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 fundraising event 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 The Partnership is designed to fix.
Who This Is For
The Partnership was built for two types of organizations.
Nonprofits, schools, and organizations who are planning to run their own fundraising event with their own person at the microphone. Maybe your budget doesn't allow for a professional auctioneer yet. Maybe you have a passionate volunteer who wants to take the lead and needs guidance and preparation. Whatever the reason you've decided to do it yourselves, and you want to do it well.
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 we 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 will resonate with your donors, and how to structure it for maximum impact.
Paddle Raise & Fund-A-Need Design
The paddle raise is where most organizations either soar or struggle. We design yours intentionally — how to structure the ask, build momentum, and create a giving experience that feels natural instead of pressured.
Mission Moments That Actually Move People
We build mission moments that are powerful, dignified, and designed to inspire giving — not guilt.
Run of Show & Script Development
We create a run of show and script that serves your fundraising goals first — and work with your speakers to make sure they feel confident and compelling on stage.
Board Coaching
Do you have a passionate board member who insists on running your auction every year? We'll 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.
Inclusive Event Design
Inclusive events raise more money. We think through the details that make your event accessible and welcoming for every attendee — because guests who feel included connect more deeply with your mission, and donors who feel that connection give more generously and become your most devoted champions.
Post-Event Strategy & Data Analysis
We meet after the event to review what the data is telling us, celebrate the wins, and start building toward an even stronger event next year.
What's Included
- Six strategy sessions within 180 days of your event
- One post-event debrief meeting
- Ongoing email support throughout our engagement
- The Partnership Toolkit — templates, scripts, and tools to build out your event night, yours to keep as your team's ongoing reference
- A strategic partner who has been in the room, on the stage, and behind the scenes at nearly 500 fundraising events across the country
The Partnership is available entirely remotely and nationwide. No matter where your organization is located, Debbie can be your strategic partner.
Strategy engagements 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.
Frequently Asked 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 Partnership 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 to start strategizing. 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 Partnership 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 and every event is different. The best first step is a free 30-minute discovery call where we can talk through your event, your goals, and what the right engagement looks like for your organization.
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
“Deb Scheer is an extraordinary Emcee and Auctioneer who has an incredible talent and ability to make magic happen! Deb takes the time to get to understand your organisation and your mission and brings it to life! We are honoured and privileged to have Deb take charge and lead our fundraiser every year! Just when you don’t think it can get any better she takes it to another level!!!! Cannot recommend this woman enough! A massive asset to our team, Who has now become part of our family and is an integral part of our fundraising!! Thank you thank you thank you for shining your light and your magic to our guests and and mission!!”
-Bek Keat, Co-founder, Believe Ranch & Rescue