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Thursday, November 12 @ 2pm ET

Planning an Event That Actually Hits Revenue Goals

Most fundraising events don’t fall short because of a bad idea. They fall short somewhere between the plan and the night itself.

Join Feathr for a candid conversation with two people who have spent their careers closing that gap: Samantha Swaim, one of the most recognized voices in event fundraising, and Leya Simmons, a former development director who built the platform nearly 1,500 nonprofits use to run their fundraising.

Sam brings the strategy side: how to set a goal you can actually hit, script an ask that lands, and tell a donor story without overproducing it. Leya brings the ground game: what breaks when the tech and the plan aren’t in sync, and how to keep donors engaged from RSVP to thank-you.

Together they’ll give you an honest look at what’s working right now and what isn’t.

Save your spot today!

What you’ll learn:

  • What separates an event that hits its revenue goal from one that just happens
  • How to get more out of your auction and paddle raise, from the script to the tech in the room
  • Where nonprofits lose donors between the RSVP and post-event follow-up, and how to fix it
  • Whether hybrid is still worth it, and what to weigh before you decide
  • How the generational wealth transfer is already changing who shows up and how they give

Whether you’re planning your hundredth gala or your first event on a shoestring budget, you’ll walk away with ideas you can use on your next one. 

 Meet the Speakers 

Sam Swaim

Samantha Swaim, Founder, Swaim Strategies

Sam has more than 30 years of event planning and fundraising experience. She founded Swaim Strategies in 2004 and has worked with nonprofits around the world to produce events that move missions forward. She co-wrote Planning a Successful Major Donor Event, co-hosts The Fundraising Elevator podcast, and founded Elevate, the annual fundraising event conference. She has taught at Portland State University, the University of Portland, and other schools, and her research has been cited by the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Leya Simmons

Leya Simmons, Co-Founder & CEO, BetterUnite

Leya co-founded BetterUnite, the all-in-one fundraising platform used by nearly 1,500 nonprofits, after years as a development director, executive director, and board leader. She saw firsthand how much time and money small and mid-sized nonprofits lost to disconnected tools, and she built BetterUnite to fix that. She serves on the board of the Giving Institute, hosts the weekly webshow 501cDrop, and has spoken at the Virtuous Raise Summit and many other events.

 

Anna Cowart

Anna Cowart, Director of Partnerships, Feathr (Moderator)

Anna leads Feathr’s partnerships program and oversees the company’s presence at conferences across the nonprofit, association, and arts & culture worlds. In nearly five years at Feathr, she’s worked alongside hundreds of nonprofits and the partners who support them, and she knows firsthand what it takes to fill a room and make the night count.