Event Management

I am lucky to be able to spend time with smart people who have great experiences to share. One such person is Jim Leighton, vice president of events and partnerships at Children’s Cancer Research Fund. He straddles management of two sibling events—a virtual, do-it-yourself cycling event that is about a year old and has raised $1.7 million already, and a 14-year-old walk that regularly raises between $200,000 and $300,000...

Earlier this month, the First Community Foundation Partnership, located in the north central area of Pennsylvania, hosted its third annual Raise the Region campaign. This 30-hour online giving event raised funds for participating organizations in a six-county area. Community foundation giving days are part of a growing trend separate from the more widely known Giving…

While some of the nation's largest peer-to-peer fundraising events—runs, walks and rides among them—are struggling to compete with newer, faster-growing campaigns, others are seeing significant increases in revenue, an annual study by the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum found. The "Peer-to-Peer Thirty" report found that four of the campaigns ranked in the top five in 2006 have…

Whether you are a small, medium or large nonprofit organization, engaging the community through local fundraising events is a great way to raise awareness and needed funds. Here are 57 ideas for you to consider…

At Turnkey, we often say, “Behavior leads to belief.” I am glad that we are typically on a webinar when we say that, as the phrase is often met with disbelief. I present at my best when the eye-rolling is invisible to me. What we mean by that phrase is that if we can elicit a behavior from an individual, that individual will form a narrative about why that behavior makes sense....

There’s a creature spoken about in hushed tones by those in the museum and membership-based nonprofit world. Some say it’s a myth. Others swear they’ve seen it with their own eyes before. Still, others laugh and claim it’s just an urban legend. It is the young professional. Yes, that most elusive and desired of members:…

Participants in a 5K show up because they want to run a 5K. While a rare few may have a mission connection that they are acting on, the vast majority are motivated extrinsically. They simply want a 5K experience—any 5K experience. These participants, for the most part, have little or no mission attachment. Why does the difference in motivation make adding a 5K to your walk a bad idea?...

Imagine hosting an event where you don’t sell tickets or ask for donations—instead you simply give your top-tier prospects a night to remember. It’s an exclusive gathering, it sparks interest and, if done right, it’s a great way to revive your donor list. This type of donor-appreciation event is known as a cultivation event, an…

You probably have your own event horror stories. Unless your organization already has a prominent signature event, or a committed bunch of talented volunteers willing to do the grunt work for you, events are generally a losing proposition. ...

I love to run in the woods. A few mornings each week, I head out on a trail with my dog by my side. The rhythm of the run is my meditation and the surroundings calm my mind. This is where I do my best thinking, put things back in perspective and get energized to…