How does an organization effectively incorporate a successful event and donor entertainment that produces financial results for a capital campaign?

Today, I talk with Ali Flanders Dodson, Chief Advancement Officer for Kids' Meals, to discuss this important, yet often overlooked aspect as a key component to raise the necessary capital to create organization and community transformation.

Kid's Meals has embarked on a multi-year $37 million capital campaign to build a new high-capacity building that will fulfill the organization's mission to feed 26,000 children in the Houston area every weekday by 2031. A key component of their success has been around strategic engagement with key donors and community leaders through events and donor entertaining.

Ali provides valuable insights on a range of topics, including how to determine if a capital campaign is the right vehicle for your organization, tips on creating a strong multi-phase structure to celebrate key milestones, effectively leveraging your board to achieve campaign objectives, and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.

What is one often overlooked critical element to a successful gala or signature fundraising event? Engaging music.

Today, I talk with acclaimed DJ Lance Avery Morgan to discuss the importance of music in creating an effective throughline for your event that makes it fun, engaging, and most importantly memorable.

Over the past 25 years, Lance has attended thousands of galas, commercial events, brand activations, and cocktail parties. He has seen firsthand how bad music can make a beautifully decorated event feel blah and great music can make a small-budget event feel luxuriously fun.

Lance provides valuable insights on a range of topics, including tips on effectively collaborating with a DJ to create the perfect soundtrack for your audience, how music is an important throughline for your entire event and not just for the after-party, tips on creating playlists that get guests of all ages onto the dance floor, and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.

How does a nonprofit expanding into a new community create a successful fundraising event to engage donors in a new market?

Today, I talk with Michelle Frankfort, Lead Philanthropy Advisor, Special Events, and Julia TenHoeve, Ambassadors Manager of Texas Children's Hospital, to talk about one of their Austin-based signature fundraising events, the Legacy Golf Classic.

Over the years, the Houston-based Texas Children's Hospital has provided world-class medical care for children. This has included a slate of highly successful fundraising events in Houston, including an annual golf tournament. In recent years, Texas Children's Hospital made the decision to expand into the Austin market with a new campus providing world-class healthcare for children in Central Texas. It has also hosted successful fundraising events such as the Legacy Community Golf Classic to engage the community and recruit new donors in a more informal, relaxed way.

Michelle and Julia provide valuable insights on a range of topics, including tips on finding effective ambassadors to plant deep roots in your community, strategically segmenting donors and sponsors to keep them engaged and avoid burnout, the keys to hosting a successful gold tournament, and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.

How does a nonprofit create multiple signature fundraising events that are each unique, impactful, and fun?

Today, I talk with Divya Brown and Janae Tsai, co-chairs of Runway to Asia benefiting Asia Society Texas Center.

Last year, Asia Society Texas Center launched Runway to Asia to serve as a complement to its highly impactful annual special event repertoire. The event immediately made a fundraising and cultural impact on the Houston community, highlighting Asian designers who have made an impact in Houston and around the world.

Divya and Janae provide valuable insights on a range of topics, including how serving on various nonprofit committees prepares you to successfully chair an event, effectively utilizing a second fundraising event to recruit new donors/supporters, tips on deciding whether a fashion show is the right fundraising vehicle for your nonprofit, maintaining the momentum of a successful first-year signature fundraising event, and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.

How does an organization successfully cultivate a group of ambassadors to maximize attendance, revenue, and impact?

Today, I talk with Rhiannon Bolen, Board Chair for DIFFA Dallas to talk about the organization's annual signature fundraising event, House of DIFFA.

Texas's answer to the Met Gala, each year House of DIFFA is an evening of impact with a dash of fantasty, created through the legendary themes, with this year's being Hotel Mystique. The event draws over 1,000 top patrons, activists, and community leaders who are on hand to raise funds that provide grants for HIV Prevention as well as programs to support those living with HIV/AIDS.

One way the organization does this is through an innovative group of individuals called the DIFFA Style Council Ambassadors. Each year a group of 12-15 community leaders who possess great style help increase awareness and attendance, resulting in one of the most fun fundraising events in the country.

Rhiannon provides valuable insights on a range of topics, including tips on creating an innovative theme that resonates with your audience...and attracting new donors, creating a memorable silent auction that fuses creativity, community and fundraising, successfully getting high-profile individuals to support your event, and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.

What are the keys to a nonprofit hosting a successful Kentucky Derby-themed party that is both impactful and fun?

Today, I talk with Bo's Place Director of Communications Courtney Varner and Shelby Seligmann, event chair for the organization's signature fundraising event: Hats, Hearts, & Horseshoes.

For the past 10 years, Hearts, Hats, and Horseshoes has been one of the most successful Kentucky Derby-themed fundraisers in Texas. The event has evolved from a party at a major donor's estate to a can't-miss event that draws several hundred devoted attendees from around Houston each year. Proceeds raised from the event go towards the organization's mission to provide support and community to those who have lost a loved one.

Shelby and Courtney provide valuable insights on a range of topics, including how to create a devoted following for a signature fundraising event, establishing a strong relationship between a nonprofit and event chairs, developing a strong communications strategy to increase awareness, and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.

How does a nonprofit founder create a highly successful gala to amplify the organization's voice and impact in the communities they serve?

Today, I talk with Nancy Pollard, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Austin Chapter of Friends of the Children, to talk about the organization's annual signature fundraising event, Dinner with Friends.

The Austin Chapter, founded in 2017 with the assistance of 50 local individuals and organizations, provides long-term mentorship for children to break the generational cycle of poverty. Each child is placed with a mentor from age four through high school graduation.

The organization has successfully used its signature fundraising event, Dinner with Friends, to expand its footprint in the Austin community. Their 2025 gala raised over $1.4 million to fulfill their mission.

Nancy provides valuable insights on a range of topics, including assembling a strong board to ensure your organization's success, creating a strong following for your gala or signature fundraising event, successfully highlighting an organization's mission throughout the event to create the environment for a successful live auction/fund-a-need, and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.

What are the keys to creating an unforgettable gala menu that has guests savoring every bite of every course?

Today, I talk with legendary Dallas Chef Richard Chamberlain and Chris Clark, event chair for the 2026 Côtes du Coeur.

Benefitting the American Heart Association, Côtes du Coeur is an incredible, two-night food and wine experience that doubles as the largest single-night fundraiser for the organization each year. This has been due to strong event chairs such as Chris, as well as having a longstanding relationship with a top chef, which allows the audience to know that every single year, the food and wine pairings will be five-star experiences.

Richard and Chris provide valuable insights on a range of topics, including tips on creating a successful wine and experience auction, ensuring an elevated menu where the first plate is as fresh as the 500th plate, creating a multi-night experience where patrons are excited to attend both nights, and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.