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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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- 5 days ago57 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.
- 1 weeks ago40 min
Operation Smile Houston Gala With Sneha Merchant
How does a nonprofit steadily grow its annual fundraising gala so it becomes one of the most successful galas in your area? Today, I talk with Sneha Merchant, co-Chair of the Operation Smile Houston Gala, to talk about its 10th anniversary gala. Over the past decade, Operation Smile's Houston Gala has grown in scope and impact. Beginning as a smaller 100-person event, the event has grown in size and now features well over 500 of Houston's most notable philanthropists in attendance each year. Along the way, the organization has strategically shifted event venues as the Operation Smile Gala has grown and scaled during that time. Sneha provides valuable insights on a range of topics, including tips on successfully and gradually evolving your event over time, building a devoted following for your annual gala and signature fundraising event that also creates great word of mouth, getting high-profile individuals to say yes to support your event, and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.
- 2 weeks ago39 min
Big Brothers Big Sisters LoneStar An Evening For Potential Gala With Alistine Turnbull-Blackshear & Pierce Bush
How can a nonprofit executive leader effectively collaborate with an outgoing senior leader transitioning into an emeritus role to ensure knowledge, fundraising, and impact seamlessly continue? Today, I talk with Alistine Turnbull-Blackshear, Market President of Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star Greater Houston Chapter, and Pierce Bush, President Emeritus of Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star to discuss An Evening for Potential Gala, the Houston Chapter's annual signature fundraising event. Over the last several years, Big Brothers Big Sisters' An Evening for Potential Gala has drawn many of Houston's top social and community leaders. As outgoing President, Pierce Bush has transitioned into an emeritus role, Alistine and the leaders across Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star Chapters around Texas have been able to tap into institutional knowledge, providing organizational continuity while empowering them to put their own stamps on their various chapters. This has allowed the organization to seamlessly transition major fundraising events while infusing them with new energy that successful leadership transitions provide. Alistine and Pierce provide valuable insights on a range of topics, including engaging donors via events throughout the year, selecting a theme that resonates with both the audience and the organization's mission, successfully evolving your nonprofit with a growing/changing city, and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.
- 3 weeks ago44 min
Texas Advocacy Project Black & White Ball With Debbie Tate
How does a nonprofit successfully create donor engagement opportunities that are galas for all donor levels that are fun and exciting? Today, I talk with Debbie Tate, Chief Development Officer of Texas Advocacy Project, to discuss the Black and White Ball, the organization's largest annual signature fundraising event. Over the years, Black & White Ball has steadily grown and become one of Austin's most successful annual signature fundraising events. One particular activation makes the event exciting and intriguing for donors of all levels: Mystery Gifts. This allows donors to make smaller donations and receive a gift equal to or greater than the value of the donation which is beautifully wrapped black and white wrapping paper that allows every donor to feel special. Debbie provides valuable insights on a range of topics, including creating a long-term planning strategy to ensure a successful gala, creating strong relationships between event chairs and a nonprofit, hosting a compelling live auction that encourages donors to give generously, and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.
- Aug 18, 202634 min
North Texas Giving Day With Calvert Collins-Bratton
How does a community successfully host an online fundraiser that raises a large amount of money for a wide range of nonprofits in your area? Today, I talk with Calvert Collins-Bratton, former Chief Relationship Officer of Communities Foundation of Texas, to discuss their annual signature fundraising event, North Texas Giving Day. The most successful and highest revenue online fundraising day in the United States each year, North Texas Giving Day raised over $78 million for over 3,500 North Texas nonprofits. The day allowed over 100,000 North Texans to give back to a cause near and dear to them and brilliantly showcases the power of a community to come together to provide life-changing and life-saving services to those in need. Collins provides valuable insights on a range of topics, including tips for getting large segments of your community to participate in an online fundraiser, how small online contributions are donor development opportunities for nonprofits, creating contests to drive donor and community interest, and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.
- Aug 11, 202634 min
Dallas Children's Advocacy Center Art For Advocacy With Ashley Nowak and Laura McCallan
How does a nonprofit successfully curate a cohesive silent and live auction for their annual gala or signature fundraising event? Today, I talk with Ashley Nowak and Laura McCallan, two of the co-chairs for the Dallas Children's Advocacy Center's largest annual signature fundraising event, Art for Advocacy. If you think successful art auctions are limited to only visual arts organizations, it is time to rethink that position. For many years, Dallas Children's Advocacy Center has hosted one of North Texas' most successful signature fundraising galas of the year. Last year's Art for Advocacy raised an impressive $2.1 million for the Dallas Children's Advocacy Center, which allows the organization to provide services to provide justice and restore hope for abused children in North Texas. The event includes both live and silent auctions featuring works from over 70 top artists from North Texas and beyond. This has allowed the Dallas Children's Advocacy Center to draw a wide range of donors from the North Texas community, which has allowed them to expand their services and impact. Ashley and Laura provide valuable insights on a range of topics, including the importance of having a successful committee to carry out an event chair's vision, developing strong relationships between event chairs and a nonprofit to maximize fundraising impact, tips on getting artists to say yes and donate an item to your signature fundraising event, and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.
- Aug 4, 202645 min
Abbey Lights Up COTA With Melissa Keller
How does a nonprofit successfully host an event in a unique, highly coveted space in a way that inspires giving and grows your fundraising total each year? Today, I talk with Melissa Keller, President and Co-Founder of the Abigail E. Keller Foundation to talk about the organization's upcoming signature fundraising event, Abbey Lights Up COTA. Held each year at the Circuit of the Americas racetrack, Abbey Lights Up COTA has grown over the years into one of Austin's top and most unique signature fundraising events. The event seamlessly ties to the organization and its mission through the late Abigail E. Keller's love for racing and an unforgettable experience she had at COTA before her passing. The result is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for guests that allows ABBEY Lights Up COTA to consistently grow its revenue year-over-year. Melissa provides valuable insights on a range of topics, including tips on effectively setting up an inaugural board for a foundation in honor of a departed loved one, maintaining strong relationships with top donors to grow a devoted following for your signature fundraising event, the benefits and challenges of hosting a gala in a unique space, and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.
- Jul 28, 202653 min
V Foundation's Napa Wine Celebration With Jamie Valvano and Nate Ferguson
How does a nonprofit find keynote speakers that both move the audience and compel them to give to your cause? Today, I talk with former Sr. Director of Special Events & Operations of the V Foundation for Cancer Research, Nate Ferguson, as well as acclaimed speaker and cancer thriver Jamie Valvano, daughter of legendary North Carolina State Basketball Coach, the late Jim Valvano, the namesake of the V Foundation for Cancer Research, to talk about the organization's highest-revenue fundraiser of the year: the 2026 Napa Wine Celebration. The V Foundation is well known in the philanthropic world for curating multi-day events that are informative and fun. The V Foundation hosts over a half dozen epicurean events in select markets around the country, leveraging the power that food and wine have to bring people together to raise funds for the organization. The crown jewel of the epicurean dinners is the Napa Wine Celebration, which raised $12.3 million in 2026. The most impactful part of the V Foundation's epicurean events is no doubt Jamie's keynote addresses that occur at most of the events. She powerfully and emotionally tells the story of her father's legacy, the organization, and how the V Foundation's work literally saved her life. Jamie and Nate provide valuable insights on a range of topics, including tips on creating a successful, fun multi-day event, leveraging long-term relationships to create epic live auctions with once-in-a-lifetime packages, successfully setting up a foundation in honor of a departed loved one, and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.
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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