5 Trends Shaping Fundraising Events
Following the 2026 Elevate Conference for fundraising events, our friends at Swaim Strategies gathered six expert event planners for Episode 112 of The Fundraising Elevator Podcast. The depth of experience and creative ideas among the group were insightful from the start of the episode to the final question. Five fundraising event trends emerged from the roundtable.
Authenticity Is Defining Modern Events
“People just really want authenticity. I think we’re really over wasting our time with things that just don’t feel real. . . I want real shared experience that can actually lead to building trust with people and creating authentic relationships that actually in turn build real community, real collective action and real systemic change” — Kel Moody, Alluvium Gatherings
Community Matters More Than Event Size
“We’re spending less maybe, we’re making more – it’s more impactful because it’s just more curated, more thoughtful, more intentional just by getting the people that are super committed to the cause in the room together and not needing to do the thing that you saw at the other gala, or have the biggest one in town.” — Beth Sandefur, Beth Sandefur Events + Gala Toolbox
“They’re coming because they want to be in community.” — Hannah Hegman, Do Good Events
Joy Is an Essential Part of the Experience
“We have to find the joy in life. And I think that’s what events are all about. Everybody, birthdays, anniversaries, pool parties, even life celebrations, there has to be some element of joy because that is the hope. And we all need hope. We don’t get through life in this world without hope. So when I’m with clients, I’m trying to figure out what is their personality? How do they express hope?” — Crystal Chanel, Press Release Marketing
Design Should Support the Mission
“Every time we’re building an event, we’re allowing the audience to experience what’s possible outside of the event just for a brief moment. . . We’re thinking way beyond the event. We’re setting up the audience and the guests to feel something that is going to keep their battery going for a little bit. And I think that inspires giving.” — Matthew Kerrigan, The Fundraising Event Co.
Fundraising Events Are About More Than One Night
“People need to start thinking about their annual event as part of their entire development plan.” — Beth Sander, Beth Sander, Beth Sandefur Events + Gala Toolbox
“What is all the data that you’re going to get that night that then you can use to feed other endeavors that you’re doing throughout the year in terms of your annual fund management? Then the cost issue starts to go away a little bit because you’re getting so much more out of it than just that one night experience.” — Paige Jacobs, Powered by Paige
Hear More Fundraising Event Trends from the Experts
From guest experience and storytelling to donor engagement and intentional design, the conversation highlighted how fundraising events trends continue to evolve — and why meaningful in-person connection matters more than ever. To hear the full discussion and additional insights from all six planners, watch the complete roundtable episode of The Fundraising Elevator Podcast, recorded in The AV Department production studios.