How to Show Appreciation to Major Donors at Your Gala Event

When it comes to raising funds for your nonprofit’s cause, few supporters are more impactful than your major donors. These individuals contribute the largest gifts, which help to further your mission and programs.

The major gift fundraising cycle doesn’t stop when your nonprofit receives a gift. There’s a final, arguably most important stage: stewardship. In this stage, your nonprofit will stay in touch with the major donor to strengthen the relationship, usually by updating them on your organization’s progress, encouraging future engagement, and even requesting additional gifts.

Showing appreciation is also a key part of donor stewardship—and gala events are a great opportunity to recognize major donors for their support in front of other important community members. Let’s take a look at a few ways you can show appreciation to these generous supporters during your next gala or event.

While it’s recommended that you personalize all event invitations to your supporters to some degree, major donors deserve special care and consideration. The best way to do that is by going out of our way to add special touches to demonstrate how important the recipient is to your nonprofit. Here are a few ways you can do that:

• Use high-quality cardstock or paper for physical invitations
• Hand-write the invite instead of printing it
• Refer to the recipient as an “honored guest”
• Invite the major donor to bring a plus-one
• Thank the recipient for their generous support

Follow up with major donors a week or so after the invitation goes out. Have your major gifts officers check in with them and ask if they would like to RSVP. Better yet, have a director or a board member reach out. Get the donor on the phone and express how excited you are about the event and how much it would mean to you and the organization if they attended.

Offer key event perks that allow you to curate a more tailored, high-end experience for major donors. Go above and beyond to create an enjoyable event for your most impactful supporters.

Event perks you might offer to major donors at your gala include:

• Custom welcome. Have board members and/or your nonprofit’s director warmly welcome all major donors as they arrive and thank them for attending.
• VIP seating. Ensuring that all guests are comfortable and have a good view is important, but be sure to reserve some premium seats for major donors and special guests. You can also direct event staff to serve plated meals to major donors first.
• Networking opportunities. Seat major donors near other major donors they may want to connect with or organize a pre-gala mixer complete with drinks and light bites to facilitate networking.
• Early access. If you’re hosting an auction in your gala, you might use your auction software to allow major donors to view the items early and even pre-bid. You can also consider offering various contributors, such as long-term donors or volunteers, this option.

OneCause recommends your event planning committee nail down these details, as they have the information necessary to decide if these ideas are feasible for your gala. However, make sure that major gifts officers are involved in the process. Since their jobs are to cultivate stronger relationships with major donors, they’ll know more about what perks and recognition these supporters would enjoy.

For the most straightforward way to show appreciation to major donors, build specific recognition moments into your event. Here are a few examples:

• Event materials. In the event’s printed programs, include a special thank-you section and mention attending major donors by name. For a bigger show of appreciation, include a picture headshot of each donor and a short blurb describing them and what their gifts have helped your nonprofit achieve.
• Special toast. Have your nonprofit’s director make a special toast, thanking major donors by name for their contributions and emphasizing that your nonprofit’s programs and activities would not be possible without their generosity.
• Video tribute. Although a video tribute requires more effort than the other ideas featured in this section, that effort will be appreciated by major donors. Highlight the impact of major donors’ contributions to projects and initiatives, incorporate testimonials from community members who have benefited from their support, and include heartfelt thank-you messages from key stakeholders, such as your nonprofit’s beneficiaries or staff members.

Many galas also feature auctions as a key event or activity. Some of your major donors may have contributed items to your auction. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to recognize their gift by including a quick line acknowledging the donor on the item’s card—for example, “This gift was generously donated by Mrs. Evelyn Tan.”

Check in with major donors ahead of time if you plan on publicly honoring them—some of them may be private individuals who would prefer to stay out of the limelight. Let them know about your plans and gauge their comfort level.

If your budget allows for it, offer donor appreciation gifts that show how much the support of your donors means to your organization. While you may already be in the practice of sending donors branded merchandise, stickers, or other smaller items, gifts for major donors should be more significant.

Examples of gifts you might offer major donors include:

• Personalized plaques
• Gift baskets
• Exclusive experiences
• Custom artwork
• Flower arrangements

Take this idea up another level by connecting with your major gift officers and asking them to help you personalize each gift to the specific donor. For instance, if a particular major donor’s favorite hobby is golf, you might gift them a round at their favorite local course.

Include these gifts at a few opportune moments during your gala, such as when a major donor arrives at the venue or during a specific recognition moment. Sending these gifts after the event has ended is another option that creates another touchpoint with the donor—you can pair the gift with a card or eCard thanking them for attending your event and supporting your nonprofit.

Strategically showing appreciation to major donors during galas can significantly deepen your relationships. In fact, many nonprofits host galas specifically for that reason—they’re fun celebrations but also strategic stewardship touchpoints that offer high long-term returns.

However, you shouldn’t limit major donor appreciation to galas only. Regardless of what fundraising event you’re hosting, look out for opportunities to recognize your most impactful supporters and show them the gratitude they deserve.

Karrie Wozniak

Karrie has spent more than a decade bringing innovative technology and fundraising strategies to the nonprofit industry. As one of the first executives at OneCause, Karrie combines her 20 years of experience in marketing with her passion for helping nonprofits expand their reach, leading industry research, marketing strategy, and fundraising consulting initiatives. She is also an active speaker on donor and fundraising trends, and has been featured on Forbes.com, Philanthropy Journal, and Nonprofit Hub.