Are Fundraising Events Worth it in 2026?

Key Takeaways:

• Fundraising events aren’t always the most effective strategy—many nonprofits default to them because volunteers or leadership suggest them.

• Cost per dollar raised (CPDR) is a key metric for evaluating fundraising performance, but many nonprofits don’t consistently track it.

• Major gifts fundraising typically provides the highest ROI compared to other channels like events, direct mail, or grants.

• Organizational maturity matters: Established nonprofits with strong systems and donor pipelines usually have a lower fundraising cost.

• Special events often have hidden costs, including staff time, administrative hours, logistics, and team burnout.

• Opportunity cost is significant: Time spent planning events could instead be used cultivating major donor relationships.

• Events shouldn’t be judged only by dollars raised on event night—they may serve as donor acquisition and relationship-building tools.

• Better success metrics include new donor acquisition, repeat attendees, donor upgrades, and long-term stewardship outcomes.

• Many nonprofits benefit from reducing the number of fundraising events and focusing on high-impact fundraising strategies.