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Fun In Fundraising: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Rob Giardinelli
Fun in Fundraising is a podcast that gives you behind-the-scenes access to the people behind top fundraising galas. Each episode features host Rob Giardinelli talking with the leaders behind the top gala and signature fundraiser event chairs, honorees, producers, and non-profit executives. These events featured on Fun In Fundraising raise significant sums of money by producing fun, memorable experiences with guests and attendees returning year after year. Each conversation highlights how top leaders facilitate raising large sums of money to positively impact their communities in a fun, organic way. Rob Giardinelli is a sales executive turned ”professional guest on duty” through his work at esteemed publications The Society Diaries and Society Texas. During the past 15 years, Giardinelli has attended/chronicled over 2,000 galas, kick-off events, and parties that have raised over $250 million for some of the world’s top nonprofits.
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- 1 weeks ago37 min
Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market With Sonja Kostich And Michelle Jeffery
How does a nonprofit successfully structure a signature fundraising event so that both nonprofits and business sponsors both benefit? Today, I talk with Houston Ballet Executive Director Sonja Kostich as well as Michelle Jeffery, co-chair for Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market®, one of the organization's signature fundraising events. For over 40 years, the Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market® has been one of Houston's most successful signature fundraising events. The multi-day event features both events for major donors as well as an epic marketplace featuring hundreds of local Houston merchants, each of whom donates a percentage of their proceeds during the five-day shopping extravaganza. In 2025, Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market® drew over 100,000 visitors to the NRG Center, where the event is held. Sonja and Michelle share their insights on a variety of topics, including tips on successfully hosting a multi-day fundraising event, how to balance engaging donors to avoid donor fatigue, creating distinct experiences during an event series while maintaining an event throughline, and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.
- 2 weeks ago33 min
Folds Of Honor North Texas Gala With Sarah Elliott
How can a nonprofit with chapters around the country create a successful gala that both connects to the organization's mission and has a local feel? Today, I talk with Folds of Honor North Texas Chapter Executive Director Sarah Elliott to talk about the chapter's largest signature fundraising event, the Folds of Honor North Texas Gala. In 2007, Folds of Honor was founded by Lt. Col. Dan Rooney to provide educational scholarships to the spouses and children of fallen or disabled military members and first responders. Over the past 19 years, Folds of Honor has grown to 40 chapters around the United States, including the North Texas Chapter, whose 2025 gala raised a record-breaking and eye-popping $4.5 million for the organization. Sarah provides her expert insights on a range of topics, including how to use a unique event venue as a way to attract (and maintain) donors, the keys to creating a successful paddles raise that effectively conveys the mission and moves the audience, getting a high-profile individual to say yes to attend your event in a way that is organic to the organization's mission, and so much more. This is one episode you definitely do not want to miss.
- 3 weeks ago41 min
Houston SPCA Howl-O-Ween Ball With Julie Kuenstle and Patrick Plunk
How does a nonprofit successfully host a gala or signature fundraising event on their campus or headquarters? Today, I talk with Houston SPCA VP of Marketing and Communications Julie Kuenstle and VP of Philanthropy Patrick Plunk to discuss the organization's signature fundraising event: the 2026 Howl-O-Ween Ball. One of the most fun and financially successful animal welfare galas in Texas, Houston SPCA’s Howl-O-Ween is a genius event concept that allows the organization to bring its mission to life for existing and potential new donors. The Halloween theme invites guests to embrace the holiday in full costume or attend in cocktail or black-tie attire, creating an atmosphere where everyone feels welcome. Held on the grounds of the Houston SPCA, the event also gives donors a firsthand, real-time connection to the organization’s mission. The event's results speak for themselves, with the 2025 gala raising more than $1 million. Julie and Patrick provide valuable insights on a range of topics, including how to develop strong relationships with event chairs to maximize relationships and impact, determining which of your donors is most ideal for a holiday-themed event, the importance of creating an effective event communications strategy to convey your mission to the broader community, and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.
- 4 weeks ago38 min
Children's Museum Houston Gala With Jessica Bertuccio, James Flavin, and Bahareh Flavin
What is the key to hosting a themed event that allows every guest to feel comfortable and ready to participate? Today, I talk with Jessica Bertuccio, James Flavin, and Bahareh Flavin, three of the co-chairs for the One Upon A Time: A Fairy Tale Fashion Ball benefiting Children's Museum Houston. For many years, the Children's Museum Houston's annual gala has been a highly successful annual signature event with a keen ability to draw a youthful crowd who is ready to show up and make an impact. Each year, the event features innovative themes where guests feel comfortable showing up either in costume or in traditional black-tie. This year should be especially fun with the 2026 theme: Once Upon a Time: A Fairy Tale Fashion Ball that will allow guests to sport high fashion in a way that best suits them. Jessica, James, and Bahareh provide valuable insights on a range of topics, including how event chairs can effectively use a committee that ensures their event vision comes to life, how changing the theme each year keeps donors engaged...and on their toes, tips on creating a successful after-party that keeps the vast majority of your crowd at your gala until the final song is spun or sung, and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.
- Oct 6, 202636 min
Foster Village Grow The Village Gala With Chrystal Smith
How can a nonprofit effectively use a gala to increase, revenue, visibility, and impact. Today, I talk with Foster Village Founder & CEO Chrystal Smith about the Austin Chapters Grow the Village Gala, the organization's largest annual signature fundraising event. Ten years ago, Chrystal founded Foster Village to provide support to families who foster children as well as services for children aging out of the foster care system. During this time, Foster Village has grown from the initial Austin chapter to a dozen different markets around the country. This year's Grow the Village Gala will both celebrate this milestone and raise a substantial amount of funds to support the organization's mission. Chrystal provides her expert insights on a range of topics on running your gala as a business, including how to successfully grow and evolve your organization while staying true to its mission, tips on creating an inaugural board that sets your organization up for success, using the gala as an opportunity to connect with new as well as existing donors, and so much more.
- Sep 29, 202656 min
Laura Ward Of Houston Children's Charity On How To Run A Gala Like A Successful Business
What is the key to hosting a successful annual gala? Run it like a business. No one is better suited to discuss this important, yet underdiscussed topic than Houston Children's Charity President & CEO Laura Ward and her enormously successful Houston Children's Charity Gala. This year, Houston's most anticipated and successful fundraising gala turns 30 this year. Laura has been able to grow the gala to extraordinary heights by adopting business principles that have allowed her gala to grow and scale. The 2025 Houston Children's Charity Gala raised an incredible $9.4 million, and know in 2026, it will likely become a gala unicorn that will raise eight figures in a single night. Laura provides her expert insights on a range of topics on running your gala as a business, including how bold, trusted leadership sets the pace for your gala, the importance of engaging your customer in "old school" ways, the thing you must do 100% with all gala stakeholders, and so much more. This episode is a must-listen for anyone trying to grow and scale their gala in a way that connects with donors and stakeholders so they give more of their resources to your event.
- Sep 22, 202635 min
Cattle Baron's Ball Dallas With Cynthia Everitt And Paige Westhoff
How does a nonprofit successfully host an annual gala at a unique space that also has the capacity to host a large number of guests? Today, I talk with Cynthia Everitt and Paige Westhoff, co-chairs of the 2026 Cattle Baron's Ball Dallas, benefiting the American Cancer Society. For over 50 years, Cattle Baron's Ball has been one of Texas' most successful fundraising events. Over the past several years, the event has been hosted at the iconic Southfork Ranch, home of the legendary show Dallas. Hosting it at Southfork has allowed over 3,000 guests each year to experience the largest single-night fundraiser for the American Cancer Society in the United States each year. Cynthia and Paige provide valuable insights on a range of topics, including creating a great theme that engages and excites your audience, managing a guest list, and strategically seating people so they want to attend every single year, creating a live auction that raises a large amount of money while entertaining the crowd, and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.
- Sep 15, 202657 min
Waterloo Greenway Conservancy's Glow In The Park With Dr. Colette Pierce-Burnette
How does a nonprofit successfully use a gala to showcase the progress of a transformative project that an entire community can use year-round? Today, I talk with Dr. Colette Pierce-Burnette, CEO of Waterloo Greenway Conservancy, to talk about the upcoming Glow in the Park Gala. Held on the world-class grounds of the Moody Amphitheater on part of the Waterloo Greenway's city greenscape, Glow in the Park is one of Austin's must-attend fundraising events. Under Colette's leadership, the Waterloo Greenway Conservancy has continued to thrive as the organization creates a transformative, multi-mile naturebelt in the heart of Austin. Glow in the Park provides donors and guests the opportunity to access and take in the natural beauty of Waterloo Greenway in an immersive way, showcasing how their donations have provided a transformative impact on the community. Colette provides valuable insights on a range of topics, including tips on successfully using a gala to connect with major donors, putting your own stamp on a transformational project already in progress, creating a successful fundraising event that is held outdoors, and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.
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About Fun In Fundraising
Fun in Fundraising is a podcast that gives you behind-the-scenes access to the people behind top fundraising galas. Each episode features host Rob Giardinelli talking with the leaders behind the top gala and signature fundraiser event chairs, honorees, producers, and non-profit executives. These events featured on Fun In Fundraising raise significant sums of money by producing fun, memorable experiences with guests and attendees returning year after year. Each conversation highlights how top leaders facilitate raising large sums of money to positively impact their communities in a fun, organic way. Rob Giardinelli is a sales executive turned ”professional guest on duty” through his work at esteemed publications The Society Diaries and Society Texas. During the past 15 years, Giardinelli has attended/chronicled over 2,000 galas, kick-off events, and parties that have raised over $250 million for some of the world’s top nonprofits.
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