Last last week I heard an interview with Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of NIAID. He was asked when normal human interactions might resume. In today's VLOG, I read his answer from that interview and consider what happens in that time period between everyone running virtual galas and then groups moving back to traditional in-person galas. As you heard in my video, the short answer is that -- with a lot of "ifs" -- normal human interaction might resume in mid-fall 2021. But even if we ... Read On >
virtual gala
Tribute to the nonprofits that forged ahead in 2021
With this final post of the year, I salute those of you who moved forward with a virtual gala this year. Were you brave? Were you a realist? Were you desperate? Who knows and who cares – you did it! Those fresh tracks in the snow are your footprints, and you can update your LinkedIn profile with "virtual gala" experience. The year 2020 pushed us to adapt. “The green reed which bends in the wind is stronger than the mighty oak which breaks in a storm,” said Confucius. You ... Read On >
The 9 best virtual gala themes of 2020
Last week wrapped up the final two virtual galas I worked in 2020, finishing up a total of 33 virtual events for the year. Many more virtual galas are already on the calendar for spring 2021. One question from new clients has been about themes. "What are people doing for themes? Are they doing anything special?" Over the last few months, 73% of the committees I worked with kept the same theme they'd intended to use for their 2020 in-person event. The remaining others adopted new ... Read On >
2020 recap of free virtual gala training
Some great partners asked me to speak this past year and I've consolidated the list below. Though some of the earlier programs I gave on virtual galas might already be dated, there are often tidbits in the mix that make it worthwhile to hear anyway. If you're seeking some educational resources over the holiday downtime, you might enjoy one or all of these. Fired Up Fundraising with Gail Perry, April 2020: "Let's talk about virtual events" The Grow Report with Pamela Grow, May ... Read On >
Your first decision after deciding to host a virtual gala
At first, organizations tried to skirt around COVID-19. Nonprofits and schools with galas scheduled in March and April rescheduled to May and June. Then they rescheduled to fall. Then spring 2021. “Surely by spring we’ll be able to hold an in-person event,” they told me, “We don’t want a virtual gala.” As coronavirus rages on, organizations that skipped hosting a spring 2020 event are recognizing the need for funds. They will be hosting a virtual gala out of necessity. Once you ... Read On >