Elevate Conference 2027
WHAT IS ELEVATE CONFERENCE?
Elevate is a two-day, hybrid nonprofit fundraising conference designed for leaders and professionals who are rethinking how they showcase their missions, connect with donors, and deepen relationships through events.
It’s a collaborative learning experience built around four core faculty experts, additional specialist sessions, and a room full of people like you, all committed to better fundraising events.
Elevate 2027 is for you if:
- You manage a fundraising event
- You’re an event planner
- You volunteer on an event committee
- You’re on a fundraising team
- You’re a fundraiser
- You’re a nonprofit board member
- You’re an executive director
- You’re an auctioneer
- You’re responsible for designing nonprofit events and raising money
And we’re hosting you the way we want you to host your donors: with intention, generosity, and real connection.
For All Attendees: Shared Hybrid Education (4 hours/day, March 2-3)
Every virtual and in-person attendee gets access to:
- Big-Idea Talks: Faculty experts share their signature frameworks for fundraising event strategy, storytelling, leadership, and donor relationships through the lens of what’s changing in nonprofit events.
- Teaching Sessions: Practical learning focused on applying new fundraising concepts right away.
- Live Clinic: The Elevate faculty team solves real attendee event challenges live on stage.
- Themes Panel: Faculty address common topics from day one, creating a conversation that evolves in real time.
- Specialist Workshops: Sector experts and practitioners tackling your nonprofit’s most pressing questions.
Virtual attendees join via livestream and participate in chat and Q+A.
Elevate Qualifies for CFRE Credits!
Attending Elevate is a great way to continue your fundraising education and develop your skillset as a nonprofit leader.
For In-Person Attendees Only: The Deep Dive (2 hours/day of workshops + networking + facilitation)
When you attend Elevate in person, you get everything above plus the following to bring your nonprofit’s next event plan to life.
Collaborative Workshops + Consulting (2 hours each day)
You work directly with the four core faculty members in small, facilitated workshop groups. Bring your real questions. Test your ideas. Learn what’s working for nonprofits like yours. Dream together. Troubleshoot the actual obstacles you’re facing. You’ll leave with a strategy you’ve designed, not downloaded.
It’s ensemble facilitation: sometimes on the stage, sometimes at the table, always learning and growing alongside fundraisers like you.
Peer-to-Peer Learning + Brainstorming
Coffee and lunch breaks become extended brainstorms where you can connect with nonprofit leaders from similar-sized organizations wrestling with the same questions. This is where the real learning happens: human-to-human, organization-to-organization, peer-to-peer. You’ll swap effective tactics, troubleshoot challenges, and build genuine relationships with people who get it.
Event Structure Coaching
Blueprint your real next event. Bring your questions. Work through your specific situation. Get expert guidance on the strategy you’re building.
Evening Gathering: Exploring Auctions (In-Person Bonus)
Event night is here. After the conference on day 1, gather with other in-person attendees for an evening exploring alternatives to the traditional gala format and diving into auction science: when auctions work, which formats move the needle, and how to decide if an auction belongs in your event.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Shift: How Fundraising Events Have Changed
The nonprofit landscape has transformed. Today’s highest-impact fundraising events are:
- Relationship-Centered, Not Transaction-Focused: Built to enhance donor loyalty and create genuine connection, not just extract revenue.
- Mission-Driven at Every Touchpoint: Purpose anchors every decision, from design to storytelling to hospitality.
- Built for Belonging: Donors feel known and seen so they understand that their support genuinely matters.
- Intentionally Immersive: Every detail, from the welcome to the closing, is designed with care and attention.
- Strategic and Smaller: Raising more money with a more focused, aligned community.
- Movement-Building: Creating momentum that extends beyond one night, enhancing relationships over time.
At Elevate, you’ll learn exactly how to implement these concepts in your own community.
What is the Elevate Conference?
Elevate is a two-day, hybrid nonprofit fundraising conference designed for leaders and professionals who are rethinking how they showcase their missions, connect with donors, and deepen relationships through events.
It’s a collaborative learning experience built around four core faculty experts, additional specialist sessions, and a room full of people like you, all committed to better fundraising events.
Who is sponsoring the conference?
This nonprofit fundraising event conference has been sponsored by such partners as The AV Department, Artisan Auctions, OneCause, Feathr, Greater Giving, OnPoint Community Credit Union, Bloomerang, Auction Packages, Arpeggio Digital, NW Natural, The Fundraising Event Co., Better Unite, Sojourn Ventures, GISI, and others.
Are registration scholarships available?
Yes! Generous scholarships are provided by our sponsors and will be available November 1st.
Is the Elevate Conference in-person, virtual, or hybrid?
This nonprofit fundraising event conference is hybrid, allowing you to participate in person at AVENUE in Portland or virtually. All attendees will receive recorded copies of the sessions.
Who has spoken at the Elevate Conference?
The nonprofit fundraising event conference has featured such fundraising industry experts as Cherian Koshy, Mallory Erickson, Rachel Bearbower, Tammy Zonker, Samantha Swaim, Kristin Steele, Diana Faria Heinrich, Kelly Russell, Michelle Holman, T. Clay Buck, and Beth Sandefur.
What accessibility options are available?
This nonprofit fundraising event conference prioritizes accessibility with:
- AVENUE’s single-floor, wheelchair-accessible space
- All-gender restrooms
- Arm-free, wood folding chairs
- Virtual content with engagement opportunities
- Gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, nut-free, and vegetarian meals
- Recordings of the sessions for viewing on demand available to all attendees
- Sensory-friendly area for guests who may need to decompress (recenter, ground, regulate, etc.) during the event
- Additional available accommodations upon request during registration.
Will there be networking opportunities?
For Elevate 2027, we’ve rethought the event structure to give attendees even more time to connect and brainstorm with fellow nonprofit leaders and fundraisers. We believe some of the most powerful learning experiences come from the human-to-human interactions that take place over lunch and coffee, and it’s our goal to facilitate those moments so that you walk away with effective tactics, new solutions for difficult challenges, and relationships that will empower you to evolve your fundraising strategy.
Elevate 2027 also includes a special session for in-person attendees that introduces alternatives to the traditional gala format, exploring the science behind auctions and helping you make an informed decision about your event structure, special appeal, and auction.
Will recordings of the sessions be available after the conference?
Yes, all registered participants of the nonprofit fundraising event conference will have access to session recordings, enabling you to revisit critical insights and strategies.
What safety measures will be in place for in-person attendees?
We are committed to creating a safe environment by following current health guidelines. If you feel unwell, you can join the nonprofit fundraising event conference virtually from home.
Is there a room block at a nearby hotel?
Yes! We have room blocks at the following hotels, both within a short walk of the conference venue. Use the links below to book your room before February 1, 2027 to get the conference rate.
Who can I contact for more information?
For further questions, reach out to our support team at mary@swaimstrategies.com.
Fundraising Events Have Changed. So Have We.
If you’ve attended Elevate in the past, you experienced an abundance of speakers, sessions, and content over the course of two very full days.
This year will be fundamentally different: We’re going deeper, not wider.
Shifts in the fundraising event space have inspired us to evolve the design of Elevate 2027.
At the heart of Elevate is a small, intentional ensemble of four faculty experts who will explore best practices, teach signature content, and facilitate in-person workshops. They’re not just speakers—they’re collaborators, consultants, and fellow problem-solvers committed to helping you design your next event strategy.
Samantha Swaim | Revenue Strategy + Event Economics
How do you build sustainable fundraising growth that aligns with mission and capacity? Samantha brings clarity to the revenue question: not just how much to raise, but how to think differently about the role events play in your overall strategy.
Kristin Steele | Storytelling + Donor Connection
The best nonprofit events move people through story. Kristin teaches the frameworks that transform storytelling from nice-to-have into the engine of your event and your longest-lasting donor relationships.
Kendall Clawson | Nonprofit Leadership + Board Engagement
How do leaders show up differently when their community gathers? Kendall dives into decision-making, board alignment, team capacity, and the conversations that create confident, joyful leadership around your events.
T. Clay Buck | Major Donor Relationships + Engagement
Relationships are everything. Clay brings expertise in how events build major donor loyalty, create belonging, and move donors to give more and stay longer.
Plus Additional Specialist Sessions
The hybrid learning experience includes sessions from other experts addressing the nonprofit fundraising challenges your organizations face right now: team capacity, donor engagement, fundraising, marketing, and more.
