3 Alternatives to Your Fundraising Events

Despite how increasingly difficult they are becoming, fundraising events are often the default lever nonprofits pull when they need revenue. But they’re also time-intensive and often deliver lower revenue than organizations expect. Or worse yet, the real net revenue is hidden behind staff hours and opportunity costs of other revenue engines.

If you choose to reduce or eliminate fundraising events, it means you must intentionally replace that time and energy with higher-return fundraising activities. The key is being brutally honest about the tradeoff. Here are three alternatives to traditional fundraising events as well as what they require to actually work.

1. Donor Recognition Events

Recognition events are not fundraising events. They exist solely to say thank you to our current donors.

These gatherings are designed for donors who have already given, with the goal of deepening loyalty and increasing long-term retention by showcasing impact. This means that there is no “ask” associated with the event at all.

When done well, recognition events:

• Increase donor retention and lifetime value by deepening the relationships with our supporters

• Strengthen emotional connection to the mission by being intentional about storytelling

• Create space for leadership and staff to listen and learn about those who care about the mission the most

They are typically smaller and more intimate than traditional fundraising events, and far less expensive. The ROI doesn’t show up immediately, but rather compounds over time through stronger donor relationships and more consistent giving.

The main tradeoff is that you’re investing in future revenue from proper relationship building, and not immediate cash.

2. Cultivation Events

Cultivation events are for potential donors that do not have the purpose of soliciting them, but to move them closer to your mission.

These events introduce prospective supporters to your mission and impact in a low-pressure environment. The purpose is clarity and connection with those who might not have had as much exposure to your mission. Your goal is to help potential donors understand why your work matters. It is also helpful to identify who is “leaning in” and worth deeper follow-up at a later date.

Like recognition events, cultivation events are smaller by design. Their success isn’t measured by dollars raised that particular night, but by how many attendees move into one-on-one conversations afterward.

One thing to keep in mind though is that cultivation events only work if they are followed by intentional next steps. Without disciplined follow-up, they become just another gathering of “friendraising”.

3. Skip the Event Entirely (This Year)

Sometimes the best alternative to a fundraising event is not replacing it with another event at all. Skipping an event (even temporarily) can free up an enormous amount of staff and board time, as well as leadership attention. But this only works if that reclaimed capacity is deliberately reinvested elsewhere.

Instead, that time should be redirected into one-on-one donor meetings, personalized stewardship and follow-up, and major gift conversations including gift proposal development.

For many organizations, a single major gift secured through focused relationship-building can equal (or even exceed) the net revenue of a full-scale event. This approach is less visible and feels riskier in the short term. It does require discipline and accountability. But when executed well, it often delivers higher ROI with far less burnout at the staff and board level.

Events demand significant staff effort and attention. Choosing to reduce or eliminate them only makes sense when that capacity is intentionally redirected toward higher-impact, relationship-driven fundraising strategies. There is no neutral option, because every organization is always choosing how to invest its effort. The most successful fundraising programs are those that align that effort with activities proven to generate sustainable, long-term revenue.

Is your nonprofit stuck in an event-based model? We can help with that! Reach out to us an we would love to learn more about how we can help you scale up your nonprofit’s revenue.