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 Intro

01:15 Christy Casey-Moore and HeartGift Foundation

02:09 Board Engagement and Organizational Culture

04:06 Entrepreneurship and Nonprofit Leadership Symmetry

05:17 About HeartGift and Its Mission

06:42 Team Size, Hiring Lessons, and Culture Fit

10:27 Supportive Organizational Culture

14:09 Building a Unicorn Board

18:17 Event Night Responsibilities and Strategies

22:06 Missions Clarity and Marketing Investment

27:04 Leadership, Listening, and Continuous Learning

31:00 Evolution of Fundraising and Donor Engagement

37:14 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/

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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/

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