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 Mexico

05:18 The Power of Listening

06:51 From Hollywood to Fundraising

11:09 The Importance of Messaging

15:48 Interrupting the Loop in Fundraising

21:05 The Importance of Audience Engagement

22:44 Balancing Heroes: Audience vs Mission

26:19 The Role of Impact in Fundraising

28:27 Stories from Hollywood: Lessons Learned

31:54 The Value of Honest Feedback and Audience Understanding

🔗 *CONNECT WITH US* 🔗

Work with Rick on Your Next Event: https://www.runofshowplaybook.com

Connect 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

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/

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

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 Intro

01:41 Gala Playbook in Chicago

09:25 Data-Driven Fundraising

18:25 The Art of Asking

23:00 Creating Inspiration to Give Instead of Pressure

32:09 Creating a Unique Experience for Fundraising Events

38:09 The Right Places to Focus

43:32 One Piece of Advice You Would Give to a Nonprofit

45:54 Bonus

🔗 *CONNECT WITH US* 🔗

Book Brett for Your Event: https://www.bretthiggins.com

Book Chris for Your Event: https://www.bidraisebid.com/chrishensley

Connect 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/

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 Intro

00:36 Successful Auction Promotion

05:30 Timing for Teaser Campaigns

06:55 Keeping Messages Brief and Engaging

07:35 Creative Promotional Ideas During Your Event

09:00 Using Visual Displays and On-Site Promotion

12:13 Educating Bidders Early

13:30 Using Social Media and Digital Tools

14:29 Where to Find More Resources and Connect

Have 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.com

Schedule a Meeting with Claire: https://calendly.com/clairemurad

Connect 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/

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 Intro

00:37 Introduction to Lucas Hunt

06:55 Art of Story Telling in Fundraising

09:14 Impact of Information Overload on Storytelling

15:58 Creating Emotional Proximity at Events

17:57 Power of Storytelling

22:40 Producer vs. Consumer Mindset

27:23 Faith in Good Work

32:04 Power of Collective Action

Have 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.com

Connect 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/

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 Intro

01:00 Introduction to the Golden Ticket

02:18 Hesitations and Strategies for Ticket Sales

06:01 Psychology of Ticket Sales and Winner Announcement

08:49 Impact of the Golden Ticket on Fundraising

10:49 Quest Inc.: Mission and Community Engagement

Have 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/

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 Impact

Have 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/

Most fundraisers treat events like the finish line. Kristen Bowles treats them like the starting point.

In this episode, Trevor sits down with Kristen — a development pro who's worked across the YMCA, Boys & Girls Club, peer-to-peer fundraising, and now the National MS Society — to unpack why sponsorship sales isn't transactional. It's strategic matchmaking.

We get into:

• Why "plan, post, and pray" is killing your sponsor retention
• The mindset shift from "sponsor of an event" to "investor in your mission"
• How to segment donors by engagement, not dollar amount (and why a $100 donor might be your next major gift)
• Mission nuggets: the research habit every frontline fundraiser needs
• Free tools Kristen uses to research sponsors (hint: it's not a fancy database)
• Why events are really about how you make people feel

If you're a frontline fundraiser, event planner, or auctioneer, this one's full of takeaways you can use Monday morning.

Have a question or topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know https://hgafundraising.com/ask-your-questions/🔗 *CONNECT WITH US* 🔗Connect with Kristen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristen-mckay-bowles/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/