The Real Work in Fundraising Happens Behind the Scenes
You know, I was watching the Olympics one year, and the Chinese women’s volleyball team was absolutely dominating. The TV crew showed footage from their practices— these ladies were diving all over the floor, getting skinned up, working like crazy…
Then one of the players said something that stuck with me:
“The games are fun. The practices are brutal.”
That’s exactly what fundraising is.
The actual event? That’s the fun part.
That’s when you get to see everything come together. But the real work—the part that actually moves the needle—is all the backend stuff nobody sees. It’s laying the strategy. It’s building the right culture. It’s sweating the details long before the first guest walks through the door.
And here’s the thing: no two events are alike.
They’re like snowflakes.
You can’t just pull last year’s playbook and run it again. Every single event has to stand on its own—fresh, exciting, and fun. That “fun and fresh” feeling mattered 20 years ago when we started, and it still matters today.
People need to enjoy themselves. They need to feel the cause. And when those two things click, they’re far more willing to reach into their pockets and help you do more good.
The Little Things That Cost You Big Money
At a fundraising event, you’ve got to be incredibly careful with personalities and egos.
Something small—something that seems minuscule—can tick someone off or create doubt in their mind, and suddenly their wallet snaps shut. It might be a slow check-in line. It might be a rude valet. It might be anything that puts them in the wrong frame of mind before they even sit down.
That’s why your registration team is so important.
You need warm, friendly people greeting guests the moment they arrive. You want them to feel like they’ve arrived. Like they’re part of something special. Like everyone is pulling on the same rope in the same direction.
Because that’s what we’re really trying to create: an atmosphere of generosity, community, and good feelings.
Supporters vs. Philanthropists
Let me talk about something that makes a huge difference. A lot of organizations talk about their “supporters.” That’s nice, but it’s not enough.
What you really want are philanthropists.
A supporter shows up and writes a check. A philanthropist thinks of your organization as my charity. When it becomes “my” charity, everything changes.
They’ll go out of their way to make sure it succeeds. They’ll bring their friends. They’ll champion your cause because it’s now part of their identity.
That shift from supporter to philanthropist is monumental. Those are the people who don’t just give once—they become true partners in your mission.
Fundraising events look glamorous from the outside, but the magic happens in all the unseen work that comes before. Treat every event like it’s brand new. Sweat the details. Make people feel genuinely welcomed. Turn your donors into philanthropists who feel ownership in your cause.
Do those things well, and the fun part—the actual event—takes care of itself.
And that’s when the real impact happens.
👉 Want the full conversation? Watch the entire podcast episode where I dive deeper into these challenges, share real-world examples, and talk about practical strategies that are working right now for nonprofits just like yours.
Enjoy our Full Podcast on YouTube or Spotify. 🔥
Whether you’re leading a nonprofit, on the board, or simply someone who cares about making sure good organizations thrive, this conversation is worth your time.
Drop a comment below or reach out if you’d like to talk about how we might be able to help your organization. Your mission matters too much to let fundraising hold it back.
