Purpose & Profit Club® – The Nonprofit Fundraising & Marketing Podcast · Christina Tzavaras Edwards

180: The Anti-Gala: How Board-Led Micro Events Bring In New Major Donors

·29 min·1 clip

Nathan says he will skip a $300 gift now to pursue a $10,000 gift six months later.

Nathan Ruby comes back for part two of the conversation. He and the host focus on what they call CPM events, or micro events. The format is intentionally small. It happens in a home. It feels more like hospitality than a campaign. The setup is meant to lower the pressure on both the board and the guests. The host treats the approach as a practical way to bring in support. Nathan says these events are not meant to be big, formal, or exhausting. The conversation keeps returning to the idea that the lift is light. Snacks, charcuterie, and a relaxed setting are enough to make the night feel welcoming. The host stresses that the board has to be coached. That coaching helps board members think about who should attend and why. It is not about filling chairs. It is about inviting people who already have some relationship to the board member and some openness to the mission. The host praises the board’s level of engagement. Nathan’s board is described as exceptional and well prepared. That preparation makes it possible for even board members who are allergic to fundraising to invite people into their homes. The episode shows how a board member’s personal trust can become a path to mission trust. The guest story and the mission story stay linked. The host and Nathan both return to the central fundraising lesson: relationship matters. The discussion ends by tying the micro event idea back to a broader principle of fundraising. Smaller gatherings can create a more natural path to a bigger gift.

As heard by us

A practical, relationship first fundraising model built around small, low lift events and clear board messaging.

This episode keeps its focus on micro events, treating them as a practical way for a nonprofit to move past a larger gathering and build something smaller, warmer, and easier to run.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Need a low-lift way to turn board members into donor connectors?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Purpose & Profit Club® – The Nonprofit Fundraising & Marketing Podcast