Swaim Strategies is a critical part of the Camp Fire team and an important collaborator for our success. Emulating our culture and creating an immersive guest experience for our event, Spark, required intense listening. They listened to our hopes and dreams and our desire for a program speaking to the whole audience, no matter where and when they touch our program at Camp Fire Columbia. They listened when we asked for specific support to reach fundraising goals while keeping the fun and festivity high. Every step of the way, we felt heard. That's what partnership is, and what it can be because of how Swaim Strategies listens and responds.

We pushed Swaim Strategies to keep everything about our event centered on equity and inclusivity, and they challenged us to look closely at our donor data to create an event that was authentically North by Northeast and engaged everyone in our community. Getting into the data helped us see who our broader community was, and that enabled us to come up with a plan for our Community Supper that celebrates who we are and who we serve.

There are many reasons that we, at Guide Dogs for the Blind, are thankful for Swaim Strategies. But the reason that rises to the top immediately is how much of a lift they provide on the day of the event. Swaim's project teams understand what needs to be accomplished and provide the support and tools to be successful on your event day. They execute flawlessly, professionally and calmly with a smile. The team removes all the stress the day of the event.

Swaim Strategies helped us visualize the stories of the people we work with every day. Once we landed on our event's central theme, Swaim Strategies helped us craft a deliberately meaningful message that displayed our impact and not only positively impacted our fundraising at the event but deepened our relationship with community partners.

Swaim Strategies is a trusted and valued thought partner, equally steeped in the strategy of hosting high-quality events that raise funds and the techniques of training others and building internal capacity. They delivered event models that our network could—and has!—easily picked up and used in their own planning, in all types of communities. Girls Inc. affiliates love the event model that Swaim designed for us.

Swaim Strategies has been an invaluable partner in our organization's fundraising efforts and successes. There from the inception of our organization and through each generation of leadership, the entire Swaim team has always been there for us to provide guidance, continuity, training and best practices that have strengthened our fundraising program as we grow. They understand the realities and challenges of small nonprofits and provide exactly the support we needed to ensure seamless execution and profitability of a quality event that represents our organization and community.

I trust Swaim Strategies. The expertise they bring to our partnership has elevated our Community Action events year after year. As development staff we are able to focus on donor cultivation and sponsor stewardship while the Swaim team guides us through logistical grunt work that ensures a seamless event experience. They are truly invested in our success and approach each project with creativity, honesty, positivity and a tremendous attention to detail.

Our work together to consider how to move our appeal collection from a passive envelope pre-set at the table to an active appeal with bid cards and an auctioneer not only dramatically increased the energy of our event, but also yielded very significant returns in donations and overall donor participation. Before working with Swaim Strategies, we were fearful that our event had passed its peak; now, we have the momentum we need to set even higher event goals. We could not have been more impressed and pleased with the support we got to make this shift.

The Swaim Strategies team brings a wealth of experience and resources. Working together over the past five years has helped us hone in on the most impactful strategy for our annual Gala, and has given us the time to focus on donor relationships and cultivation. As a result, we’ve been able to grow and exceed our fundraising goals! This increased support from our community has been transformational for our organization.