How to Plan a Gala

About the Author

Ashley Albrecht, CMP has extensive experience planning high-profile fundraisers such as the Annual All-Star Gala for Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and Philadelphia 2019 Gala in conjunction with Caron Treatment Center. She has over 15 years of experience as a full-time professional event planner. She founded an event planning company in 2005 that is now comprised of 7 employees. Ashley is a member of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau and served on the board of the Philadelphia chapter of Meeting Professionals International (MPI-PA Chapter) as Director of Communications. In 2006, Ashley was named Tomorrow’s Leader by the chapter and was awarded the Chris Pentz Memorial Scholarship toward continuing industry education. In 2010, she participated in the Philadelphia MS Leadership Class. You can visit Ashley’s company website at www.albrechtevents.com.

Introduction

In creating an annual fundraising event, planners must consider fresh and creative ideas in order to stay relevant and keep donors engaged from year to year. The standard fundraiser of yesterday with a seated speaking program and silent auction is no longer enough to keep an audience tuned in to the cause. Organizations are therefore often looking for new ways to keep their events fresh and interesting to their guests.

The WHY

The key to successful fundraising events is WHY. Sharing your story – why your organization exists, who you serve and why you need funds is the most important first step in beginning the creative process. Unique and creative ideas for your event flow out from the telling of your organization’s story. There is no one way to plan a fundraising event because each client and each mission is their own. Thinking of creative ways to tell an organization’s story throughout the event and more importantly the heartwarming stories of the people you help is the starting place for any well-produced fundraising event. This gives donors a reason to reach into their pockets and support your cause and give more. Provide your event sponsors with a connection to your organization and show them what their dollars benefit as this is the primary reason donors and sponsors will continue to give.

Connecting to the WHY

With permission, put the spotlight on your beneficiaries through videos, photos, and telling their stories in person. For example, recently we produced an event for an organization that protects freedoms. We suggested volunteers carry protest signs and chant to lead guests of the speaking program. This garnered attention for our client’s mission as well as led guests to the next activity. This activity served a function within the flow of the event but put guests in the role of being an activist for the cause at the event. The process of weaving the cause into your event in a three-dimensional way can be engaging and fun for guests as well as pull at heartstrings.

Communicating the Mission

Instagrammable photo vignettes can be a great way to showcase your cause and communicate the mission to those outside of your current donor base. Facts and figures can be worked into these props to share pertinent information with your audience and beyond with photo sharing.
To keep the program as engaging as possible, local entertainers or entertainers important to your cause can be woven into the speaking part of the program. Breaking up the main speaking program with produced entertainment similar to an awards show provides excitement and interest so that guests can maintain their attention to hear all of the important points your organization would like to communicate.
Highlighting the mission, one organization supporting breast cancer recently created a contest where contestants decorated their old bras. The decorated bras were judged and the winner received a prize.

Event Theme

When deciding what type of fundraiser to host, think about your current donor base and new donors you want to attract, and what they like to do. Your event can be a gala with a creative theme that influences the décor, menu, and entertainment, or an event that focuses on an activity such as golf, bowling, walk or run, wellness retreat, casino, trivia, cooking contest, game night or fashion show. Focus on the interests of your target audience and create a memorable event.
The UnGala seems to be a popular trend many clients are leaning into at this time. Instead of a traditional sit-down dinner, consider a self-guided walking tour with food, entertainment, and decor telling your story throughout an event setting. Premier sponsors can have branded private areas within the walk-around event. Local artists can be on hand with live painting as another way to visually share your message. At an ungala, one of the stations can be a giving kiosk for guests to donate onsite as they are moved by what they see.

Auctions

A smart idea is to create guest interaction at your event which could add to your bottom line. A popular way to do this is an auction or raffle, but the key is making this activity unique. For example, we had a doctor offer his hobby “A Day with a Beekeeper” and that had so many bids, we had two winners and quite a profitable auction item! Think creatively and perhaps offer mentoring with top executives or therapy sessions. What can people in your organization offer to help raise money? People love personal exclusive experiences.
We have also created experiences around the auction table itself to encourage guests to visit the table. At a sports theme event, a referee on stilts along with two cheerleaders encouraged guests to visit the table and bid. A costumed walk-around performer taking photo giveaways has also been something we have added to an auction experience.

-Ashley Albrecht, CMP
Albrecht Events, albrechtevents.com

Gala Bonus Idea (by Jesse Dameron)

If you want gala entertainment or other fundraiser entertainment that blows your guests’ minds and leaves them talking about it for years, consider hiring a mentalist. Click the Play button below to watch this unique fundraiser entertainment in action.

For more information about the fundraiser entertainment shown in the video above, call 267-261-9930.