**As a charity auctioneer and consultant, I am often asked about the relationship between alcohol consumption and increased donations at nonprofit fundraising galas. Many organizations believe that an open bar will increase donations. Serving alcohol at a fundraising event isn’t right or wrong, good or bad, but the notion that more alcohol leads to higher donations is a myth and one that can have negative effects on a fundraising event.**

Let's talk about something that not many people in the fundraising world want to say out loud: more alcohol does not mean more money.

As someone who has been sober for over eight years and has run hundreds of fundraising events, I've had a front row seat to what alcohol actually does, and doesn't do for your fundraising results. And I can tell you with complete confidence that the open bar is one of the most expensive and least effective fundraising strategies your organization is probably investing in.

What Alcohol Actually Does to Your Guests

Here's the science in plain language. Research published through the National Institutes of Health confirms what many of us have observed firsthand. Even low doses of alcohol trigger dopamine release in the brain's reward center. Dopamine is the chemical that creates feelings of pleasure and reward. And when we feel pleasure we naturally want more of whatever is creating it. (Source: National Institutes of Health, Alcohol and Dopamine — pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6826820)

One or two drinks? Guests feel relaxed, social, and connected. 

But here's where it goes sideways. The more your guests drink the more dopamine is released and the less inhibited they become. This can translate into guests being more likely to make impulsive decisions they'll regret in the morning. That might mean bidding too high on a live auction item. It might mean donating more than they intended during the paddle raise. OR it could mean drinking until they no longer are able to show up in a way that is appropriate for a fundraising event. 

Regretful donors don't come back next year. That's not a win.

And then there's the disruption factor. Most guests who have  too much to drink don't quietly fall asleep in their chairs. They become louder, less focused, and harder to engage. Try delivering a powerful mission moment to people who have had too much to drink, and you'll understand exactly what I mean.

The Open Bar Is Expensive in More Ways Than One

An open bar is one of your biggest line items. And what are you getting for that investment? Guests who are potentially less able to make clear financial decisions, more likely to behave disruptively, and more likely to feel morning-after regret about what they gave.

Consider a cash bar or a limited bar instead (beer, wine, and perhaps one signature drink). Guests who are responsible for paying for their own drinks tend to drink more moderately. Pair that with good food, always serve food alongside alcohol and you create an environment where people are present, engaged, and in control of their decisions.

And please go beyond soda water with a lime for your non-drinking guests. Thoughtful mocktails and non-alcoholic options signal that every guest matters. Because they do.

What Actually Drives Giving

Connection drives giving. Mission drives giving. A guest who feels genuinely seen, welcomed, and moved by your story will out-give a guest who is several cocktails in, every single time.

Build your event around that truth. Design every moment  from the welcome to the closing with the intent to deepen the relationship between your guests and your mission. When guests feel like true partners in your work they don't just give generously that night. They come back next year. They bring friends. They become ambassadors for everything you're trying to do.

That's the fundraising strategy worth investing in. And it doesn't come with a hangover.

Debbie Scheer is a licensed benefit auctioneer, professional emcee, fundraising event consultant, and keynote speaker based in Colorado, serving nonprofits nationwide. With hundreds of fundraising events under her belt she helps organizations create events that are strategic, inclusive, and meaningful — where guests feel great about giving and come back year after year. Reach out to Debbie to start the conversation.