Greater Giving Blog

Webinar: The Truth About The Top 5 Auction Myths with Kilbreath Auctions
2020-02-12 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
This Webinar is available on-demand—watch it now!
The Truth About the Top 5 Auction Myths
One of the main things your auctioneer should be doing is consulting. Your auctioneer does 50, 75, 100 events a year – so they should be taking information from those events and helping you decide best practices for your event. 80% of what the auctioneer does should be spent before your event – making sure the plan is set for you to raise the most money possible for your organization. We know how difficult it is to plan an event, and in this webinar, we will debunk common auction myths.
During the webinar, Stephen will cover:

Do more auction items and more guests mean more money?
Can you predict how much money you will make at your event?
Does it really matter who the auctioneer is?

Live Webinar – Wednesday, February 12th, 2020
2:00 pm-3:00 pm Eastern / 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Pacific
*Can’t attend live? Register anyway and receive the recording after the webinar!

Your Presenter:
Stephen Kilbreath. Kilbreath Auctions
Stephen has been a fundraising auctioneer since the early 90s, calling hundreds of auctions and raising millions of dollars. Stephen’s sincerity, authenticity and a terrific understanding of benefit auctions make him stand out. His style is entertaining and conversational-making it an enjoyable and memorable evening for your guests. Stephen excels at connecting and reading his audiences, all resulting in generating the most revenue possible for his auction clients.
He has taught classes, and has mentored auctioneers across the country and has earned the rare Benefit Auction Specialist designation through the National Auctioneers Association. Less than 1% of auctioneers nationally have achieved that designation!
Not only is Stephen a top benefit auctioneer in the Northwest-his name may be familiar because of his long broadcasting career. He was on the morning radio for more than 20 years. Currently, he can be seen on KING-5 television.
Stephen lives in Snoqualmie, WA where he enjoys his two boys Ben (13), and Jack (9).

Webinar: Embracing the Moment – A practical guide for executing a virtual fundraising auction
2020-04-08 10:00 - 11:00
These are unprecedented times but it doesn’t mean you have to cancel your event.
Embrace the moment and go virtual with your auction. It sounds scary, but it doesn’t have to be. Virtual events are not new and you are likely already working with vendors that have the expertise you need to execute a virtual auction for your organization. Much of the strategy you’ve built to fundraise for your organization stays the same, you just have to switch tactics to move away from a live event and into the virtual world.
This webinar with Beth Sandefur Events will cover the following topics:

What elements of your fundraising auction stay the same when you switch to a virtual format?
What elements of your auction change?
Adapting the pace of an auction to fit a virtual model
Key vendors for virtual auctions
Virtual auction solutions for every budget
Tips on how to create online engagement opportunities during a virtual auction

About Beth Sandefur:
Beth is a seasoned event planner with a strong background in development and hands-on experience with theatrical production. Her efforts focus on planning and execution of fundraising galas, typically with a large auction component. As a planner, she believes in working with clients to find the inefficiencies and redundancies in their systems to create a streamlined approach, keeping the organizational mission in the forefront, while still throwing a great party. She also works as a consultant to help clients integrate their annual fundraising event into year-round donor development through auction data collection & analysis as well as creating comprehensive sponsorship proposal strategies.

Webinar: 5 Steps to a "Guest Experience on Steroids" with Shannon Mays
2020-05-13 11:00 - 12:00
This Webinar is available on-demand—watch it now!

5 Steps to a “Guest Experience on Steroids”
Do you want your guests telling all of their friends what a great time they had at your event? And of course, you want to hear them say they spent more than they intended, but got so wrapped up in the fun they couldn’t help themselves! This webinar will bypass the obvious and go straight to the “over the top” things your committee can do to elevate the evening and guarantee a fun-filled yet mission-focused night! Want to make your live auction involve the entire room instead of just a few bidders? We’ll show you how. Your attendees will leave with their hearts filled and your committee will be smiling all the way to the bank!
Live Webinar – Wednesday, May 13th, 2020
2:00 pm-3:00 pm Eastern / 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Pacific
*Can’t attend live? Register anyway and receive the recording after the webinar!
Your Presenter:
Shannon Mays, CAI, AARE, BAS Raising Paddles
International Auctioneer Champion, Shannon Mays, travels the United States captivating audiences with her limitless energy, communication skills and infectious smile. She has raised millions of dollars in the for profit and not for profit industries. With over 30 years of experience, she brings a long list of attributes to the table. As a leader in the industry, she is an instructor for World Wide College of Auctioneering as well as the Professional Ringmen’s Institute (PRI) and also conducts one-on-one instruction. As a consultant, she travels coast to coast conducting seminars and educational training events for organizations as well as her peers. Shannon is among less than 5% of the nation’s auctioneers with her certification from the Certified Auctioneer’s Institute and the Benefit Auction Specialist designation that few auctioneer’s nationwide have attained.
Just a few of her current clients include the American Heart Association, The American Cancer Society, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, private schools, hospital/health awareness groups, as well as women’s and children’s empowerment organizations. Her daughter, Lauren, is in medical school, and her son, Landon, is a senior at the University of Arkansas. Shannon can be contacted online at www.shannonmays.com.

Get the Data for Virtual Events + Online Auctions
2020-05-20 10:00 - 11:00
Wednesday, May 20, 2020 | 1-2 PM EDT | 10-11 AM PDT
Greater Giving is excited to host a panel of experts who have successfully hosted virtual fundraising events over the past few weeks. They’ve collected great data to share and some evolving expectations around upcoming fall fundraising. Let us know what you’re most curious to learn more about by registering below!
Our Panelists:

Beven Byrnes, Bridges Middle School
Taylor Gibson, Children’s Book Bank
Brian Harris, The AV Department
Tracey Lorts, Greater Giving
Samantha Swaim, Swaim Strategies

Registration is limited on the Zoom call. If you are unable to join, we will also be streaming the session live to the Greater Giving Facebook page.

Webinar-Benefit Auctions in 2020. The Return to Normal or the NEW Normal? with Auction Brio, LLC
2020-06-10 11:00 - 12:00
Benefit Auctions in 2020. The Return to Normal or the NEW Normal?
This Webinar is available on-demand—watch it now!

In the abrupt & unexpected postponement, rescheduling, or even the cancellation of thousands of benefit auctions across the country, what will happen when it all resumes? Will there be smaller gatherings? Will some events include a live stream auction? Will donations have to become more creative due to the loss of supporting businesses from these drastic closures & layoffs? The answer to all of these is yes, yes, yes. If we plan now, the best organizations will be ready to resume. If not, there will be great losses. This is an ideal opportunity to face what is happening now and produce fresh resolutions.
Listeners will be well prepared to replace live auction packages that may have or could be falling apart due to the loss of supporting businesses like restaurants, chef dinners, airline tickets, vacation destinations, etc. This webinar will tell listeners how to assess a situation and to become creative with ideas to generate value to their live auction. In addition, they will learn to ease the pain of donors of the Fund-a-Need ask so those supporters can continue to provide the opportunity to those who love their cause.
Live Webinar – Wednesday, June 10th, 2020
2:00 pm-3:00 pm Eastern / 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Pacific
*Can’t attend live? Register anyway and receive the recording after the webinar!
Your Presenter:
Mark Schroeder CAI, BAS, CES of Auction brio LLC

Mark Schroeder CAI, BAS, CES is a benefit auction strategist. His San Antonio, Texas-based benefit auction company, Auction brio llc., teams with clients to share money-generating ideas that create enhanced value to auction fundraising up to a year prior to the event. Mark creatively infuses entertainment through presentation and sales celebrations at the event that engages donors and increases giving. His award-winning video production career and infused original strategies adhere the donor to the mission of the organization. In thirteen short years, Mark has raised over $122-million dollars for non-profit clients.
Mark is one of the first 30 professional auctioneers to earn the Benefit Auctioneer (BAS) certification. Mark carries the elite CAI designation. Less than 1% of all auctioneers hold the distinguished Certified Auctioneer’s Institute (CAI) certification.
Mark spent twenty-three years as a television Sports Anchor with CBS-TV and FOX- TV networks in Cleveland, Ohio, and for the Fox NFL broadcasts. Nominated thirty- one times for Emmy Awards, he has collected high honors for his production creativity and for his on-air sports anchoring, including winning multiple Emmy Awards, a prestigious international Telly Award, and Sportscaster of the Year honors. Mark has earned an Emmy Award and a Telly Award as an auctioneer in a commercial spot for Sportstime Ohio.

Webinar- Event 180°: Renovate your event with these 7 trend-worthy ideas
2020-09-16 11:00 - 12:00
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Event 180°: Renovate your event with these 7 trend-worthy ideas
Each December after the books are closed on nearly 100 events in 20 states, a master document is created to record the best and brightest ideas used at cutting-edge galas. As someone who works on stage at these events, I find myself spending Saturday nights at the most trendsetting fundraisers imaginable – the events every other nonprofit in town seeks to copy. In this session, you’ll get the skinny on the 7 most original ideas I’ve witnessed when it comes to auctions, mission-driven messaging, and/or fund a needs.
Live Webinar – Wednesday, September 16th, 2020
2:00 pm-3:00 pm Eastern / 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Pacific
*Can’t attend live? Register anyway and receive the recording after the webinar!
Your Presenter:
Sherry Truhlar, Red Apple Auctions
Sherry Truhlar is President of Red Apple Auctions, an auction firm focused on nonprofit galas. Since 2005, she’s been a cheeky auctioneer onstage, and a trusted resource offstage for those seeking to improve the profitability of their fundraising gala. You might have seen her onstage working an auction, heard her speak at an AFP regional events (Planet Philanthropy or Bridge Conference) or read her insights in The NonProfit Times, Florida’s Sun Sentinel, Town & Country, The Washington Post Magazine, Missouri Meetings & Events, Vineyard Gazette, or many of the other papers who have quoted her advice. Though based in the Washington, D.C. area, she maintains her bliss by sidestepping the political scene.

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Webinar-Raise Six Figures with The Fearless and Joyful ASK
2020-10-14 11:00 - 12:00
Raise Six Figures with The Fearless and Joyful ASK –For expert fundraisers who love what they do but hate to ASK!
SPECIAL GUEST: Dee Dee Kiesow, Award-winning Fundraiser and founder of The Six Figure ASK Formula
Are you tired of asking the same people for money? Are you sometimes hesitant, nervous, or afraid to be the asker? Do you just not know when and what to ask for? Join Dee Dee Kiesow and discover your power within to change your world by unleashing the ASKER within. Maximize your Minutes with a new amazing YOU.
In this action-packed session, you’ll learn:
• Simple no-cost things you can do instantly to double or triple your fundraising efforts
• Six proven steps to the ASK
• The secret to inspiring someone to give now…without asking for money.
• And most important, how to inspire joyful givers to bring awareness and wealth to what you care about.
It is a disservice to let interested donors walk away without the opportunity to partner with you to serve humankind in a way to bring joy to all parties.
Live Webinar – Wednesday, October 14th, 2020
2:00 pm-3:00 pm Eastern / 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Pacific
*Can’t attend live? Register anyway and receive the recording after the webinar!
Your Presenter:
DeeDee Kiesow, Six Figure Fundraising
After 25 years of award-winning fundraising and millions raised in the non-profit sector, Dee Dee was raced with meeting the demand of numerous charities needing her help in event fundraising. Many clients had doubled their event fundraising – others saw paydays up to 600% over goal with her unique system and demand was growing. She founded Benevent – Six-Figure Fundraising.
Her mission: To teach non-profit leaders how to raise maximum dollars per minute at events while engaging long term donor partnerships.
In a few short years, this former for-profit business owner, non-profit founder, executive director, community organizer and major gifts officer had raised millions more using a combination of her strategies and asking skills. She has appeared nationwide in both USA Today and The Business Journal bringing her proven Silicon Valley Business approach to modern fundraising. She is a speaker and instructor for The National Auctioneers Association and has served as a board member and Master Level Instructor for The Association of Fundraising Professionals. Her unique system is changing fundraising in the US and Europe. As six-figure fundraising client Maria Nicolocoudis put it, “After 20 years working with event planners, Dee Dee is everything in one. “

This Webinar is available on-demand—watch it now!

Webinar: From Virtual to Hybrid-Planning into 2021 and Ahead
2020-12-02 11:00 - 12:00
From Virtual to Hybrid-Planning into 2021 and Ahead
SPECIAL GUEST: Samantha Swaim, Swaim Strategies
What has the world of online virtual events taught us, what do we carry into the future and how do we plan for the return of the gala? This webinar will look at some of the key findings from virtual events and help you plan your calendar. Learn how to execute a hybrid event and create a plan for managing the unknown turns ahead.
Live Webinar – Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020
2:00 pm-3:00 pm Eastern / 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Pacific
*Can’t attend live? Register anyway and receive the recording after the webinar!
Your Presenter:
Samantha Swaim, Swaim Strategies
Samantha Swaim has more than 20 years of event planning and fundraising expertise. She founded Swaim Strategies, a fundraising event consultancy, in 2004, working internationally with nonprofit organizations to produce impactful events that move missions forward. Samantha is the co-author of “Planning a Successful Major Donor Event” and the founder of the annual Elevate fundraising event conference. She travels internationally to teach nonprofit professionals the tools they need to elevate their impact through events.

This Webinar is available on-demand—watch it now!

Webinar- Virtual Gala 2.0: Taking Virtual Galas to the Next Level in 2021 with Stellar Fundraising Auctions
2021-01-13 11:00 - 12:00
Virtual Gala 2.0: Taking Virtual Galas to the Next Level in 2021
SPECIAL GUEST: Greg Quiroga, Stellar Fundraising Auctions
Learn best practices for conducting a virtual gala in 2021. Whether you did a virtual gala this past year or will be conducting your first virtual gala in 2021, come learn proven techniques for creating a virtual event that will engage and entertain your crowd.
We saw the rise of the virtual gala as the primary means of conducting fundraising auctions and fund-a-needs in 2020, and spent the last year inventing, developing and fine-tuning best practices. Learn when you should open your live auction for bidding, how long you should leave open your fund-a-need, where you should place your fund-a-need, how much of your event needs to be live and more.
Live Webinar – Wednesday, January 13th, 2021
2:00 pm-3:00 pm Eastern / 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Pacific
*Can’t attend live? Register anyway and receive the recording after the webinar!
Your Presenter:
Greg Quiroga, Stellar Fundraising Auctions
Greg Quiroga is the San Francisco Bay Area’s premier fundraising auctioneer and has been conducting fundraising auctions for non-profit organizations across the United States since 2004. In a normal year, he works with over 50 non-profits, schools, foundations, arts organizations, and charities to help raise over $15 million.
With the outbreak of Covid-19 and the advent of social distancing protocols that shut down in-person event fundraising, Greg shifted his focus to virtual fundraising opportunities. He quickly became one of the thought leaders in the virtual event space. His bi-weekly “How to Implement a Virtual Gala” webinar series consistently attracted 100 attendees in real-time and continues to be his most popular videos online.
Greg has conducted over 30 virtual galas since March of 2020 and helped non-profits raise over $6,750,000 online. His virtual events have run the gamut from low-fi self-produced webinars to high-end, in-studio productions and have included donors from San Francisco, Texas, New York, London, Beirut, and Hong Kong.
The founder of Stellar Fundraising Auctions (www.StellarSF.com), Greg, and his wife live in San Francisco with their teenage son.

This Webinar is available on-demand—watch it now!

Webinar: Fundraising as it Evolves - What’s Next and Beyond
2021-02-24 09:00 - 12:00
Here’s a webinar we are having with Raising Paddles that provides a forward-thinking approach to diversify your fundraising efforts in any space.
This webinar will highlight new and unique special event strategies, a “What’s Next?” perspective to help you differentiate. Having navigated the challenges of 2020, we have assembled a line-up of visionary presenters to share new capabilities that will grow your organization’s reach and impact. Prepare yourself for a holistic view of fundraising that captures new best practices of event planning, donor cultivation, audience centric programs, stewardship and cause-based selling of your mission.
3 Interactive Energizing Sessions:

The “Ins & Outs” of Fundraising as it evolves – how to plan your events, how to increase attendance & motivate greater giving, how to build a program your audience will enjoy.
Caused Based Selling – Cultivating potential & existing donors, stewardship, mission focused strategic planning, board & volunteer led fundraising.
Using Up-to-Date Technology and latest Solutions as a Competitive Advantage – What’s Next on the Horizon, and what can I do to stand out to target audiences?

Peer professional fundraisers will share their experience in each of these areas. Tune into their stories of failure and success as they give their perspective of their fears and their witness to change and growth. You will hear from and interact with subject matter experts who will share insight to new and unique fundraising strategies. Q&A panel discussions will be offered at the end of each session.
Once you register, we will send you a pre-event survey which will give you influence over content we deliver the day of, so that it will cater to your specific needs and interests.
Cost: $30 per attendee, $60 per organization up to 3 team members
Registration provides access to advanced materials, discounts on future services, chances to win several prizes including trips and experiences & gift cards. Also included is a $15 Uber Eats gift card for lunch for each registered attendee.
Wednesday, February 24th, 2021
10:00 AM-1:00 PM Central (11am EST, 9am PST, 10am MST)

Webinar: The Why of Giving with Raising Paddles
2021-03-10 11:00 - 12:00
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The Why of Giving
SPECIAL GUEST: Dan Campbell of Raising Paddles
This session will break down the why in giving….why give anything, why give now, and why give to YOUR organization. Once you understand these principles, you can be more effective in donor development.
Learn strategies to analyze giving from your donors, with a simple 1 or 2 sentence vision of why donors will give to your organization at this time.
Live Webinar – Wednesday, March 10th, 2021
2:00 pm-3:00 pm Eastern / 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Pacific
*Can’t attend live? Register anyway and receive the recording after the webinar!
Your Presenter:
Dan Campbell, Raising Paddles
Dan Campbell is the President and Founder of Raising Paddles, a fundraising auctioneer and consulting firm that has a national reach. Serving hundreds of clients mostly in the Midwest, Raising Paddles auctioneers have helped raise over $120 million at their client’s fundraising galas. Raising Paddles also hosts educational workshops all over the country, some of which are now virtual events to accommodate more NPOs. Most recently, Raising Paddles has become the preeminent go-to auction team for virtual and hybrid events, serving clients all over the US. Raising Paddles recently added CFRE certification to provide their NPO clients with strategic consulting beyond events and to perform a partnership with NPOs who are striving to not only survive but thrive in this economy. Dan comes from a family of auctioneers, and is a graduate of the Missouri Auction School, and is also one of only 300 Benefit Auction Specialists in the world. Dan has been married for 30 years and has a son with special needs, is a cancer survivor, and enjoys golf in his spare time.

Webinar-Virtual Fundraising Hosting, Technology and Streaming, - A Live Panel and Q&A
2021-04-14 11:00 - 12:00
Virtual Fundraising Hosting, Technology, and Streaming, – A Live Panel and Q&A
SPECIAL GUESTS: Stephen Kilbreath, Kilbreath Auctions, Pavel Verbovski, PNTA/SeattleLives, and Siri Lippy, Greater Giving
You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers! We’re partnering up with live streaming and virtual fundraising event gurus Stephen Kilbreath of Kilbreath Auction Services, Pavel Verbovski of PNTA/SeattleLives and Siri Lippy of Greater Giving to discuss the biggest trends, pitfalls to avoid, and ways to make your organization’s virtual fundraising event a success in 2021.
Leave your desk with new ideas to make your virtual event stand out in the crowd and get your top questions answered all in less than an hour! Register to join us today.
Live Webinar – Wednesday, April 14th, 2021
2:00 pm-3:00 pm Eastern / 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Pacific
*Can’t attend live? Register anyway and receive the recording after the webinar!
Have a question ready for our panel? Email it to marketing@greatergiving.com and we will do our best to answer it live!
Your Presenters:
Stephen Kilbreath, Kilbreath Auctions
Stephen has been a fundraising auctioneer since the early 90s, calling hundreds of auctions and raising millions of dollars. Stephen’s sincerity, authenticity and a terrific understanding of benefit auctions make him stand out. His style is entertaining and conversational-making it an enjoyable and memorable evening for your guests. Stephen excels at connecting and reading his audiences, all resulting in generating the most revenue possible for his auction clients.
He has taught classes, and has mentored auctioneers across the country and has earned the rare Benefit Auction Specialist designation through the National Auctioneers Association. Less than 1% of auctioneers nationally have achieved that designation!
Not only is Stephen a top benefit auctioneer in the Northwest-his name may be familiar because of his long broadcasting career. He was on the morning radio for more than 20 years. Currently, he can be seen on KING-5 television.
Stephen lives in Snoqualmie, WA where he enjoys his two boys Ben (13), and Jack (9).

Siri Lippy, Greater Giving
Siri has provided event services for more than 800 client events and has consulted on fundraising best practices with thousands of nonprofits. She trains new Greater Giving event staff in best practices for running both automated and manual benefit auctions, and is passionate about helping organizations run smooth, sensational, profitable events.

Pavel Verbovski, SeattleLives
With over a decade in the fundraising space, Pavel has worked with a variety of non-profits helping them execute their visions and present well to audiences and stakeholders. Pavel and the SeattleLives team have helped guide over 40 nonprofits through the pandemic consistently meeting goals or exceeding board expectations.

This Webinar is available on-demand—watch it now!

Webinar-Redefining the Future of Fundraising Events with Raise Agent
2021-05-12 11:00 - 12:00
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Redefining the Future of Fundraising Events with Raise Agent
SPECIAL GUEST: Lauren Dully Clark, Raise Agent
As we plan for hybrid events and a return to in-person events, this session will share innovative fundraising solutions to blend strategies that create seamless giving experiences.
Live Webinar – Wednesday, May 12th, 2021
2:00 pm-3:00 pm Eastern / 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Pacific
*Can’t attend live? Register anyway and receive the recording after the webinar!
Your Presenter:
Lauren Dully Clark, Raise Agent
Lauren is passionately engaged with nonprofits to produce fundraising events that
weave creativity and storytelling. She launched Raise Agent to support, guide, and
celebrate nonprofit fundraising. For over 25 years, she has helped hundreds of
organizations become more mission-capable raising millions of dollars for essential
programs. As an innovator and strategist, she has helped organizations from all over
the country pivot to virtual events and is diving into the exciting evolution of hybrid
events.

Fusion Fundraising Webinar - A Hybrid Event Variations Best Practice Experience
2021-06-02 10:00 - 11:00
We’re thrilled to again partner with our friends at Marquam Auction Agency for another innovative Hybrid Fusion Fundraising event webinar. This webinar will showcase hybrid event variations, best practices, and a LIVE FAUX-auction event demonstrating it all including Greater Giving’s Mobile Bidding software.
REGISTER, ATTEND and BID to be entered to win unique travel experiences to Vegas, Cabo, Bali, and Mexico – compliments of generous consignment partners: AuctionPackages, Sojourn Ventures, Charity Booster, Go Charity, and HGA Fundraising!
Misty Marquam, Founder, and Principal will be joined by some of the nation’s leading fundraising experts & Benefit Auctioneer Specialists:

Amanda Valley, BAS – Marquam Auction Agency
Annie M Luthro, BAS – Marquam Auction Agency
Christine DeCastro, BAS – Marquam Auction Agency
Dan Newman, BAS – Alaska Premier Auctions & Appraisals
Eva Ponce, BAS – Marquam Auction Agency
Misty Marquam, BAS – Marquam Auction Agency
Naomi Lewis, BAS – Naomi T Lewis Auctions
Nelson Jay, BAS – Gavelo Auctions
Scott Robertson, BAS – Scott Robertson Auctioneers
TiWanna Kenney, BAS – Astounding Auctions
Zan Aufderheide, BAS – Zan Auctions

This engaging and info-packed event will address the future of fundraising events:
– Is a Hybrid Fusion Fundraiser in your future? If so, what format/variation?
– In-depth discussions on Fusion event variations and format differences
– Hybrid Fusion Event Variation Demonstrations
+Much More – including a live Q&A session answering all your burning questions!

To be considered for prizes and vacation drawings, you must:

REGISTER for the webinar
ATTEND the webinar event LIVE
BID during the faux-tion (mock event)

*You will automatically be registered for a ‘faux’ mobile bidding account and a link to bid will be sent to you via email.
*No actual money will be exchanged. All mobile bidding is done in a test environment

When? June 2nd at 1 pm EST/10 am PST
REGISTER even if you can’t make it. We’ll send you the recording!

Webinar - Fundraising Events Post COVID with Swaim Strategies
2021-06-09 09:30 - 10:30
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Fundraising Events Post COVID with Swaim Strategies
SPECIAL GUEST: Samantha Swaim, Swaim Strategies
We have been living in a state of deprivation through a pandemic and as people gather again there is a deeper need for authentic connection than ever before. In this session, we’ll ask the question… what if every time you gathered people, they were immersed in your mission? Learn to design fundraising events for a post COVID era, meeting donors’ needs and engaging them deeper in purpose.
Live Webinar – Wednesday, June 9th, 2021
12:30 pm-1:30 pm Eastern / 9:30 am – 10:30 am Pacific
*One LIVE attendee will win a full admission to the Elevate Conference on June 14th & 15th, a $68 value!
Can’t attend live? Register anyway and receive the recording after the webinar!
Your Presenter:
Samantha Swaim, Swaim Strategies
Samantha Swaim has more than 20 years of event planning and fundraising expertise. She founded Swaim Strategies, a fundraising event consultancy, in 2004, working internationally with nonprofit organizations to produce impactful events that move missions forward. Samantha is the co-author of “Planning a Successful Major Donor Event” and the founder of the annual Elevate fundraising event conference. She travels internationally to teach nonprofit professionals the tools they need to elevate their impact through events.

Webinar - Navigating the Hybrid Fundraising Event with Tolo Events
2021-09-15 11:00 - 12:00
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Navigating the Hybrid Fundraising Event with Tolo Events
SPECIAL GUEST: Shelly Tolo, Tolo Events
As we move from virtual to hybrid fundraising events, what might our options be? Explore various scenarios of maintaining the best of virtual while re-introducing the in-person experience.
Listeners will learn various options for how a hybrid event can be formatted to be engaging for both the in-person and virtual guest. This is unchartered territory, so there is a lot to consider.
Live Webinar – Wednesday, September 15th, 2021
2:00 pm-3:00 pm Eastern / 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Pacific
Can’t attend live? Register anyway and receive the recording after the webinar!
Your Presenter:
Shelly Tolo, Tolo Events
Shelly Tolo launched Tolo Events in 2002 after a 12-year career as a development officer and event planner for nonprofit organizations. Her business mission is to maximize events through strategic planning and creating fabulous atmospheres and programs. She holds a master’s degree in Public Management from Carnegie Mellon University with a concentration in nonprofit organizations. In addition to her business savvy, Shelly has a keen eye for design and is recognized as a leading event designer in the industry. When asked what she hopes a potential client would say about her after an interview, Shelly responded, “more than anything I would hope they’d say she’s really nice – we want to work with her!”. Did you know Shelly was a synchronized swimmer in high school, considers herself an Olympics junkie and loves to binge-watch Naked and Afraid?
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Webinar - Fueling Your Fundraiser with Utopia Entertainment
2021-11-10 11:00 - 12:00
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Fueling Your Fundraiser with Utopia Entertainment
SPECIAL GUEST: Joey Goone, Utopia Entertainment
The biggest nonprofit struggle of the past has been competing for the donor dollar. Now, what nonprofits are actually competing for is time and heart. With limited time and money, families have to choose where to allocate their hearts in a world where there are many worthy nonprofits. We help nonprofits bring generations together to create and share collective meaning and purpose, driven through events and impact stories with video. Deeply connecting with people will help them realize your organization isn’t simply a nonprofit, it’s a way of being. This all starts with transforming your events and building meaningful relationships with donors through your stories.
Utopia is creating a space for nonprofit executives and fundraisers to gain valuable knowledge in the space of scaling your real impact. We’ll focus on pre, during, and post-event strategies that will strengthen your relationships with your donors. We’ll discuss how building community, inviting people with thoughtfulness, nailing your tech, scaling creative partnerships and producing incredible impact stories will help you transcend what you thought was possible.
Are you ready to scale? Join us.
Our discussions will cover both in-person and streaming events.
Live Webinar – Wednesday, November 10th, 2021
2:00 pm-3:00 pm Eastern / 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Pacific
Can’t attend live? Register anyway and receive the recording after the webinar!
Your Presenter:
Joey Goone, Utopia Entertainment
Joey is the President of Utopia Entertainment, an event and video production company headquartered in St. Louis, MO. By the forced nature of the pandemic, Joey and his team were challenged to think creatively on how nonprofits might create a sense of community and belonging for their donors during a time of widespread fear and scarcity. In the past 18 months, Joey and Utopia have done just that, helping 150 nonprofits raise in excess of $25,000,000. As a part of their commitment to helping nonprofits scale, Joey and his team launched a coaching program to learn with and from nonprofits, uncovering the most complex challenges nonprofit executives are faced with: creating community, scaling impact, sharing meaningful stories, and uniting hearts through amazing event experiences. Through Joey’s coaching program, the real impact is scaled, as nonprofit executives crowdsource actionable strategies from fellow nonprofit peers, building community with each other as a result.
Joey will continue to share his heart with the nonprofit world as he inspires nonprofit leaders to think boldly, embrace uncertainty, and be unapologetically different.
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Webinar - Fear a Virtual Auction? Not with this Run of Show with Auction Brio
2021-12-14 10:00 - 11:00
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Fear a Virtual Auction? Not with this Run of Show with Auction Brio
SPECIAL GUEST: Mark Schroeder, Auction Brio
Due to continued restrictions to assembly in venues, virtual auctions are ongoing in many states. Don’t fear a virtual event. Just construct a compelling Run of Show. The format of your event will bond the timing with the talent, mobile bidding, and the production crew with coordination of the event. Plus, the Run of Show dictates the timing of graphics, videos, and live testimonials for the AV team. Most importantly, the success of your bottom line will rely on your Run of Show to be seamless, well-produced, and engaging. This is how donors at home stay on the stream.
During this webinar…

Discover the importance of formatting a strategic Run of Show.
Learn to create a virtual gala that hits times, cues, and moves seamlessly from one segment to the next.
Understand the importance of time management for segments.

By creating a solid Run of Show, the AV team will fully understand their timed direction of the show and timing of camera switches, video commencement, and more.
As a multi-Emmy and Telly Award-winning broadcast television producer and talent, Mark has produced thousands of shows for local and network broadcast television.
Live Webinar – Tuesday, December 14th, 2021
1:00 pm-2:00 pm Eastern / 10:00 am – 11:00 pm Pacific
Can’t attend live? Register anyway and receive the recording after the webinar!
Your Presenter:
Mark Schroeder, Auction Brio
Mark Schroeder CAI, BAS, CES has raised over $123,000,000 dollars for non-profit organizations and learning institutions throughout Texas and the Great Lakes region. Twice Mark has collected Fund-a-Need donations of $1,000,000 dollars and another donation of $550,000 dollars! Premiering as the benefit auctioneer for the San Antonio Spurs Tux N’ Tennies Gala, Mark rocketing the bidding to a record by selling a consigned painting for $150,000 dollars! The San Antonio Express News raved as Mark raised a new record of $186,000 dollars for the San Antonio Spurs during his first time conducting the game jersey auction. His sale of Spurs star Tim Duncan’s jersey sold for a record $67,000 dollars!
As a leader in the benefit auction industry, Mark has elevated benefit auction fundraising with innovative ideas, Emmy Award winning video production, entertainment and teaming with clients to share money generating ideas that collect tens of thousands, to hundreds of thousands and even millions more dollars for his clients. By teaming with his clients as a benefit auction consultant and strategist, Mark consistently raises more funds for charities. This immersion results in record fundraising dollars. Mark has earned the elite Certified Auctioneer Institute designation from the National Auctioneer Association. Less than 1% of all auctioneers have earned the CAI designation. Mark is one of the first auctioneers in the country to earn the Benefit Auctioneer Specialist certification reflecting his elevated status and expertise in the benefit auction industry.
Mark is a thirty-one time Emmy nominated sports anchor and reporter. He won 4-Emmy Awards and a Telly Award with WJW-TV, CBS, Fox and SportsTime Ohio. He has earned multiple awards from the Associated Press and Cleveland Press Club. Mark is a graduate of John Carroll University, Reppert School of Auctioneering and Hondros College of Business.
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Special Topic Webinar: Fund A Need (For Greater Giving Clients)
2021-12-15 10:00 - 11:00
Give your donors the “Why.”
Fund a Need donations are the easiest ways to tell your audience why they are attending your event (In-person or Virtually) and the easiest way to raise funds for your organization.
Join us for a live webinar on December 15th, 2021 at 10:00 AM PST where we will discuss best practices and the best ways to use Greater Giving’s tools for a successful Fund a Need. This webinar is intended for Greater Giving clients and will focus heavily on the use of our product during the Fund a Need.

Webinar - How to Future-Proof a fundraiser in 2022 with SeattleLives
2022-01-12 11:00 - 12:00
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How to Future-Proof a fundraiser in 2022 with SeattleLives
SPECIAL GUEST: Pavel Verbovski, SeattleLives
Supporters, donors, and audiences expect flexibility to join your fundraising efforts from wherever/whenever. Not planning a virtual option for an in-person fundraiser in 2022 will be a mistake that can alienate donors and squander opportunities to gather support. PNTA #SeattleLives as a national vendor for both in-person and virtual fundraisers will identify important lessons learned from 2020-2021 and how to find a happy medium in 2022.
Attending will give the participant an idea of industry-leading virtual/hybrid production techniques and requirements that can be folded into event/fundraiser planning.
Live Webinar – Wednesday, January 12th, 2022
2:00 pm-3:00 pm Eastern / 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Pacific
Can’t attend live? Register anyway and receive the recording after the webinar!
Your Presenter:
Pavel Verbovski, SeattleLives
With over a decade in the fundraising space, Pavel has worked with a variety of non-profits helping them execute their visions and present well to audiences and stakeholders. Pavel and the SeattleLives team have helped guide over 40 nonprofits through the pandemic consistently meeting goal or exceeding board expectations.
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Special Topic Webinar: Sponsorships in Greater Giving (For Clients)
2022-01-27 11:00 - 12:00
Sponsorships are a key component of any event and can bring in a significant portion of your proceeds. Join us for a live webinar on January 6th, 2022 at 11:00 AM PST where we will discuss sponsorship best practices and how to use Greater Giving’s tools to effectively manage and recognize your sponsors.
This live webinar is intended for Greater Giving Clients only.

Webinar - Unlocking Every Hidden Dollar with Artisan Auctions
2022-02-09 11:00 - 12:00
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Unlocking Every Hidden Dollar with Artisan Auctions
SPECIAL GUEST: Kelly Russell, Artisan Auctions
One of the biggest opportunity catalysts in giving is human connection, so where can we find human connection keys, before and during your event? Artisan Auctions wants your event to be set up for success. 90% of that is your organization’s preparedness. Join us as we dive deeper to unlock those hidden dollars.
We’re going to discuss missed opportunities, and how to prepare for your event in a way that no money is left on the table, and how to prepare for the success of your staff and vendors.
Live Webinar – Wednesday, February 9th, 2022
2:00 pm-3:00 pm Eastern / 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Pacific
Can’t attend live? Register anyway and receive the recording after the webinar!
Your Presenter:
Kelly Russell, Artisan Auctions
Kelly Russell is an expert auction strategist, benefit auctioneer and fundraising host who has helped organizations raise over $200 Million in support of their great work. Kelly leads her team of fundraising professionals to produce auctions that consistently exceed client goals, and Kelly’s remarkable results keep clients coming back year after year. With 17 years of profitable auctions behind her, Kelly’s passion is coaching nonprofit organizations and schools on how to maximize their revenue while eliminating wasted time and effort. When she isn’t planning auctions and raising record-breaking revenue, you can find Kelly traveling the globe, hosting (and crushing) game night, or relaxing with a fizzy beverage among friends in the great outdoors. Kelly and her team are dedicated to one mission: powerful fundraising for positive change.
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Special Topic Webinars-Deep Dive into Data & Reports (For Greater Giving Clients)
2022-02-24 10:00 - 11:00
Join us to talk about data in Greater Giving on Thursday, February 24th, 2022! We’re going to be talking about best practices, getting the most out of your data, and the best reports to use. Gain a better understanding about how reports and searches work within the Greater Giving software – from the basics perfect for new users to advanced tips for super users.
This webinar is recommended for Greater Giving clients.

Webinar - Golf Event Best Practices
2022-04-06 11:00 - 12:00
Golf Event Best Practices
Are you hosting a golf event? Join us for this session as we share best practices and guidelines to organize it all with Greater Giving Software, to help make your contactless golf outing a successful fundraising event. We cover planning, software settings, how to, sponsorships, and organizing your golfers.
This webinar is recommended for Greater Giving clients. Can’t attend the live webinar? Don’t worry! The session will be recorded and made available for anyone in the Help Center. If you’re brand new to the Greater Giving software we recommend starting with Greater Giving 101.

Webinar - Major Fundraising Events & Galas: What’s New for 2022? with FSA Auctions
2022-04-13 11:00 - 12:00
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Major Fundraising Events & Galas: What’s New for 2022? with FSA Auctions
SPECIAL GUEST: Freddie Silveria, FSA Auctions
During this webinar learn…
1. Live Auction lots and trends
2. Paddle Raise strategies for success
3. Hybrid and virtual elements

Live Webinar – Wednesday, April 13th, 2021
2:00 pm-3:00 pm Eastern / 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Pacific
Can’t attend live? Register anyway and receive the recording after the webinar!
Your Presenter:
Freddie Silveria, FSA Auctions
Freddie Silveria is energetic, genuine and passionate about making a difference and a positive impact. Freddie grew up being a caregiver for his mother who lived bed-ridden in chronic pain for 17 years after a car accident. Stress and medical bills compounded, his family eventually became homeless. Freddie’s heart, hard work and professionalism have quickly turned FSA Auctions into one of the nation’s leading fundraising event strategists and auctioneers. FSA Auctions, owner Freddie Silveria BAS partners with nonprofits, schools and charity organizations to maximize fundraising efforts at benefit events and provide a positive guest experience. FSA Auctions has fundraised tens of millions for 100+ clients like Make-A-Wish Foundation, The Salvation Army, American Red Cross, CASA, Habitat for Humanity, Sutter Health Foundation and more. In-person, virtual, or hybrid fundraising events, the FSA Auctions team can help you raise the funds your organization needs to thrive. More at FSAauctions.com Freddie Silveria is 1 of 40 auctioneers in CA to have earned his Benefit Auctions Specialist designation from the National Auctioneers Association in Las Vegas. Freddie is a graduate with a focus is benefit auctions from the World-Wide College of Auctioneering in Iowa. He is responsible for educating other fundraising auctioneers across the country as an education task force member for the annual Benefit Auctions Summit. He is also an Association of Fundraising Professionals Sacramento board member and Impact Foundry faculty instructor for
nonprofits. When Freddie isn’t fundraising, he is a professional youth speaker. He facilitates a school culture program called Breaking Down the Walls in middle and high schools across US and Canada. The workshop brings students together to share real stories and understand it’s hard to hate someone whose story you know. Freddie has spoken about character, respect and leadership with over 100,000 youth at Harvard, Georgetown, University San Diego and more.
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Webinar - Democratizing Your Event with Swaim Strategies
2022-05-11 11:00 - 12:00
﻿﻿﻿﻿SPECIAL GUESTS: Anthony Harden and Sama Shagaga, Swaim Strategies
It’s time for you to move your event to meet a growing demand of inclusivity. Inclusive philanthropy gives the nonprofit sector an opportunity to move away from fundraising rooted in white supremacy and toward fundraising that unites. In this session, we’ll share numerous practices you can adopt right now to democratize your event and provide new ways to activate your donor base around your mission.
Learning objectives:

Clarify your call to action and walk away with ideas to
create a clear and equitable purpose for your event
Explore different ways to amplify a diversification of
voices
Learn which tools to incorporate into your in-person,
virtual or hybrid event to provide easy engagement
Discover best practices for accessibility, including
ASL, captioning, language and technology support
Share examples of nonprofits excelling in
democratizing components

Live Webinar – Wednesday, May 11th, 2022
2:00 pm-3:00 pm Eastern / 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Pacific
Can’t attend live? Register anyway and receive the recording after the webinar!
Your Presenters:
Anthony Harden, Swaim Strategies
Anthony Harden (he/him) is a Project Manager at Swaim Strategies. With a background in theatre production, performance and event planning, Anthony entered the fundraising sector managing large and small donor events for the arts. He has a passion for the stories we tell and believes that empathy has the power to nurture a community and shape the world we live in.
Anthony partners with organizations to connect the dots between their mission and their personal journey. He believes that the real magic happens when people work together toward the world we want to see.

Sama Shagaga, Swaim Strategies
Sama Shagaga (he/him) is Senior Project Manager and Director of Fundraising Strategy at Swaim Strategies. His passion is creating a culture of service that builds a more equitable community. That personal mission has led to over 15 years of fundraising and programmatic nonprofit work.
With experience stewarding major donor and corporate relationships, implementing capital campaigns and board leadership of a statewide organization, Sama has holistic expertise of the nonprofit world.
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Webinar: How to use luxury vacations to maximize fundraising and improve guest experience
2023-02-08 11:00 | Webinar, Online
Vacation mode activated!
Join us for a webinar featuring a Greater Giving client who maximized their fundraising by introducing new luxury vacations to their silent & live auctions, along with a golden ticket raffle.
New luxury travel partner, Inspirato for Good will also join us and give more insight on how their packages can bring a WOW factor to your next event.

Webinar: Tee Up For Your Next Event
2023-03-29 11:00 - 12:00
Golf Season is almost in FULL SWING! Please join us to learn best practices, tips, and tricks to successfully TEEING UP and running a Golf Event through Greater Giving.
Pick-up FORE key learnings including –

Understanding the three types of Golf Events and how to enhance revenue at each
What value a Golf Event can bring to your yearly event schedule
See the top trends with Golf Events and real-life examples from Greater Giving clients
Preview new Golf Event Resources from Greater Giving

Can’t join us on March 29th? You can still register for the webinar and receive the recording via email after the live session.

Webinar: How to Raise Paddles and Raise More Money
2023-05-10 11:00 - 12:00 | Webinar, Online
The paddle raise/fund-a-need, or special appeal is your biggest opportunity to raise money at your event. So what is the science behind the success? What are the vital elements to include? How do you build a strategy to maximize the potential while making it feel celebratory?
Samantha Swaim, Fundraising Event Consultant at Swaim Strategies will help you make sure you are sending your donors home excited about the success they were able to be a part of, and happy that they could contribute to your cause. She will cover both paddle raise strategy 101 and 201, from the basic elements to the advanced strategies, you will pick-up tips to make it a success at your next event

WEBINAR: From Challenges to Opportunities: Mastering Budgeting for Successful Fundraisers
2023-06-14 11:00 - 12:00 | Webinar, Online
The return to live events post Covid has created a unique set of challenges to any Development Coordinator. From reimagining events with fresh ideas, to rising costs, to change in vendors. This webinar will focus on discussing venue requirements, A/V, labor, and costing for a successful fundraiser so you are better prepared to create appropriate budgets and experiences to hit your fundraising goals in the years to come. Join Pavel Verbovski of PNTA as he lays out your core needs and what to expect in pricing.
At the end of the webinar PNTA will offer anyone who asked a question a 30% equipment discount for any event booked in 2023 (valid until 2025). Up to a $4,000 production value. Good on any rental package or gear item of PNTA, so get those questions ready!
