When organizations want to focus more on the mission during their gala, they often wonder how to inspire generous giving without making donors feel pressured. The Fund-A-Need, also known as a Special Appeal or Moment of Giving, can be one of the most powerful parts of the evening when it’s done thoughtfully. In this post, Shannon shares practical strategies to help nonprofits create a meaningful moment that connects donors to the mission, encourages participation at multiple giving levels, and turns generosity into a shared experience for everyone in the room.
Moments of Giving...
Using the words inspiring and pushy in the same sentence just doesn’t sound right. Right?
When I think of inspiring, phrases like “heartfelt”, “encouraging”, “making a difference”, and “motivating” come to mind.
What is a Fund-A-Need? It’s that moment of the evening when you give people a chance to donate money without receiving a prize. By offering different giving levels, donors raise their paddles to indicate the amount they wish to donate, starting high and moving to lower amounts. That pretty much covers the description of the Fund-A-Need.
Recently, I spoke with an organization that really wants “to focus on the mission for this year’s event and less on the selling and games. How do we do that?” Well, that’s a great question, so let’s talk about that.
How to Focus Your Gala on the Mission
First, I would recommend changing the name. ‘Fund-A-Need’ sounds so “needy”. I would rather have something sound warm and compelling. Actually, I would rather have the name coincide with the organization and the mission. How about Special Appeal, Mission Moment, Fund the Future, Magic Moment, Making a Difference… you get the idea.
Second, it’s all about the story. What is YOUR organization’s story? Your job is to compellingly articulate your mission and how it is making a difference. Then, your job is to show them how you’re being good stewards of the funds you’ve been entrusted with. You can do that by using a video or a personal testimonial to set up the moment of the ask. That is, play it right before the ask. Don’t dilute the message with additional speakers or housekeeping comments about how to donate.
Share the message-make the ask. It’s that simple.
But wait, there’s more. Let’s step back and share how we’re staying in that portion in the evening. Think of it like a symphony. You’re bringing in the strings, then the brass, then the percussion…and then the conductor makes the magic happen.
Do you think it just happens? No. There’s sheet music and practice that play a huge part. Get it? Your sheet music is the video scripting. Your conductor is the auctioneer.
3 Ways to Lead a Successful “Moment of Giving”
When you’re conducting the Moment of Giving, you have options, including:
1) The Pull at the Heart Strings Delivery. This includes a touching video or mission moment, and then giving levels that share hard facts and descriptions of people in need.
2) The Interview Strategy. This one utilizes two people, such as the emcee and someone knowledgeable of the organization who can share information, like the Head of School.
3) The Celebratory Fundraising. An example would be a school raising money to fund a bus that is using cheering and school staff/students doing a thank you video with cheerleaders shaking pompoms, or seniors acting out areas of fund development. This method is completely different and utilizes encouragement and applause.
How to Structure Fund-A-Need Giving Levels
There are different ways to strategize the descriptions for your Special Appeal.
1) Identify actual items that can be purchased. For example, for $2500, you can provide washers and dryers for 2 houses for Habitat for Humanity.
2) Utilize the moment to educate your donors on areas that benefit from their donations. For example, for $1,000, you can provide 5 nights of safe housing for a woman who’s left a domestic violence situation.
3) Use facts/figures to share about the need and why donations are so important. For example, if your school is doing scholarships or the money is going to a general operating fund, our next level is $500. Did you know that our graduating seniors had 100% college placement? That’s something to celebrate, and something that happened with your help.
Fund-A-Need Timeline: How to Prepare Before Your Gala
30 days prior to the gala… You’re asking for pre-commits. These are REAL donations of people who are going to raise their paddle. Oftentimes, I have organizations tell me they have “plants” in the room. I ask them, “What is a plant?” They reply that it’s an employee who is going to raise a paddle so that there aren’t crickets in the room. So I have one thing to say about that – SAY NO TO PLANTS. Please don’t do that. Instead, talk to donors from last year or board members that you know will raise their paddle and commit to actually giving.
3 weeks prior to the gala… This is where you’re editing the video or going through the script for the testimonial. This is the mission moment. Don’t think for a minute that this is a spontaneous thing that just happens. This is planned and tweaked to perfection. It’s a critical part of the symphony. The emotional component is at the heart. But if you’re a school, maybe it’s honoring a retiring beloved teacher or staff person. There are many ways to make this work, but it’s premeditated.
2 weeks before the gala… Finalize your timeline and script.
1 week to show time!… Lock in your pre-commits.
Day of gala… Hold a run through… Practice… Work the transitions for a beautiful and flawless delivery
Gala Night… Execution and success!
Post gala… Gratitude plan. This will set you up for an easier ask the next year. By implementing an intentional and gracious gratitude plan, your donors will possibly move from a lower giving level to a more significant level. What is your gratitude plan? That’s another blog post!
Some organizations are utilizing the Special Appeal and emphasizing the Mission more and more. If you need more information, please feel free to reach out.
written by…
Shannon Eason
CEO of Everything Gala &
International Auctioneer Champion
Shannon Eason, Founder and CEO of Everything Gala, is a dynamic and engaging force in the world of fundraising. As an International Auctioneer Champion, she’s mastered the art of captivating audiences—blending charisma, energy, and strategy to inspire generosity and help organizations crush their fundraising goals. A recognized expert in the field, Shannon has presented at workshops, seminars, and conferences from coast to coast, sharing her insights and passion for elevating fundraising events. Through Everything Gala, she partners with nonprofits, schools, and socially driven causes to turn purpose into powerful results.
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