Hey Nonprofits!

The 'Hey Nonprofits!' podcast is here to help fundraisers and event professionals Raise More Money.Each week, we bring on an industry expert to highlight important tips and strategies, and you can use them effectively to grow your organization. Whether you simply need help communicating with donors or need advanced tactics with setting up live auctions and fundraising events—host Trevor Nelson is here to guide you toward success. Be sure to tune in for a new episode every Tuesday! Brought to you by HGA Fundraising.

Hey Nonprofits! is a business podcast hosted by HGA Fundraising, with 251 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

HGA Fundraising hosts Hey Nonprofits!, a business show with 251 episodes published.

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  Hey Nonprofits!

  Live Auction Doesn't Steal From Your Fund a Need

  Sep 29, 202641 min

  Your live auction is not stealing from your fund a need. Benefit auctioneer, coach, and game show host Seth Weiner (Your Rocktioneer, out of Atlanta) sits down with Trevor to take apart the myths and habits costing nonprofits money before, during, and after the event. Seth's whole approach starts on the front end. He shares the worksheet system he uses to work backwards from a fundraising goal, break it down by revenue stream, and pressure-test whether the number is realistic months out. He explains why walking into an event with a bird in the hand matters, why loading six consignment items into your live auction is usually a mistake, and how a golden ticket can put a bucket-list trip in front of 150 guests at $100 each instead of selling it once. The conversation moves into the part most events neglect: sponsorship and stewardship. Seth makes the case for treating sponsors as partners with a real ROI rather than logos on a banner, how to ask for more in a tighter giving climate without projecting your own budget onto donors, and why you should thank a donor seven times before you ask for anything. He also shares a free post-event toolkit with scripts and follow-up stats. Then the data. Seth breaks down his underbidder spotter concept, which he calls seven-seven: seven paddles up at $7,000 is seven donors you just identified. He shows how to use bidding behavior, silent auction test items, and board paddle data to build both next year's event and next year's major donors. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:44 Catching up: music, travel, and New Orleans 03:35 Meet Seth Weiner, the coaching auctioneer 07:56 Why cheap trips and cheap auctioneers don't raise money 10:05 Being deliberate with your live auction 11:14 Working backwards from your fundraising goal 16:15 Asking for more in a tougher giving climate 18:16 Giving sponsors a real ROI 20:13 Turning sponsors into partners 24:25 Thank donors seven times before you ask 25:15 The free post-event stewardship toolkit 26:41 The underbidder spotter and the seven-seven 29:15 Drop a trip in the silent auction to test demand 30:52 Using board data to coach the paddle raise 31:43 The live auction doesn't steal from your fund a need 33:39 Why Seth runs the fund a need first 36:22 Rapid fire: stewardship, overthinking, and negotiating 40:25 Where to find Seth *CONNECT WITH US* Book Seth for Your Next Event: https://www.yourrocktioneer.com/home1 Connect with Seth on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shimoner/ Connect with Trevor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-nelson-b8922a167/ Follow Hey Nonprofits! on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/hey-non-profits-raise-more-money/ *ABOUT HGA FUNDRAISING* This episode was brought to you by HGA Fundraising. The team at HGA helps event fundraisers create auction success with the most profitable (and mission focused) auction items in the space. Trips and experiences that excite donors, ignite bidding, and help your organization RAISE MORE MONEY. To learn more about HGA Fundraising click here: https://hgafundraising.com/trips-and-experiences/ Easiest way to raise more money in your next event: https://hgafundraising.com/golden-ticket/ Feeling stuck with your fundraising? No matter where you are at in your journey, HGA offers FREE coaching for fundraisers: https://hgafundraising.com/nonprofit-coaching/ Need an auctioneer for your next event: https://charityauctioneerswelove.com

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  Hey Nonprofits!

  Mo Knows Event Software

  Sep 25, 202620 min

  Most nonprofits treat auction software as a checkout tool. Mo treats it as a donor intelligence system. She covers why mobile bidding isn't too hard for older donors, the auto-close setting almost nobody turns on, the text message that can sell out a raffle in two minutes, and the platform fees quietly costing you donors. Then the real goldmine: the losing bidders and fund-a-need gifts sitting in your data after the event, and how to turn them into next year's major donors. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:15 Is mobile bidding too hard for older donors? 02:59 The concierge desk (and the sponsorship hiding in it) 04:39 The truth about paper backup 05:33 Paper recorders: your fund-a-need audit trail 06:42 The auction setting almost nobody turns on 07:26 Using text messages to create urgency 09:09 You don't need the priciest software 11:01 Platform fees are costing you donors 11:53 The item detail every org overlooks 13:18 The most common Saturday-night panic call 14:30 Reselling popular trips after bidding ends 16:08 The hidden donors in your losing bids 17:37 Why Mo does this and how to get her help 19:49 HGA uploads your auction items at no cost *CONNECT WITH US* Connect with Morgan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-hughes-433160a9/ Connect with Trevor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-nelson-b8922a167/ Have questions for Morgan? Email her: morgan@hgafundraising.com Follow Hey Nonprofits! on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/hey-non-profits-raise-more-money/ *ABOUT HGA FUNDRAISING* This episode was brought to you by HGA Fundraising. The team at HGA helps event fundraisers create auction success with the most profitable (and mission focused) auction items in the space. Trips and experiences that excite donors, ignite bidding, and help your organization RAISE MORE MONEY. To learn more about HGA Fundraising click here: https://hgafundraising.com/trips-and-experiences/ Easiest way to raise more money in your next event: https://hgafundraising.com/golden-ticket/ Feeling stuck with your fundraising? No matter where you are at in your journey, HGA offers FREE coaching for fundraisers: https://hgafundraising.com/nonprofit-coaching/ Need an auctioneer for your next event: https://charityauctioneerswelove.com

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  Hey Nonprofits!

  Your Bid Paddle Lost You Money

  Sep 22, 202614 min

  The bid paddle has exactly one job: let the auctioneer identify the bidder number quickly and correctly. Get that right and it worked. Get it wrong, with cursive lettering, a busy background, or so many sponsor logos it looks like a NASCAR, and every other feature on it is wasted. In this episode, Xavier of Imprint Items sits down with Trevor to unpack the design decisions behind a paddle that actually functions. You'll learn why big, bold, high-contrast numbers beat every other design choice, why the handle is the smart place for a QR code or sponsor logo instead of the face of the paddle, why every element on the paddle should earn its spot with a clear purpose, and how color-coded paddles can quietly recognize VIPs, monthly givers, and legacy donors without saying a word. Xavier also makes the case that a well-designed custom paddle does double duty: guests keep them as souvenirs tied to the memory of the event, and a sponsor who pays to put their logo on the handle turns the paddle from an expense line into a source of revenue.If you plan galas, benefit auctions, or paddle raises, this is a practical look at a small detail that has an outsized effect on how smoothly your live auction runs. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:24 Meet Xavier and Imprint Items 01:41 Why the bid paddle is a science 02:39 The one job: readable numbers, high contrast 03:53 Don't get too fancy: cursive, QR codes, and NASCAR paddles 05:16 What belongs on the back vs. the handle 06:39 QR codes: only with a purpose 07:28 Beyond paddles: banners, table covers, event swag 09:56 Color-coded paddles to recognize VIPs and legacy donors 12:30 Turning a paddle expense into sponsor revenue 13:06 Where to find Xavier *CONNECT WITH US* Check out Imprint Items website: https://www.imprintitems.com Connect with Xavier on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xavier-roy-3ab83b289/ Connect with Trevor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-nelson-b8922a167/Follow Hey Nonprofits! on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/hey-non-profits-raise-more-money/ *ABOUT HGA FUNDRAISING* This episode was brought to you by HGA Fundraising. The team at HGA helps event fundraisers create auction success with the most profitable (and mission focused) auction items in the space. Trips and experiences that excite donors, ignite bidding, and help your organization RAISE MORE MONEY. To learn more about HGA Fundraising click here: https://hgafundraising.com/trips-and-experiences/ Easiest way to raise more money in your next event: https://hgafundraising.com/golden-ticket/ Feeling stuck with your fundraising? No matter where you are at in your journey, HGA offers FREE coaching for fundraisers: https://hgafundraising.com/nonprofit-coaching/ Need an auctioneer for your next event: https://charityauctioneerswelove.com

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  Hey Nonprofits!

  Your Auctioneer Just Added 200%

  Sep 15, 202615 min

  The question that costs nonprofits the most money at their gala is "are the bid spotters really necessary?" The answer is yes, and the reason is arithmetic. Four trained ringmen in a 500-person room act like a 200% increase in fundraisers on the floor, and a single spotter interaction can lift one bid from $4,000 to $5,000 in seconds. Multiply that across every live auction item and the auction team pays for itself many times over.In this episode, Marty Murad of Murad Auctions sits down with Trevor to reframe the live auction as a revenue-producing asset instead of a cost. You will learn why live auction income is unrestricted net revenue you can spend anywhere in your organization, including development staff salaries, how to back into a $50,000 live auction goal with honest per-item math, why selling the right packages multiple times is the gold standard for maximizing revenue, and why the live auction aids your fund-a-need rather than robbing it. Marty also makes the finance case for treating consignment as cost of goods sold, not an expense.If you run galas, benefit auctions, or paddle raises for a nonprofit, this is a tactical look at the numbers behind a successful live auction.Topics: nonprofit fundraising, live auctions, benefit auctioneers, bid spotters and ringmen, consignment packages, fund-a-need, paddle raise strategy, donor cultivation.Chapters:00:00 Intro00:18 The LinkedIn post that started this01:05 Why live auctions create unrestricted funds02:34 Finding the right packages: ask your top donors where they travel03:51 Backing into your goal with live auction math04:51 The gold standard: selling packages multiple times06:18 Does the live auction rob your fund-a-need?08:34 The worst question to ask an auctioneer09:21 How bid spotters add 200% more fundraisers to the room11:47 Consignment: expense or cost of goods sold?12:54 Where to find Marty *CONNECT WITH US* Book Murad Auctions for your event: https://muradauctions.comConnect with Marty on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helpingnon-profitsraisemoremoneyatevents/Connect with Trevor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-nelson-b8922a167/Follow Hey Nonprofits! on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/hey-non-profits-raise-more-money/ *ABOUT HGA FUNDRAISING* This episode was brought to you by HGA Fundraising. The team at HGA helps event fundraisers create auction success with the most profitable (and mission focused) auction items in the space. Trips and experiences that excite donors, ignite bidding, and help your organization RAISE MORE MONEY.To learn more about HGA Fundraising click here: https://hgafundraising.com/trips-and-experiences/Easiest way to raise more money in your next event: https://hgafundraising.com/golden-ticket/Feeling stuck with your fundraising? No matter where you are at in your journey, HGA offers FREE coaching for fundraisers: https://hgafundraising.com/nonprofit-coaching/Need an auctioneer for your next event: https://charityauctioneerswelove.com

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  Hey Nonprofits!

  This Question Turns a $20K Gala Into $1M Gala

  Sep 8, 202630 min

  Fundraising events don't plateau because the market got harder. They plateau because the organization goes quiet for twelve months and then asks for a table. In this episode of Hey Nonprofits!, Trevor sits down with Kat Lightner of Heron & Co. Design and Events (formerly Alora Events) to unpack what actually separates the galas raising seven figures from the ones stuck at the same number year after year.Kat makes the case for treating donor engagement as a 365-day development strategy that begins eight months before the event: identifying who you want in the room, why they connect to the mission, and what they'll see, hear, and feel on the night. She breaks down pre-commitment conversations (the Erin Kenzel approach to securing gifts before guests arrive), mission generators that give every attendee a way to participate regardless of giving level, and the impact video moment during the live program that most organizations waste.You'll also hear the data behind why events still work, Nathan Chappell's finding that attending three consecutive events is the greatest determinant of lifelong major giving, how corporate sponsorship expectations have evolved from pre-COVID logo visibility to today's relationship-driven partnerships, why social media has quietly faded as a fundraising priority, and the simple post-event feedback question that turns one-time sponsors into repeat supporters.Whether you're an executive director, development director, board member, or event planner, this conversation is a specific, tactical look at building donor relationships that compound year over year.Chapters:00:00 Intro00:28 "Do less to do more": Kat's 2026 fundraising philosophy02:28 The ED's only job at a gala (stop worrying about the DJ)03:40 Who's on your bus? Building the right fundraising team05:28 Why $1M events beat $20K events: year-round engagement07:12 Breaking the 300-guest, $250K plateau09:44 Pre-commitment conversations that lock in gifts early11:45 Mission generators: a giving level for everyone in the room13:38 The data: 3 consecutive events makes a major donor17:19 The impact video moment you're wasting19:00 Custom sponsorships built backward from the goal21:02 How sponsorships changed after COVID22:19 Why social media is fading in fundraising25:01 Don't make fundraising harder by procrastinating27:33 The post-event question most planners skip30:03 Differentiation over competition: be the pink elephant31:23 Where to find Kat & Heron & Co. *CONNECT WITH US* Heron & Co. Design: https://heronandcoevent.comConnect with Kat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katleitner/Connect with Trevor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-nelson-b8922a167/Follow Hey Nonprofits! on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/hey-non-profits-raise-more-money/ *ABOUT HGA FUNDRAISING* This episode was brought to you by HGA Fundraising. The team at HGA helps event fundraisers create auction success with the most profitable (and mission focused) auction items in the space. Trips and experiences that excite donors, ignite bidding, and help your organization RAISE MORE MONEY.To learn more about HGA Fundraising click here: https://hgafundraising.com/trips-and-experiences/Easiest way to raise more money in your next event: https://hgafundraising.com/golden-ticket/Feeling stuck with your fundraising? No matter where you are at in your journey, HGA offers FREE coaching for fundraisers: https://hgafundraising.com/nonprofit-coaching/Need an auctioneer for your next event: https://charityauctioneerswelove.com

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