The Ultimate Guide to Fundraising Events Examples in 2025

Sure, fundraising can bring in money for your cause. But what if it could do more..

In 2025, Fundraising events are about so much more than just bringing in money. They’re about building communities, inspiring movements, and bringing your mission face to face with more supporters than ever before. Gone are the days of standing outside of a store with a donation box and a bell, fundraisers these days come in many shapes and forms. From high end galas to online concerts, today’s organizations are not only more innovative in the types of events they throw, but also the channels they use to throw them.

Nonprofits across the board are using modern techniques to put their own spin on traditional methods by incorporating fun and technologically advanced features like gamification, live streaming, and mobile giving. Nowadays, events take place both in-person AND online (sometimes simultaneously) and organizers are connecting with supporters in more ways than ever before.

The numbers say it all: more than half of running nonprofits report that events account for at least 21% of their annual revenue, and over one-third say that half of their income comes solely from online fundraising. 

From elegant galas to virtual interactions, these events are essential activities for nonprofits of any shape or size. And these days, the best ones take interactions between nonprofits and supporters from mere financial transactions to true opportunities to create long lasting relationships. As we move through 2025, we see the influence technology has on how donors interact with causes they care about. To stay competitive, fundraisers need to be both accessible and engaging. By leaning into digital outreach, friendly competitions, challenges, and ai powered communications– and adequately preparing your team for issues that may arise– you can keep your nonprofit ahead of the game and fully tap into its fundraising potential.

As fundraising events continue to evolve, so do the ways nonprofits communicate with their supporters. People expect more than just a donation request– they want to be engaged and to feel appreciated. Organizations are standing out by providing personal experiences and meeting their followers where they are across multiple platforms. Whether in person or through a virtual stream, advances in the way we communicate are playing a vital role in how we are building the communities that surround our causes and missions. 

Here at Paybee, we provide an all-in-one solution to guide you through the entire fundraising event process. Registration, donation processing, tracking engagement– our team does it all. Head over to our page right now, and let us help get you started!

What Are Fundraising Events? A Clear Look into The Possibilities

A fundraising event is an organized experience that raises both awareness and funds for a nonprofit cause. They come in many forms, each designed to serve a different purpose, but all essentially leading to the same goal. Having a full understanding of the varying types and what they’re best suited for can help your nonprofit decide which method is best aligned with its mission and the community it serves, all while making the most of available resources. 

Main Types of Fundraising events

Most fundraisers fall into a few core categories, depending on how they’re structured and how they engage supporters. Having a full understanding of these categories can help you make a good assessment of what best suits your mission, your nonprofit's personality, your team’s capabilities, and (most importantly) what speaks most to your target audience.

The most common fundraising events can be broken down into 5 main categories:

Experience Events

In-person events like charity galas, donor dinners, or benefit concerts are high value events designed to create memorable, lasting impressions for attendees. They typically involve celebrating milestones or honoring key supporters, and are go-to’s when looking to attract high-profile donors and corporate sponsorships. While these formal events require a larger investment of both time and money, they usually result in high value donations and long term donor loyalty.

Best for: Attracting major donors, building relationships, gaining corporate sponsorships.

Example: A local group organizes a benefit concert featuring local artists and live speakers, with a silent auction running alongside the performances.

Challenge Based Events

Walkathons, reading drives, and 30-day challenges are fun and popular ways to get supporters to participate in your campaign. Participants commit to a specific activity (like walking, reading, or posting everyday on social media) in exchange for donations and pledges. These events are adaptable to fit the theme of your charity’s core mission, can be done both in person and online, and bring a lot of excitement through friendly competitions and gamification, all while building community connections.

Best for: Community outreach, youth focused or health based causes.

Example: A school hosts a read-a-thon in which students collect pledges for each hour they read over a month-long period.

Digital Fundraising events

These are online experiences that are accessible to supporters from all over the globe. They include virtual concerts, live Q&A sessions, behind the scenes footage, virtual raffles, and other digital experiences that provide ways for supporters to interact with your mission in real time. With no overhead fees, these campaigns are the most cost effective, making them perfect for groups with limited budgets or those that need to interact with remote audiences.

Best for: Reaching younger donors, campaigns with tight budgets, and those looking to reach a broader audience

Example: A live stream concert tracking donation targets and sending shoutouts to supporters as goals are met. 

Peer-to-peer fundraisers

Another form of digital or online campaigns, peer-to-peer fundraising invites supporters to raise money on your behalf through personal fundraising pages or social media drives. Donors act as ambassadors by reaching out to their own networks of family and friends to spread awareness and raise money for your cause. Think a school fundraiser with kids selling candy bars to earn money for the school.

Best for: Empowering current supporters and reaching new ones through pre-established trusted networks.

Example: A supporter uses Facebook to set a $800 goal for their birthday to support a world hunger initiative.

Time-based campaigns

Short campaigns that are usually focused on an urgent, specific event and have a time-sensitive goal. The goal of these events is to build rapid momentum and push for a big influx of revenue. They work best when executed simultaneously in-person and online, paired with countdowns and lots of social media engagement. 

Best for: Immediate needs, emergency appeals, or campaigns that have a clear, time sensitive deadline.

Example: A 24hr blitz to raise emergency funds immediately following a natural disaster.

‍

5 Most Popular Types of Fundraising Events

‍

Resources, target audience, and campaign goals play a large part in how you customize your fundraiser and are critical pieces to pulling off a successful event. For example, a 5k run could be perfect for a health related nonprofits or a reading challenge for a school fundraiser since they’re low cost, easy to put on, and rely directly on the local community. While an organization looking for big donors or larger scale donations might elect to host a more exclusive experience like a benefit dinner paired with a hybrid auction. 

Every event is a new way to fuel your mission through supporter engagement. Understanding the different types is the first step in helping you make an informed decision as to which type of fundraiser will deliver your team maximum results.

Why Fundraising Events Matter

Fundraising events are a special cornerstone to the foundation of any charity organization and affect far more than just a nonprofit’s budget. Every event is an opportunity to build relationships with your supporters. Smart nonprofits use these moments as opportunities to give a face to their cause and let their personality shine. Let supporters come out and get a taste of who you really are in ways that boring, traditional methods simply can’t touch.

Here Are 5 Key Benefits Your Nonprofit Can Unlock Through Smart Event Planning:

Large Increase in Donations

First and foremost, fundraising events bring in money. They provide a structured way to gain significant donations through multiple channels: ticket sales, auctions, sponsorships, crowdfunding and more. These events bring your cause right in the face of current and potential supporters in a way that builds an emotional connection and inspires them to get involved. Whether online or in-person, well executed fundraising events drive large portions of a nonprofit's annual revenue.

Strengthen Relationships With Donors

These events are your chance to create an active following by bringing your community together to share their experiences, testimonies, or simply to just spend some time getting to know your team. One on one time helps attendees feel personally connected with your cause and establishes a loyalty that lasts long after the event has finished. A successful fundraiser will give supporters a chance to interact not only with your organization, but also with other donors, helping everyone involved feel more connected to your nonprofit and invested in your mission. Donors who care will advocate on your behalf, growing your numbers exponentially, expanding reach and future impact. 

Increase Visibility And Public Trust

Fundraisers are how you put your organization on display for the rest of the world. Filled with speeches, stories, and advertising, fundraising serves as a one of a kind platform for you to educate and inspire the public that marketing on its own can’t do. These events are opportunities to put your organization on stage in front of potential new supporters. By showing off your work firsthand, you let people see how trustworthy your team is. Displaying the work that you do builds credibility and confirms your position as a force for good.

Attract New Supporters And Expand Your Reach

Charity events are great ways to get the word out about your organization to people that  haven’t yet heard about it. Partnering with local businesses, a person stumbling across your event online, or a guest sharing a link to your campaign through a friend. Fundraises are a low pressure way to introduce new supporters to your mission. 

Bring Your Mission To Life Through Immersive Experiences.

When hosting in-person events, nonprofits use heartfelt storytelling, live demonstrations, guest speakers and other interactive moments that take your cause from words on a paper to something real life and tangible. Immersive experiences go far in providing a deeper understanding of what you do to attendees, while building emotional connections, and leaving impressions that last.

The benefits speak for themselves- fundraising events aren’t just another way to make money. These are key components to any organization's overall success. A well executed fundraiser will strengthen relationships, spread awareness for your cause, and provide the public with a physical way to get involved with your cause. 

Strategies for Planning a Fundraising Event that Hits Every Mark

Once you have an idea of what kind of story you want to tell, and who you need to hear it, the next step is to create a game plan that supports your vision. A well thought out strategy takes your goals and audience and creates a guide to keep your efforts aligned with your mission.  By setting your team up with the right strategies, you can reduce stress, stretch your resources, and tackle any problem that may arise with ease. No matter what size your event is, using an airtight strategy makes sure everything stays focused and relevant to your supporters.

Set Realistic Goals

Before you jump into planning logistics and promoting your event, you need to develop a set of intentional and realistic goals. Be practical about what you want to achieve with the resources you have available to you. A small team with minimum room in the budget may need to consider a community-centered event rather than a large-scale gala.

Why it matters:

Setting the right goals provides you with a straightforward pathway that helps your team stay focused and everyone on the same page. It’s a baseline that lists who your target audience is, what you can afford, how you should market and advertise, and help make decisions. You’ll be able to compare how successful your event is during and after the completion.

How to do it:

• Set fundraising targets: Compare past performances, what your nonprofit needs, and what your target audience is capable of in order to come up with a realistic dollar amount.
• Decide how to measure participation: Are you looking at attendance numbers? New donors? Recruiting volunteers? Tracking engagement metrics shows you know how well your cause is connecting with your audience.
• Communicate goals with your team: Everybody should be on the same page. Make sure staff and stakeholders alike fully understand what the goals are to get everyone on the team excited and accountable.

A clear set of goals is meant to act as a roadmap to keep everyone aligned with the same mission and expectations. Without them, it’s easy to lose your direction

Go Digital For Ticketing and Promotion:

Digital platforms are the most valuable support resources for hosting an excellent fundraising event. 

There are online tools out there that streamline everything including promotions, registration, and donation processing. Whether your event is online or in-person, digital tools simplify registration, RSVPing, and make ticket buying easy for your attendees. Many of these platforms can send reminders, count-doewns, and last minute notifications to keep audiences involved and build anticipation in the lead up to your event. A great strategy that can improve attendance numbers, keep you organized, and increase how satisfied donors are with your event.

Why it matters:

Chances are, your entire target audience is online in some way. Email, social media, text message– digital communication is the fastest way to catch their attention through putting your message directly in followers hands. When your event is over, you’re left with important data about how attendees responded to your efforts. Make it easy for people to sign up, donate, and learn how to follow up with them later. 

How to do it:

• Start with a landing page. A single place that provides all necessary information as to how to register and donate. Include key details like date time and location of the event, along with links to register or buy tickets, and donate.Make it visually consistent with your brand with identifying features like your logo, color palette, and tagline.
• Use online ticketing platforms. Digital tools can be used to sell tickets, set price tiers, and keep track of RSVPs. Look for one that supports QR code and mobile check in to make things run smoother on event day.
• Promote on social media. Use creative hashtags, drop teaser videos, and pre-schedule shareable posts to prompt followers to spread the word to their friends. Take advantage of Facebook Events’ features to integrate your invitation across your organization’s social networks.

Using a platform like Paybee can take the stress out of event planning by offering access to customizable event pages, advanced promotion tools, and real time data tracking all from a single dashboard. We can take care of everything from online ticketing to donation processing, and event post-event follow up. We’re the number one software helping nonprofits host professional events without the need to juggle multiple platforms

Use Genuine Storytelling Methods To Connect With Supporters

The secret to successfully connecting with guests at a fundraiser is to tell your story, not just ask for money. When supporters can see and hear exactly how their support is changing lives, they become far more likely to feel truly connected with your cause. Finding ways to tell moving, emotionally charged stories takes your event from a transactional interaction to a powerful, bond building moment.

Why it matters: 

People are more likely to give to other people rather than to just another cause. A compelling narrative personifies your campaign and attaches emotion to it. It doesn’t matter if you're speaking to a packed out auditorium, or reaching out to followers online, sharing your story the right way will touch hearts and inspire others to get involved.

How to do it:

• Invite clients, beneficiaries, and volunteers to share their real experiences and speak to attendees authentically about how your charity has made a real difference in their lives.
• Use multiple storytelling formats to inject a bit of variety. Think: combinations of live speakers, pre-recorded videos from those affected, and written testimonials and quotes displayed strategically round the venue or across online sections.
• Keep the donor experience at the front of your mind. Tell stories in a way that shows the difference that supporters have made, and how they can continue to help. Make it obvious how participants are major parts of the solution. 

From promotions to follow up emails, make sure donors continue to show up by delivering them a story that invites them to be a part of it. 

Incorporate Video Content

The current digital landscape is a hotspot for video content. Eye catching teasers and emotional recaps are simple ways to grab attention from followers during their daily scroll.  Videos are the perfect way to deliver information in bite sized bits, letting you pack in a lot of details in a short period.

Why it matters:

People are a thousand times more likely to watch a video than to read a long paragraph. A good video clip can deliver emotions while quickly sharing impact stories and increasing the chance of someone sharing your content with their friends.

How to do it:

• Create teaser videos to build anticipation. A quick 30-60 second video showing highlights, previewing speakers and special guests, or showing behind the scenes preparation can start to build excitement surrounding your event and boost pre-event registration numbers.
• Record your event for pre-made content. Capture footage at your event to use in post-event recaps, creating thank you messages for attendees, and promoting future events.
• Optimize content for mobile. As always, make sure your videos are made for mobile viewing by keeping them short, and visually appealing. Bonus points if you add captions- many people watch videos with the sound off.

Videos are a must have when working on the digital side of things. Meet people where they are– which is usually on their phones.

By starting out with a clear set of goals, and sprinkling in digital tools and savvy storytelling techniques, you can formulate a strategy for executing nonprofit fundraisers that will hit it out of the park every single time. These tips work together to amplify the power of your message and make sure it gets out to all of the right people. With a proper framework in place, you can begin to maximize every opportunity you have to make a big impact.

Nonprofit Events: 2025 Trends to Watch

As fundraising methods grow and evolve, technology starts to take up a larger portion of our everyday lives, and charities are not exempt. Nonprofits need to make sure they stay ahead of the game in order to not fall behind with supporter expectations. Fundraising should go beyond hosting events and aim to provide experiences that are personal and relatable– embracing innovation and creativity is critical to pulling off these engaging experiences.

2025 fundraising trends are all about connection. Most organizations find that advocates for their missions are spread across the globe, and by embracing things like going hybrid with their events you make your cause more accessible to those who may not have been able to take part in the past. By combining technology and innovation, there are several opportunities to take advantage of that will make a big impact in the way you connect with your community.

Top 5 Fundraising Trends Of 2025

1. A Rise In Hybrid Events

Blending in-person and online participation is becoming the new standard thanks to its ability to reach a wider audience and accommodate different participants. Followers expect flexibility and hybrid models make participation easier and more accessible for those who might not be able to otherwise offer support, ensuring no one gets left out based on location, scheduling concerns, or any other barriers that prevent them from showing up. 

A great example is a charity gala hosting a silent auction that’s available to both in-person and online bidders. Not only does formatting your event like this double the amount of people you reach without needing to invest in a larger event space or more support staff, your event has now grown from a local experience to one that’s within reach of people all over the globe.

The 2025 Nonprofit Technology Report states 68% of organizations are planning on incorporating hybrid features into their fundraisers this year, making it one of the most widely used trends across the board. By leaning into hybrid features as key parts of their overall strategy, nonprofits find they're experiencing more engagement, diversifying their revenue streams, and securing funding for the future.

2. Inspiring Engagement Through Competition

Limiting initiatives to speeches and auctions are no longer cutting it for nonprofit’s advocates. People expect to be entertained, and nonprofits are meeting these expectations by incorporating interactive features and engaging elements to their fundraisers. Gamification is taking fundraisers to the next level and motivating donors to get involved by stirring up a bit of fun and friendly competition.

Gamification tactics can include donor challenges, point systems, and leaderboards. Progress thermometers are popular and easy to pull off– place a large ‘meter’ somewhere visible to guests and fill it in as donations come in. Unlock milestones as you hit different levels, for example a special performance at $5000. Tapping into people’s desire for competition keeps guests motivated and invested. It also adds an element of fun that will make your fundraiser unforgettable.

3. Using Ai To Improve Donor Outreach

AI tools are completely changing the way nonprofits connect with their supporters by making outreach smarter and more personalized. Artificial Intelligence can analyze donor behavior to create more effective correspondences. It can recommend suggestions like the ideal donation amount, craft personalized emails, and optimize the timing of donation appeals in ways that exponentially increases the impact of your messaging.

AI-powered insights are the secret weapon to delivering the perfect message to the right person at the exact moment it needs to be sent. Personalized messaging makes donors feel seen and appreciated. This is how smart nonprofits are enhancing response rates and revolutionizing the donor experience. Automated thank-you notes and predictive analytics take a huge weight off of organizations shoulders by simplifying communication efforts and identifying the most opportune moment to engage supporters. This is not only saving time, but adding a special touch to what are at risk of being simple generic appeals.

4. Fundraising Through Social Media And Streaming Platforms 

Networks like TikTok, Instagram Live, and Twitch are becoming more important to how users interact with their favorite charitable causes, in particular when trying to connect with younger generations. Social networks are an opportunity to interact with advocates in the moment. In addition to their myriad of features made specifically for nonprofit fundraising, you can partake in viral challenges, reach out to popular influencers to partner with your campaign, or use hashtags to create momentum around your mission. 

A great example is the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge from a few years back. Worldwide, people shared videos dumping ice water on themselves and challenged friends and colleagues to do the same. In these videos, people said they were donating money to ALS research and encouraged their network to do so as well. The campaign raised over $115 million in one summer while exponentially increasing awareness for the cause. 

5. Sustainable Event Practices

Everyday, organizations are adapting more eco-friendly practices in response to advocates shifting concerns surrounding sustainability. Reducing waste, lowering carbon footprint, and making environmentally conscious decisions have become the norm. This can look like opting for digital invitations over printed ones, opting for recycled materials, or offering plant-based menus. 

By aligning your events with sustainable practices, you show supporters that your organization cares about more than its mission. These thoughtful choices have more than just environmental benefits – they reduce cost and strengthen your reputation as a responsible leader.

Common Fundraising Event Roadblocks- and How to Overcome Them

Even the most well thought out event can have challenges pop up out of nowhere. Budget constraints, logistical issues, your message missing the mark– these are all very real issues organizations face on a daily basis. Luckily, with some careful planning, you can fully prepare your team on what to do should these problems arise.

The number one issue nonprofits face when planning their fundraising events is managing their budget. Prices add up quickly: venue higher, entertainment, marketing– and those are all things to worry about before your event even starts. For smaller organizations, these hurdles can end their efforts before they even get the word out.

This is where organizations need to be strategic. Offer sponsorship packages to businesses in which they donate services or products in exchange for advertising and exposure. Look for spaces in the community that offer free or low-cost venues to cut down on rental fees. Leaning into hybrid and virtual events is another way to lower cost. Not only do online auctions eliminate the need to pay for a physical location, but you cut costs related to printing bid sheets, putting up decorations, and staffing.

Donor fatigue also hits fundraisers hard. Supporters naturally start to tune out donation requests when they receive too many. It’s one of the biggest reasons nonprofits are seeing declining attendance and fewer donations at repeat events. Supporters still care about the cause, they are just tired and overwhelmed from being looked at like a piggy bank.

Combat donor fatigue by keeping your campaigns fresh and novel. Change up your event formats, introduce a bit of gamification where you can, and introduce a sense of urgency into normally familiar settings. Make sure events are focused around celebration and appreciation, not just asking for help. And showcase why your supporters are interested in your cause in the first place.

While incorporating digital tools is important as the virtual world becomes a larger portion of our everyday lives, it’s not perfect and does come with hiccups and a whole new set of logistical challenges. Coordinating live streams, people not having tech skills, and managing donor engagement across multiple platforms can get exhausting pretty quickly, especially when you don’t have a lot of staff to delegate tasks to.

The key is to find an easy to use, centralized platform that can wear as many hats as possible from one dashboard. Partner with platforms like Paybee to organize your guestlist, livestream content, process donations and track engagement. Not only will this help streamline the planning process, it guarantees a top tier experience for all of your donors, showing off how professional and enjoyable your organization’s events are.

Traditional fundraising methods usually miss the mark when it comes to reaching younger donors. Millennials and Gen Z supporters interact with causes differently than generations before. Technological advances have had a large effect on the younger generations' priorities. They tend to place higher value in social impact, transparency, and experiences over formalities.

The answer is to meet them where they are. Build an online presence that speaks to younger audiences by taking advantage of the many social media tools out there. Fun challenges, mobile heavy campaigns, and impact content are appealing to those new to the donation scene. Help them feel involved rather than just being asked. Show up authentically and they’ll give you the time of day.

‍

The Best Tech to Power Up Your Fundraising Events

Whether hosting a high ticket gala or a local community raffle, embracing technology to make everything run smoother is a power move that will take your event to the next level. Tools like Zoom, mobile donation platforms and CRM software enhance fundraising events by streamlining management, making the difference between a logistical nightmare and a smooth experience that  far exceeds your goals. As we’ve discussed, fundraising spans multiple channels and formats, and often blends physical and digital formats simultaneously. Having the right tools ensures cohesiveness at every level.

Essential Tech Tools Every Nonprofit Should Be Using

Zoom Video Services

For nonprofits that are struggling to balance being engaging in person and online at the same time, streaming and video tools like Zoom are the perfect solution. They make sure people tuning in online feel just as a part of the action as those in front of you. Rather than just showing a livestream, they create a two way virtual experience that can keep the energy flowing as if supporters were really there. Features like breakout rooms, screen sharing and virtual backdrops bring interactive elements to the table.

How to do it:

• Mimic networking spaces by creating breakout rooms and encouraging viewers at home to join small groups based on shared interest. Use these spaces to host small networking sessions complete with a moderator to encourage open conversations.
• Mix live and pre-recorded content. For example, stream a live welcome speech, then edit in an impactful story before tuning back in to a live performance.
• Do a run through of your tech ahead of time, to make sure you understand all of the proper features.
• Assign a zoom host to monitor the chat to ensure a smooth production.

Make sure you treat your virtual audience with the same care and planning as you do for your in-person guest. You’re guaranteed to successfully extend your reach, drum up engagement, and equally show all donors that their participation matters. 

Mobile-friendly donation pages

For events like raffles and auctions, mobile bidding software is the perfect solution for giving guests the opportunity to view items and place bids from their phones. Tools like Paybee, Givebutter, and OneCause make it easy to create professional pages with embedded giving options, ticket selling, and show campaign goals in one place. They also provide text-to-give functions, where donors simply text a number and receive a link to donate right away.

How to use it:

• Choose a platform that fits your budget, Look for tools like auction item displays and real-time bidding.
• Customize your donation page with identifying features like your nonprofit’s logo and brand colors, and upload pictures that highlight your mission.
• Post QR codes around your venue so guest can instantly access  your mobile pages from their phones.

By optimizing followers’ giving experience for mobile use, you create the flexibility to support your cause from where they are.

CRM tools for donor tracking and follow up

Once the event is over, there is a special opportunity to seal the deal with attendees and really drive those relationships home. Through the haze of spreadsheets, email lists, and keeping tracking info together, many let this golden hour of opportunity fall between the cracks. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software keeps track of important information about donors like behavior, preferences, donation history, and engagement levels. The perfect solution to making sure not an ounce of donor information falls through the cracks. Knowing your donors helps you know what parts of your strategy are working, and where adjustments need to be made. This information is also critical to planning future events, and can give a pretty accurate understanding of how well you are succeeding.

How to use it:

• Choose a CRM made for nonprofits – There are many free or low-cost options on the market that are geared specifically towards charities.
• Segment your donors – Use the program to group participants by diving levels, attendance, location and interest in order to send targeted messages and make communications feel less generic.
• Automate follow-ups – pre-schedule thank yous, campaign updates, and invitations to future events. Most softwares offer customizable templates to make it easy.
• Track campaign success – See metrics like donor retention, average donation size, and communication response rates to help fine tune your strategies moving forward.

When supporters feel like they are seen and appreciated, they’re more likely to continuously contribute to your cause and invest in a long-term relationship with your organization. THe best part? You can find video tutorials online for free to ensure you are using these tools to their maximum potential.

Looking at nonprofits today teaches one valuable lesson: technology isn’t just helpful, it’s essential to the success of any fundraising event. The right tools will help your team work smarter, connect with more supporters, and provide seamless experiences to every follower. Integrating tools like Zoom, CRM software, and mobile donation pages, you open up the ability to perform at greater levels. Investing in the right tools pays off tenfold, and elevates your fundraising event far above the competition.

Real Fundraising Event Wins: Success Stories Showing What Works

The following stories highlight how more nonprofits are stepping up their efforts every day in order to make extraordinary impacts and provide lessons that you can use .

Virtual gala raising $200K in 2024

Voices for Youth, a mid-sized nonprofit that focused on teen mental health, took the leap and switched up their typical fundraiser and hosted a virtual gala for the first time. Recent budget cuts made them decide to completely pivot their efforts, leaving them unsure about what kind of outcome they’d be facing.

They got in contact with our team at Paybee, and we were able to help them build a customized, user-friendly landing page full of livestream content, straightforward donation options, and a real-time progress tracker. The team started out with a personalized email campaign and sent text reminders in the weeks leading up to the online gala. People tuned in from all over the world, watching a mix of pre-recorded testimonials and live talks, taking time to interact with staff members and other supporters through breakout rooms and comments. By the end of the gala, they had made over $200,000, far exceeding their goal by over 40% and making it their most successful fundraiser to date. Analytics showed that 30% of attendees were new donors that had seen the promotion being shared around social media.

Key takeaway? Just because you’re going virtual, doesn't mean you need to lose those personal touches that guests look for when connecting with your cause.

Community 5k Run Draws 2,000 Participants

When Hawthorne Community Kitchen, a local food bank serving low-income families, planned their annual 5k marathon, they had no idea they would be able to draw in over 2,000 guests. Their tight knit community run turned into a full scale production and a neighborhood wide movement. The small team was able to raise over $60,000 in their fight against food insecurity.

Volunteers manned the water stations, local businesses sponsored segments of the race, and they recruited students from nearby schools to help with setup and take down. The small organization really leaned into the power of community. Leading up to the event, they shared testimonials from families and staff members across social media

What does it all mean?

These real-life examples show that big fundraising isn’t just for organizations with big budgets. No matter the size of the organization, with a strong social media strategy that focuses on genuine connection and creative communication methods, your team can far exceed its goals and you can ensure your next fundraiser could be the best one yet.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the most cost-effective fundraising events examples?

Walkathons, online challenges, and peer-to-peer campaigns are the most budget-friendly examples of fundraising events. They rely mainly on community involvement and have low overhead costs. These events are simple to organize, needing mainly time and effort over actual money. Virtual events and social media drives also fall into this category.

2. How long does it take to plan fundraising events examples?

Smaller events such as virtual raffles, can come together in as little as a few weeks, whereas a gala, hybrid auction, or marathon may take much longer depending on the scale. Either way, the earlier you start, the more chances you have to secure sponsors, promote to attendees and prepare yourself for any unexpected hiccups.

3. How can virtual fundraising events examples engage donors?

Virtual fundraisers keep donors engaged with interactive features and gamification elements. Things such as live Q&A sessions, chats, and leaderboards are all strategies that nonprofits have included in their events that replicate the same energy as on-person gatherings. 

4. What metrics measure the success of fundraising events examples?

Total funds raised, attendees, volunteer sign-ups, and returning donor numbers are all ways nonprofits measure how successful their fundraising events have been. Post event surveys alongside donor feedback can show you what these outcomes are. Using nonprofit fundraising applications to record metrics can also let you know how well your event has performed.

Final Thoughts:

In today’s fast moving landscape, fundraising events have evolved into something much more than a means to raise money for a charitable cause. They are powerful tools that build community relationships, increase awareness and visibility for a foundation, and create a deep and powerful impact in advancing their mission. The most successful events are founded on a killer strategy, backed by data, and supported by technology.

Your event doesn’t have to be massive to be meaningful. From virtual galas to school walkathons, an event’s true success depends on more than how much money has been raised. Trends like hybrid events, gamification tactics, and sustainable practices are shaping the future of nonprofit fundraising. The important thing is to make sure you align your efforts to your audience’s expectations, create a memorable experience that’s easy for supporters to get involved. 

Ready for more professional tips and strategies? Head over to the Paybee contact page now for a deeper dive into how you can make your next fundraiser the best one yet. 

‍