Mission Focus Your Major Donor Event
Every event should be designed for your most-engaged supporters. They’re the people showing up to give, cheering you on and championing your cause. If your donors like a party, give them a theme and a festive atmosphere. If they want to network, give them a lengthy networking time.
Especially when it comes to major donor events, you have an opportunity to design an event your audience will connect with—which will lead to lasting and meaningful relationships.
Before going any further, here’s a quick run-down of the different event models and their purposes:
- Crowdfunding Events = general public recognition
- Acquisition Events = acquire new donors
- Engagement Events = network with existing low/mid-level donors to cultivate them further and connect them to a specific call to action
- Major Donor Events = celebrate your biggest support base and engage them for further giving
- Legacy Events = a recognition events to celebrate major donors who have moved into planned giving
With engagement and major donor events, you’re likely to know a lot more about your donors so you have inspiration to pull from. In this post, we’ll focus on a successful major donor event. To see an example of a great engagement event, see our post on Coalition of Communities of Color’s Summer Soirée.
Bradley Angle, a domestic violence organization in Portland, designed their annual event, GlamHer, for their most engaged supporters and it has become a staple annual event bringing in critical operating support.
The number one reason people don’t leave situations of abuse is financial. Having deep and, often, personal connections to this work, Bradley Angle’s supporters use their own financial empowerment to create stability for others. The event directly reflects this connection to Bradley Angle’s mission, creating a feedback loop of empowerment that fuels the activities, atmosphere and celebration that keeps donors engaged and invested.
Bradley Angle originally began connecting with this audience at their acquisition event called Wine, Women & Shoes, which featured accessories, casino games and shopping-oriented auction packages.
After building up a base of donors giving more and bringing their friends, they rebranded and redesigned the event to become their major donor gala, GlamHer. They pulled through the strongest elements of Wine, Women & Shoes, focusing on fashion, beauty and the chance to raise a glass to empowerment. In continuing to evolve GlamHer, Bradley Angle has increasingly focused on celebration with a dress-up theme, drag queen performances and luxurious auction packages.
Everything at GlamHer brings the organization’s community together to celebrate what’s possible when survivors get the support they need. When you design your events with your mission in mind, you’re more likely to build lasting relationships between that mission and your supporters. And that sustainable support is vital to the longevity of your work.
Photos by Andie Petkus
