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. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

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

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

• 

  Hey Nonprofits!

  The 85-Asset Rule: How Top Nonprofits Actually Market Their Galas | Laurie Hochman

  Aug 18, 202631 min

  Most nonprofits think they're over-marketing their gala. They're not even close.Laurie from Auctria joins Trevor to break down what she calls the 85-Asset Rule — the number of marketing pieces one of her top-performing event planners uses to promote a single fundraising night. And the trick isn't creating 85 things from scratch. It's building one core mission, one core message, one core graphic, and multiplying it across every channel your donors touch.In this episode: why the nonprofits raising the most money treat their mission like a brand, how to build a network of "ambassadors" who cut through the noise your emails can't, why three social posts a day is not too much, and the case for stopping your Saturday-night gala habit and moving it to a Monday.Plus: Laurie's take on why donors are getting sharper at spotting BS, what the software team at Auctria is rolling out this fall, and why your fundraising software should never send you to a chatbot. *CONNECT WITH US* Interested in Auctria for Your Event: https://www.auctria.comConnect with Laurie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-hochman-92095626/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

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Hey Nonprofits!

  The Silent Auction Playbook | Claire Murad

  Aug 11, 202648 min

  Every year it's the same fire drill - cold-calling local businesses, guessing at starting bids, and crossing your fingers that this year's silent auction table looks better than last year's. It doesn't have to be this way.In this 30 minute Summer Session, we'll be discussing: Why the "ask local businesses" playbook burns out your best volunteers - and what actually fills your auction table without the scramble.The bundling trick that turns a pile of disconnected donations into a package people fight over.The starting-bid formula that gets your items sold at what they're actually worth. *CONNECT WITH US* Book Murad Auctions for Your Event: https://muradauctions.comSchedule a Meeting with Claire: https://calendly.com/clairemuradConnect with Claire on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-murad-strategic-growth-for-nonprofit-fundraising-events/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 at Your Next Event: https://hgafundraising.com/golden-ticket/

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Hey Nonprofits!

  The Auctioneer Mistake That's Killing Your Fundraiser | Jordan Agolli

  Aug 4, 202638 min

  Four nonprofits in a row told Jordan Agolli the same thing about their previous auctioneer: they felt like the person with the microphone cared more about themselves than the mission.Jordan, a benefit auctioneer and MC based out of Atlanta, joins Trevor to break down what he's hearing from organizations interviewing him, why the line between confidence and cockiness on stage is thinner than most people think, and the rule he lives by: an auctioneer should only say their own name twice all night. Once at the intro, once at the close.In this episode: what to actually ask an auctioneer or MC before you hire them, why the person benefiting from the mission is a more powerful speaker than anyone with a microphone, how strong board involvement changes the ceiling of your fundraising night, and Jordan's blunt reminder to every auctioneer in the space, this event would happen with or without you.Plus: Jordan's own story of losing five years to a back injury, rebuilding from scratch, and coming back to the stage with less ego and more listening.Chapters:00:00 Intro00:49 Building Connections in the Nonprofit Space05:04 Jordan's Journey into Auctioneering13:55 Overcoming Challenges and Health Struggles17:55 Understanding Nonprofit Culture and Values21:47 Importance of Alignment in Event Planning23:19 The Power of Listening in Fundraising27:41 Understanding the Mission: The Key to Success30:41 Marketing Strategies for Nonprofits36:02 Connecting with the Community *CONNECT WITH US* Book Jordan for Your Event: https://www.jordanagolli.comConnect with Jordan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-agolli/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

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Hey Nonprofits!

  Why Your Check-In Line Is Costing You Donors | Chris O'Shea & Livia Christensen

  Jul 28, 202637 min

  Most fundraisers think of check-in as a hospitality problem. Livia Christensen and Chris O'Shea of C2 Auctions think it's a fundraising problem and they have the data to prove it.Livia and Chris manage guest lists and staff registration for some of the biggest galas in the country. Every event, they see the same pattern: the organizations that treat check-in as an afterthought lose donors before their auctioneer ever takes the stage. In this episode, they walk through the three things that make or break a gala check-in and why most orgs get all three wrong.In this episode: why putting your advancement team at the registration table is the worst use of their most valuable hour, the ratio of registration staff to guests you should actually be planning for (and why alphabetical check-in lines are always a mistake), what a clean guest list signals to your donors about how you'll steward their money, why "guest of" fields on your list are a red flag for the whole night, the credit-card-on-file threshold you should hit before your event starts (Chris's team benchmarks at 40%), and why free auction software almost always costs more than paid…one line that will save some organizations thousands.Plus: the peak-end principle from behavioral psychology and how it should shape the last touchpoint your guest has before they leave the room.00:00 Intro00:49 Overview of Check-In and Check-Out08:30 Importance of a Clean Guest List21:00 Final Thoughts and Best Practices26:55 Streamlining Check-In/Check-Out Processes30:05 Role of Hospitality in Event Success *CONNECT WITH US* Hire Chris & Livia for Your Event: https://c2auctions.netConnect with Livia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/livia-christensen-8779983/Connect with Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-o-shea-38604181/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

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Hey Nonprofits!

  Hollywood Playbook for Fundraising Galas | Rick Toone

  Jul 21, 202635 min

  Most fundraising events are planned like logistics problems. Rick Toone plans them like Hollywood shoots them. Rick spent 20 years in Los Angeles as an art director and lighting designer for A-list clients — Ridley Scott, David Fincher, over 50 Super Bowl commercials, an Emmy nomination, Whitney Houston's first lighting designer. Then he moved to Mexico, joined a nonprofit, and grew its gala from $70K to $300K in three years. Now he runs a company called Run of Show Playbook, and this episode is a walk through the Hollywood-trained framework he applies to nonprofit galas. In this episode: why every gala needs a script before the venue, menu, or flowers get booked, why you should never say "thank you" at your event (and when to say it instead), the three types of donors in every room — habit, heart, and head — and how to write for all three, why the audience is the hero of the story and not the mission, how the best interruptions come from the water-cooler conversations your staff has that never make it into the messaging, and the difference between telling a story and building a messaging arc. Plus: what a 56-take Kevin Costner beer commercial can teach you about scripting your next paddle raise. Chapters:00:00 Intro01:01 Living the Dream in Mexico 05:18 The Power of Listening 06:51 From Hollywood to Fundraising 11:09 The Importance of Messaging 15:48 Interrupting the Loop in Fundraising 21:05 The Importance of Audience Engagement 22:44 Balancing Heroes: Audience vs Mission 26:19 The Role of Impact in Fundraising 28:27 Stories from Hollywood: Lessons Learned 31:54 The Value of Honest Feedback and Audience Understanding *CONNECT WITH US* Work with Rick on Your Next Event: https://www.runofshowplaybook.com Connect with Rick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricktoone/ 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

  ListenShow Notes

Recent guests on Hey Nonprofits!. Study who booked and why before you pitch.

Based on semantic analysis of episode topics and host coverage, this show is a strong guest fit for executives in:

Industry fit is computed by PitchCentric using vector embeddings of the show's episode catalog.