Free Daily Podcast Summary
Hey Nonprofits!: Daily Summaries Delivered
by HGA Fundraising
The 'Hey Nonprofits!' podcast is here to help fundraisers and event professionals Raise More Money. Each week, we bring on an industry expert to highlight important tips and strategies, and you can use them effectively to grow your organization. Whether you simply need help communicating with donors or need advanced tactics with setting up live auctions and fundraising events—host Trevor Nelson is here to guide you toward success.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 4 days ago37 min
Why Your Check-In Line Is Costing You Donors | Chris O'Shea & Livia Christensen
Most fundraisers think of check-in as a hospitality problem. Livia Christensen and Chris O'Shea of C2 Auctions think it's a fundraising problem and they have the data to prove it.Livia and Chris manage guest lists and staff registration for some of the biggest galas in the country. Every event, they see the same pattern: the organizations that treat check-in as an afterthought lose donors before their auctioneer ever takes the stage. In this episode, they walk through the three things that make or break a gala check-in and why most orgs get all three wrong.In this episode: why putting your advancement team at the registration table is the worst use of their most valuable hour, the ratio of registration staff to guests you should actually be planning for (and why alphabetical check-in lines are always a mistake), what a clean guest list signals to your donors about how you'll steward their money, why "guest of" fields on your list are a red flag for the whole night, the credit-card-on-file threshold you should hit before your event starts (Chris's team benchmarks at 40%), and why free auction software almost always costs more than paid…one line that will save some organizations thousands.Plus: the peak-end principle from behavioral psychology and how it should shape the last touchpoint your guest has before they leave the room.00:00 Intro00:49 Overview of Check-In and Check-Out08:30 Importance of a Clean Guest List21:00 Final Thoughts and Best Practices26:55 Streamlining Check-In/Check-Out Processes30:05 Role of Hospitality in Event Success🔗 *CONNECT WITH US* 🔗Hire Chris & Livia for Your Event: https://c2auctions.netConnect with Livia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/livia-christensen-8779983/Connect with Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-o-shea-38604181/Connect with Trevor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-nelson-b8922a167/Follow Hey Nonprofits! on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/hey-non-profits-raise-more-money/💙 *ABOUT HGA FUNDRAISING* 💙This episode was brought to you by HGA Fundraising. The team at HGA helps event fundraisers create auction success with the most profitable (and mission focused) auction items in the space. Trips and experiences that excite donors, ignite bidding, and help your organization RAISE MORE MONEY.To learn more about HGA Fundraising click here: https://hgafundraising.com/trips-and-experiences/Easiest way to raise more money in your next event: https://hgafundraising.com/golden-ticket/Feeling stuck with your fundraising? No matter where you are at in your journey, HGA offers FREE coaching for fundraisers: https://hgafundraising.com/nonprofit-coaching/Need an auctioneer for your next event: https://charityauctioneerswelove.com
- 1 weeks ago35 min
Hollywood Playbook for Fundraising Galas | Rick Toone
Most fundraising events are planned like logistics problems. Rick Toone plans them like Hollywood shoots them.Rick spent 20 years in Los Angeles as an art director and lighting designer for A-list clients — Ridley Scott, David Fincher, over 50 Super Bowl commercials, an Emmy nomination, Whitney Houston's first lighting designer. Then he moved to Mexico, joined a nonprofit, and grew its gala from $70K to $300K in three years. Now he runs a company called Run of Show Playbook, and this episode is a walk through the Hollywood-trained framework he applies to nonprofit galas.In this episode: why every gala needs a script before the venue, menu, or flowers get booked, why you should never say "thank you" at your event (and when to say it instead), the three types of donors in every room — habit, heart, and head — and how to write for all three, why the audience is the hero of the story and not the mission, how the best interruptions come from the water-cooler conversations your staff has that never make it into the messaging, and the difference between telling a story and building a messaging arc.Plus: what a 56-take Kevin Costner beer commercial can teach you about scripting your next paddle raise.Chapters:00:00 Intro01:01 Living the Dream in Mexico05:18 The Power of Listening06:51 From Hollywood to Fundraising11:09 The Importance of Messaging15:48 Interrupting the Loop in Fundraising21:05 The Importance of Audience Engagement22:44 Balancing Heroes: Audience vs Mission26:19 The Role of Impact in Fundraising28:27 Stories from Hollywood: Lessons Learned31:54 The Value of Honest Feedback and Audience Understanding🔗 *CONNECT WITH US* 🔗Work with Rick on Your Next Event: https://www.runofshowplaybook.comConnect with Rick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricktoone/Connect with Trevor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-nelson-b8922a167/Follow Hey Nonprofits! on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/hey-non-profits-raise-more-money/💙 *ABOUT HGA FUNDRAISING* 💙This episode was brought to you by HGA Fundraising. The team at HGA helps event fundraisers create auction success with the most profitable (and mission focused) auction items in the space. Trips and experiences that excite donors, ignite bidding, and help your organization RAISE MORE MONEY.To learn more about HGA Fundraising click here: https://hgafundraising.com/trips-and-experiences/Easiest way to raise more money in your next event: https://hgafundraising.com/golden-ticket/Feeling stuck with your fundraising? No matter where you are at in your journey, HGA offers FREE coaching for fundraisers: https://hgafundraising.com/nonprofit-coaching/Need an auctioneer for your next event: https://charityauctioneerswelove.com
- 2 weeks ago40 min
A 10-Year CEO, a $1.2M Gala, and a Board With 100% Give | Christy Casey-Moore
Most CEOs of nonprofits have opinions about boards. Christy Casey-Moore has a 100% give rate and a $1.2M gala to back hers up.Christy is the CEO of Heart Gift, a global nonprofit that brings children from other countries to the United States for life-saving heart surgeries they can't access at home. Ten years in, she joins Trevor to walk through what it actually takes to build a board that fundraises, a team that supports each other under real pressure, and an event that clears seven figures.In this episode: why Christy can spot a hiring fit in the first five minutes of an interview, how she structures her board around give-or-get with no resume builders allowed, the controversial thing she tells nonprofits about marketing spend ("put your seatbelt on"), why she doesn't seat major donors at her own table on gala night, the exact job she hands her board members the moment they walk into the event, and why she stopped thanking donors in the moment during the auction — and started catching them later instead.Plus: what Christy does the Monday morning after every gala that most CEOs don't.Chapters:00:00 Intro01:15 Christy Casey-Moore and HeartGift Foundation02:09 Board Engagement and Organizational Culture04:06 Entrepreneurship and Nonprofit Leadership Symmetry05:17 About HeartGift and Its Mission06:42 Team Size, Hiring Lessons, and Culture Fit10:27 Supportive Organizational Culture14:09 Building a Unicorn Board18:17 Event Night Responsibilities and Strategies22:06 Missions Clarity and Marketing Investment27:04 Leadership, Listening, and Continuous Learning31:00 Evolution of Fundraising and Donor Engagement37:14 Post-Event Follow-up and Gratitude🔗 *CONNECT WITH US* 🔗Connect with Christy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christycaseymoore/Connect with Trevor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-nelson-b8922a167/Follow Hey Nonprofits! on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/hey-non-profits-raise-more-money/💙 *ABOUT HGA FUNDRAISING* 💙This episode was brought to you by HGA Fundraising. The team at HGA helps event fundraisers create auction success with the most profitable (and mission focused) auction items in the space. Trips and experiences that excite donors, ignite bidding, and help your organization RAISE MORE MONEY.To learn more about HGA Fundraising click here: https://hgafundraising.com/trips-and-experiences/Easiest way to raise more money in your next event: https://hgafundraising.com/golden-ticket/Feeling stuck with your fundraising? No matter where you are at in your journey, HGA offers FREE coaching for fundraisers: https://hgafundraising.com/nonprofit-coaching/Need an auctioneer for your next event: https://charityauctioneerswelove.com
- 3 weeks ago54 min
What Two Auctioneers Wish Every Nonprofit Knew Before Their Gala | Chris Hensley & Brett Higgins
Most fundraising galas leave money on the table for reasons the people running them never see.Chris Hensley and Brett Higgins, two of the most in-demand fundraising auctioneers in the country, join Trevor to work through five of the sharpest questions raised at the recent Chicago Gala Playbook event. What separates the organizations that consistently overperform from the ones that stay stuck at last year's number? Where does the fundraising actually break down in a program? And what does it look like to create inspiration to give without slipping into pressure?In this episode: the six-month mistake most nonprofits make (spoiler, it involves ignoring the data from last year's event), why "we don't want to ask for too much money" is almost always a symptom of a past bad experience, the difference between pressure and inspiration and when each has a place, the concept of "unspoken peer pressure" and how leaders in the room quietly move giving upward, why the witching hour at 9:15pm is real and what to do about your program timing, and the one thing organizations overestimate every year (the room, the dinner, the linens) versus the one thing that actually moves revenue.Plus: why Chris raised $1.2M against a $400K goal at a Relevant Radio event, and what "taking the lid off" the top ask can look like when the room is emotionally ready.Chapters:00:00 Intro01:41 Gala Playbook in Chicago09:25 Data-Driven Fundraising18:25 The Art of Asking23:00 Creating Inspiration to Give Instead of Pressure32:09 Creating a Unique Experience for Fundraising Events38:09 The Right Places to Focus43:32 One Piece of Advice You Would Give to a Nonprofit45:54 Bonus🔗 *CONNECT WITH US* 🔗Book Brett for Your Event: https://www.bretthiggins.comBook Chris for Your Event: https://www.bidraisebid.com/chrishensleyConnect with Brett on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bretthiggins/Connect with Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hensley-auctions/Connect with Trevor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-nelson-b8922a167/Follow Hey Nonprofits! on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/hey-non-profits-raise-more-money/💙 *ABOUT HGA FUNDRAISING* 💙This episode was brought to you by HGA Fundraising. The team at HGA helps event fundraisers create auction success with the most profitable (and mission focused) auction items in the space. Trips and experiences that excite donors, ignite bidding, and help your organization RAISE MORE MONEY.To learn more about HGA Fundraising click here: https://hgafundraising.com/trips-and-experiences/The Easiest Way to Raise More Money at Your Next Event: https://hgafundraising.com/golden-ticket/
- Jun 30, 202615 min
How to Market Your Live Auction Before the Event | Claire Murad
Most nonprofits spend months curating the perfect live auction lineup — and then assume their guests will figure it out when they get to the event.Claire Murad of Murad Auctions joins Trevor to make the case that this is leaving serious money on the table. With 26 years in the auction space, Claire breaks down what she calls the 6-touch rule: your guests need to see your live auction items at least six times before they sit down for the live auction. Anything less and the light bulb doesn't go off in time.In this episode: why 75% of your event revenue is riding on a marketing problem most orgs ignore, the exact timeline for teasing items (two weeks out — not earlier, not later), why text messages outperform emails and what time of day to actually hit send, how to make your pre-event messaging short and on-theme instead of stuffed with restrictions, and the creative night-of tactics Claire has seen work — from Vanna White-style placard walkers in cocktail hour to 10-foot lit display boards to custom bid paddles with QR codes linking to the auction catalog.Plus: why your auctioneer should be working the cocktail hour, not warming up backstage.Chapters:00:00 Intro00:36 Successful Auction Promotion05:30 Timing for Teaser Campaigns06:55 Keeping Messages Brief and Engaging07:35 Creative Promotional Ideas During Your Event09:00 Using Visual Displays and On-Site Promotion12:13 Educating Bidders Early13:30 Using Social Media and Digital Tools14:29 Where to Find More Resources and ConnectHave a question or topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know https://hgafundraising.com/ask-your-questions/🔗 *CONNECT WITH US* 🔗Marketing Your Live Auction Blog: https://muradauctions.com/how-to-promote-your-live-auction-for-maximum-revenue/Live Auction eBook: https://muradauctions.com/auction-resources/live-auction-theme-playbook/Book Murad Auctions for Your Event: https://muradauctions.comSchedule a Meeting with Claire: https://calendly.com/clairemuradConnect with Claire on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-murad-strategic-growth-for-nonprofit-fundraising-events/Connect with Trevor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-nelson-b8922a167/Follow Hey Nonprofits! on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/hey-non-profits-raise-more-money/💙 *ABOUT HGA FUNDRAISING* 💙This episode was brought to you by HGA Fundraising. The team at HGA helps event fundraisers create auction success with the most profitable (and mission focused) auction items in the space. Trips and experiences that excite donors, ignite bidding, and help your organization RAISE MORE MONEY.To learn more about HGA Fundraising click here: https://hgafundraising.com/trips-and-experiences/Sign up to receive the HGA Fundraising newsletter to receive fundraising insights from the brightest minds in the space: https://hgafundraising.com/subscribe-to-newsletter/Feeling stuck with your fundraising? No matter where you are at in your journey, HGA offers FREE coaching for fundraisers: https://hgafundraising.com/nonprofit-coaching/
- Jun 23, 202634 min
The Theater of Giving: How to Move Donors From Information to Emotion | Lucas Hunt
Most nonprofits have a storytelling problem they don't know they have. They've been so close to the mission for so long they can't see what's actually moving about it anymore.Lucas Hunt, president of Hunt Auctioneers, former literary agent, and one of the more thoughtful voices in the fundraising auctioneer world, joins Trevor to break down why the people running your organization are usually the worst people to tell its story, why donors should be treated as producers of the story rather than consumers of it, and how to build what he calls a "theater of giving" at your next event.In this episode: the "curse of knowledge" that's flattening your mission moments, why the recipient of services is almost always a more powerful narrator than the executive director, how to create emotional proximity in a room full of distracted donors, and Lucas's closing reminder for anyone burned out on fundraising, get out of the way of the river of goodness that's already there.Chapters:00:00 Intro00:37 Introduction to Lucas Hunt06:55 Art of Story Telling in Fundraising09:14 Impact of Information Overload on Storytelling15:58 Creating Emotional Proximity at Events17:57 Power of Storytelling22:40 Producer vs. Consumer Mindset27:23 Faith in Good Work32:04 Power of Collective ActionHave a question or topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know https://hgafundraising.com/ask-your-questions/🔗 *CONNECT WITH US* 🔗Book Lucas for an event: https://www.huntauctioneers.comConnect with Lucas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucas-hunt-6a6a768/Connect with Trevor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-nelson-b8922a167/Follow Hey Nonprofits! on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/hey-non-profits-raise-more-money/💙 *ABOUT HGA FUNDRAISING* 💙This episode was brought to you by HGA Fundraising. The team at HGA helps event fundraisers create auction success with the most profitable (and mission focused) auction items in the space. Trips and experiences that excite donors, ignite bidding, and help your organization RAISE MORE MONEY.To learn more about HGA Fundraising click here: https://hgafundraising.com/trips-and-experiences/Sign up to receive the HGA Fundraising newsletter to receive fundraising insights from the brightest minds in the space: https://hgafundraising.com/subscribe-to-newsletter/Feeling stuck with your fundraising? No matter where you are at in your journey, HGA offers FREE coaching for fundraisers: https://hgafundraising.com/nonprofit-coaching/
- Jun 16, 202615 min
Easiest $10K You Can Add to Your Next Event | Brittany Pilcher
Brittany Pilcher, Director of Development at Quest Inc., joins Trevor to walk through exactly how her team added a Golden Ticket Raffle to WineQuest , a $500,000 two-night gala in Orlando and sold out 100 tickets in 72 hours.Brittany doesn't sugarcoat the hesitation. She talks through why she almost didn't do it, the moment she decided to pull the trigger three weeks out, and how the raffle pulled in nearly $8,000 of pure incremental revenue without adding meaningful work to her team. More importantly: she breaks down what she'd do differently next year, including running two ticket tiers and considering corporate underwriting to cover the cost upfront.In this episode: why the $100 price point is the sweet spot, when to announce the winner in your program (and when not to), how to get your board and committee actually sharing the raffle, and the part most organizations miss, the 100 new names in your database that you can steward long after the event.Chapters:00:00 Intro01:00 Introduction to the Golden Ticket02:18 Hesitations and Strategies for Ticket Sales06:01 Psychology of Ticket Sales and Winner Announcement 08:49 Impact of the Golden Ticket on Fundraising10:49 Quest Inc.: Mission and Community EngagementHave a question or topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know https://hgafundraising.com/ask-your-questions/🔗 *CONNECT WITH US* 🔗Add the Golden Ticket to Your Event: https://hgafundraising.com/golden-ticket/Connect with Brittany on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanylara/Connect with Trevor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-nelson-b8922a167/Follow Hey Nonprofits! on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/hey-non-profits-raise-more-money/💙 *ABOUT HGA FUNDRAISING* 💙This episode was brought to you by HGA Fundraising. The team at HGA helps event fundraisers create auction success with the most profitable (and mission focused) auction items in the space. Trips and experiences that excite donors, ignite bidding, and help your organization RAISE MORE MONEY.To learn more about HGA Fundraising click here: https://hgafundraising.com/trips-and-experiences/Sign up to receive the HGA Fundraising newsletter to receive fundraising insights from the brightest minds in the space: https://hgafundraising.com/subscribe-to-newsletter/Feeling stuck with your fundraising? No matter where you are at in your journey, HGA offers FREE coaching for fundraisers: https://hgafundraising.com/nonprofit-coaching/
- Jun 9, 202634 min
Your Board Won't Fundraise? Stop Asking Them To | Elise Woodworth
Most fundraising problems aren't fundraising problems. They're board problems.Elise Woodworth — VMI alum, Air Force veteran, and author of Business Not Battle — joins Trevor to unpack why so many nonprofit boards stall out, and what to actually do about it. She came to this work through a back door (the VMI Foundation made her their first female and youngest-ever trustee), and her approach is unusual: instead of teaching EDs how to manage their boards, she teaches board members how to be effective in the first place.In this episode: the 20-minute Champion's Elevator Pitch exercise you can run at your next meeting, the four thoughtful questions that move a stuck organization forward, why Elise refuses to say the word "fundraising" with new boards, and her four-month blueprint for turning around a burned-out board.If you've ever said "I can't get my board to fundraise," this one's for you.Chapters:00:00 Intro00:55 Understanding Strength and Strategic Mindset05:45 Journey into Nonprofit Leadership11:14 Empowering Board Members14:53 Embracing Change for Growth18:37 Aligning Mission and Leadership19:19 The Champion's Elevator Pitch24:11 Transforming Fear into Invitation30:35 Passion for Nonprofit ImpactHave a question or topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know https://hgafundraising.com/ask-your-questions/🔗 *CONNECT WITH US* 🔗Connect with Elise on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisewoodworth/Connect with Trevor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-nelson-b8922a167/Follow Hey Nonprofits! on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/hey-non-profits-raise-more-money/💙 *ABOUT HGA FUNDRAISING* 💙This episode was brought to you by HGA Fundraising. The team at HGA helps event fundraisers create auction success with the most profitable (and mission focused) auction items in the space. Trips and experiences that excite donors, ignite bidding, and help your organization RAISE MORE MONEY.To learn more about HGA Fundraising click here: https://hgafundraising.com/trips-and-experiences/Sign up to receive the HGA Fundraising newsletter to receive fundraising insights from the brightest minds in the space: https://hgafundraising.com/subscribe-to-newsletter/Feeling stuck with your fundraising? No matter where you are at in your journey, HGA offers FREE coaching for fundraisers: https://hgafundraising.com/nonprofit-coaching/
About Hey Nonprofits!
The 'Hey Nonprofits!' podcast is here to help fundraisers and event professionals Raise More Money. Each week, we bring on an industry expert to highlight important tips and strategies, and you can use them effectively to grow your organization. Whether you simply need help communicating with donors or need advanced tactics with setting up live auctions and fundraising events—host Trevor Nelson is here to guide you toward success.
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