Fundraising Event Consulting
You didn't get into this work to plan events. But here you are.
You're the Executive Director wearing seventeen hats. Or the development person whose actual job is donor relationships and somehow also became the de facto event planner. Or the volunteer committee of two with full time jobs who took this on because it's a cause close to your heart.
You're doing everything right and still walking away from your gala wondering if you left money on the table.
You probably did. But it's not your fault.
Most nonprofits and schools don't have a fundraising event problem. They have a fundraising event strategy problem. And that's exactly what Debbie Scheer helps fix.
Who This Is For
This fundraising event consulting package was built for two types of organizations.
The first: nonprofits, schools, and organizations who are planning to run their own fundraising event without hiring a professional auctioneer. Maybe your budget doesn't allow for it yet. Maybe you have a passionate volunteer who wants to take the lead and needs some guidance and training. Whatever the reason you've decided to do it yourselves, and you want to do it well.
The second: established organizations who've been running the same event for years and suspect they've been leaving money on the table. If your revenue has been flat and you can't figure out why or if you have a volunteer leading your program and you want to make sure they're set up to succeed this is also for you. Sometimes the program just needs a fresh set of expert eyes.
Debbie Scheer will be the first to tell you that in most cases a professional benefit auctioneer will raise more money. But not every organization is at that stage, and not every budget allows for it. So let's make sure you go in with the best possible strategy, the right tools, and a clear plan.
And if at any point you'd like to explore having a professional auctioneer and emcee on stage, that conversation is always welcome; it's the other half of what Debbie does.
What We Work Through Together
This is specific, data-driven, field-tested strategy built around your organization, your audience, and your mission. Here's what we cover:
Event Strategy & Data Analysis We start with your numbers. What happened last year? Where did you leave money on the table? We build your fundraising growth plan from real information not guesswork.
Live Auction Strategy Together we think through whether a live auction is right for your audience, what items make sense, and how to structure it for maximum impact.
Paddle Raise / Fund-A-Need Design The paddle raise is where most organizations either soar or stumble. We design yours intentionally — how to seed gifts, structure the ask, and create momentum that feels natural instead of pressured.
Mission Moments That Actually Move People There's a right way and a wrong way to tell your story on stage. We create mission moments that are powerful, dignified, and designed to inspire giving — not guilt.
Run of Show & Script Development A great fundraising event doesn't just happen. It's built. We create a run of show and script that serves your fundraising goals first. Debbie can also work with your speakers to ensure they feel confident and compelling when they represent your organization from the stage.
Board Coaching Do you have a passionate board member who insists on running your auction every year? Debbie will work with them not around them. Coaching your on-stage volunteer to be more confident, more strategic, and more effective takes the political pressure off everyone and puts the focus back where it belongs: on your guests and your mission. If requested, Debbie also works with board members on one of the hardest shifts in fundraising, moving from loving your mission to asking others to fund it so they can make the ask with confidence and authenticity.
Inclusive Event Design We also talk about inclusion because inclusive events raise more money. From seating that accommodates all body types to accessible parking to creating an environment where every guest feels welcomed and seen, I help you think through the details that make your event accessible and welcoming for all attendees. Guests who feel included connect more deeply with your mission and donors who feel that connection give more generously and become your most passionate advocates.
Post Event Strategy & Data Analysis We end with your numbers. Meet with your team after the event to review what the numbers are telling us, celebrate the wins, and start building toward an even stronger event next year
What's Included
- 6 one-hour strategy sessions within 180 days of your event
- one hour post debrief meeting
- Ongoing email support throughout our engagement
- The Live Fundraising Playbook — a comprehensive live fundraising event guide that is included with every consulting engagement and yours to keep as your team's ongoing reference
- Templates and resources your team can use immediately
- A strategic partner who has been in the room, on the stage, and behind the scenes at fundraising events across the country
As a fundraising event consultant Debbie Scheer works with nonprofits and schools nationwide — entirely remotely.
Strategy packages are customized to your organization's needs and timeline. Book a discovery call and we'll figure out what makes the most sense for your event.
Common questions
What is a fundraising event consultant? A fundraising event consultant helps nonprofits plan and execute the live portion of fundraising events, galas, benefit auctions, paddle raises, and fund-a-need campaigns, all with a focus on maximizing donor giving through intentional strategy, mission storytelling, and smart event design.
How is this different from hiring an event planner? An event planner focuses on logistics: venue, catering, decor, timeline. A fundraising event consultant focuses on the donor experience and fundraising outcomes. Debbie Scheer brings both lenses to the table. With hundreds of events worth of hard-won knowledge about what actually happens in the room. The centerpieces that block eye contact with the stage. The AV setup that kills a paddle raise. The venue that looks beautiful but fights your fundraising goals at every turn. The timeline that was centered around dinner service instead of donor momentum. That's the difference between planning an event and engineering a fundraising result.
Do I need a professional auctioneer to work with you? No. This package is specifically designed for organizations running their own event. If you decide later you'd like to explore having a professional auctioneer and emcee on stage, that conversation is always welcome.
How far in advance should we start working together? It's never too early — ideally 180 days before your event. That said Debbie Scheer has worked with organizations as close as five days out with successful results (would not recommend but it does happen). The more time we have the better but don't let timing stop you from reaching out.
What size organization is this right for? This consulting offer works for two distinct situations. First, small to mid-size nonprofits and schools with lean teams, typically where the Executive Director, a single development professional, or a volunteer planning committee is responsible for the event alongside their full-time responsibilities. Second, established mid-to-large organizations whose events have plateaued- same program, same results, and a growing sense that something needs to change. If either of those sounds familiar, let's talk.
How much does it cost? Every organization is different. Strategy packages are customized based on your needs, timeline, and goals. The best first step is a free 30-minute discovery call.
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What Clients Say
“Debbie coached me to be an emcee (my first time ever!) for our nonprofit's annual fundraiser and it was a huge success! She has amazing people skills, is so intuitive, and really knows how to connect with and inspire an audience. Her experience in fundraising was invaluable for the development of our gala's programming and for maximizing our supporter's potential for charitable giving. We raised $123,000 in one evening, a record for our organization by a long shot!”- Henry Pollack, Ph.D, Southern Plains Land Trust
"From the outset, Debbie was a joy to collaborate with, meeting with our team multiple times prior to the event to offer valuable insights on the run-of-show and scripting. She thoroughly reviewed our script in advance, offering thoughtful revisions that made the program flow more naturally." — Chelsea Manley, Event Manager, Food Bank of the Rockies
Ready To Build Your Strategy?
I don't do hard sells. What I do is a 30-minute discovery call where we figure out if we're the right fit for each other. Most of the time we are. And most of the time by the end of that call you'll know exactly what your event needs.