you run the night.
Does not train donors to expect something in return.
If we teach donors they need a prize or perk to justify giving, we are subtly saying the mission alone is not enough. It is.
Anchors to the full scope of your work.
Do not cap your generosity story with a small public goal. Tell the truth about what it actually takes to run your organization. Share the largest price tag that is true for your mission.
Is part of a larger fundraising strategy.
Weave it into pre event one on one asks.
Invite multi year gifts.
Identify true believers and develop them as leaders for next year.
Follow up after the event with real human connection.
Without that final step, you will be stuck on the event hamster wheel forever.
If your event is not connected to these things, it is just a very busy night after which your feet hurt for three days.
Now What?
If you are nailing this checklist, tell us. We love hearing about event glow ups.
If this is stretching your thinking, that is okay too.
In our next post, we will share practical ways to transition your existing gathering or gala into a Values-Based Event with steps you can try this year.
Need More Than Event Tweaks?
Sometimes the issue is not the event. It is the absence of an integrated fundraising strategy around it.
That is why we created our Executive Team for Hire service.
We step in as seasoned fundraising leaders to help executive teams:
Scale up revenue
Build their base
Strengthen major gifts
Design values-based events
Create planful and repeatable fundraising systems
Prepare for the next smart staff hire
It is executive level fundraising leadership without the overhead of a full time development director.
Packages start at 3,000 dollars per month based on your needs.
If you would like to talk through where you are and what makes sense next, you can book a free 15 minute strategy session here.
Or simply reach out to us through our contact page.
Want more of this kind of help in your inbox about every other week? Sign up for our Community of Care here.
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