The Fundraising Event Co.

12/17/2024

Great news, friends! Our team of three is gearing up to join an awesome lineup of speakers at the upcoming Elevate Conference, hosted by ! 🚀

Rub elbows with industry experts, soak up some serious knowledge, and maybe even walk away with a few new buddies who understand the fundraiser life. We’re stoked to be part of the action and can’t wait to share some wisdom (and maybe a few bad jokes) along the way.

Early bird tickets are still up for grabs, but only until TOMORROW, December 18th.

🎟️ Snag your early bird tickets here: swaimstrategies.com/elevate-conference

Come for the ideas, stay for the connections, and leave feeling inspired. We’d love to see you there!

12/05/2024

Ah, December: a time for holidays, celebrations, and... event planning? While this month is often packed with priorities (we see you, year-end giving campaigns), it’s a great month to start thinking ahead. 📆

TFE Co Tip: Start planning your event 10–12 months in advance! Even devoting a couple hours each month will help you align with sponsors' budget cycles, maximize contributions, and fine-tune details for the most joyful guest experience. 😆

📸: Tom Cook Photo

12/05/2024

According to AP, donors gave $3.6 billion on Giving Tuesday in the U.S. — up 16% from 2023 (or about 11.9% if you account for inflation)!

Congrats to all the nonprofit fundraisers and development folks who work their buns off to connect donors to missions they believe in. We hope you got a piece of this pie - you deserve it. 💜

📸: Sims Shot Photography

11/26/2024

🌍 Land Acknowledgment - To Do or Not To Do? 🌍

We are fortunate to work with clients who advocate for equity and justice in all areas of their work, so we get asked a lot if their event should include a land acknowledgment. There is A LOT that goes into a land acknowledgment, but here are 3 tips to use as a starting point.

01. ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS
You gotta walk the talk. If your organization partners with Native or Indigenous communities, then by all means, YES! An acknowledgment is one of many ways you can create awareness about the local tribes in your area. If your mission or services don’t intentionally partner with Indigenous communities, focus on building those relationships first, and then revisit how to add this to your program. Otherwise, it won’t be honorable or authentic. (Oh, and please don’t ask your Indigenous partners to write a land acknowledgment for you!).

02. DO YOUR RESEARCH
Respectful land acknowledgments use the correct tribe names AND pronunciation. Remember that part of the goal is to create awareness—so you want to get the names right. One of our favorite tools for researching tribes is native-land.ca, but you can also find local resources to help you out. We recommend acknowledging tribes from where your event is happening—however, sometimes organizations serving a bigger region, such as multiple counties, will include the original tribes of all those counties.

03. OFFER A CALL-TO-ACTION
Step one: create awareness. Step two: take action! Invite your guests to support Indigenous-serving organizations, including the ones you are already partnered with. Encourage them to donate, volunteer, and foster community connections and support.

✨ Got more ideas or tips for how to best acknowledge and honor Indigenous communities? Let us know in the comments! ✨

11/14/2024

💻 Sometimes we even do conferences!

💫Big ups to our CEO for producing another fantastic virtual conference with

And huge thanks to the dozens of folks not pictured who helped a TON with speakers with session producing. We love supporting a national mission to end hunger and always leave feeling so inspired 💡

11/11/2024

Be kind to yourself and to those around you. Remember it's okay to fall apart. It's okay to give yourself space. It's okay to feel how you're feeling right now.

And whenever you are ready, we'll be here—here to help you keep fighting for the world we believe in.

11/05/2024

Your vote is your voice. Show up and make your voice heard.

10/17/2024

Flying into the end of event season like… weeeee!

Bet you didn’t know we’re also mediocre graphic designers 😂 Luckily we plan fundraising events better than we make things in Canva!

Find out what our expertise looks like by clicking the link the bio

10/11/2024

If you haven’t gotten on The Fundraising Elevator yet, now’s your chance! We highly recommend this podcast to keep up with all the latest fundraising event tips and trends.

This week Kristin and Sam explore key trends shaping the current fundraising and event landscapes. As nonprofits face a rapidly changing environment, underst...

06/20/2024

Allow us to reintroduce ourselves: The Fundraising Event Company!

As the event production subsidiary of , our trio brings you over 20 years of combined experience. And we are here to help you host your ✨BEST✨ event yet!

Let’s make a plan—visit the link in our bio to meet our team and drop us a line.

06/01/2024

05/29/2024

🎉 Meet Jenna Watanabe, our new Creative Director! 🎉

Jenna has been an invaluable part of the Swaim Strategies team for over 3 years, and we are thrilled to have her lead our creative efforts at The Fundraising Event Co.

“I live for purpose-driven work that serves others,” says Jenna. With years of experience in the nonprofit sector, she brings expertise in fundraising, marketing, and project management to help organizations tell their stories at events.

Jenna’s passion for writing and storytelling was discovered through her commitment to stepping into new challenges and roles. Her dedication to growth and making the world a better place aligns perfectly with our mission.

Join us in welcoming Jenna to her new role! 🌟

05/29/2024

🎉 Welcome Ryan Goodwin, our new Vice President of Project Management and Client Relations! 🎉

With 8 years at Swaim Strategies and 15 years of experience in coaching, recruiting, and consulting, Ryan brings a wealth of knowledge to The Fundraising Event Co.

"I plan. I organize. I listen, process, and plan again," says Ryan. His expertise in logistics and workflow ensures our clients can maximize their opportunities to use events to tell their stories and fund their missions.

Ryan's background in servant leadership has been instrumental in supporting events that make our communities more equitable. He believes in the power of combining strategy and storytelling to create movements that strengthen where we live.

Join us in welcoming Ryan to his new role! 🌟

05/24/2024

🚀 Introducing The Fundraising Event Co.! 🚀

We're thrilled to announce the launch of The Fundraising Event Co., a new subsidiary of Swaim Strategies, dedicated to enhancing and expanding our event production services. Led by Mary Elizabeth, a 10-year veteran of Swaim Strategies, our seasoned production team is here to meet the needs of nonprofit organizations of all sizes.

As the newly appointed CEO, Mary is on a mission to diversify our production offerings and adapt to the ever-evolving event landscape. Our focus remains on producing seamless fundraising events that provide an outstanding guest experience, reduce the logistical burden on nonprofit planning teams, and highlight compelling storytelling through script and video production. We're committed to helping nonprofits achieve their goals and maximize fundraising results.

Over the next six months, The Fundraising Event Co. will be rolling out new service offerings designed to meet the diverse needs of any event. Stay tuned for exciting updates and join us on this journey to elevate your fundraising events to the next level!