WEBINAR: Fundraising Event Budget Planning

Setting Your Fundraising Event Up for Success

May 21, 2025

Join industry experts Samantha Swaim of Swaim Strategies and Ryan Goodwin of The Fundraising Event Co. for an insightful webinar on fundraising event budget planning. This 60-minute session guides you through the essential steps of building a comprehensive event budget that aligns with your fundraising goals and organizational mission. Samantha and Ryan share their proven approaches to budget planning, highlighting critical decision points throughout the event planning process.

They cover how to determine realistic revenue targets, manage expenses effectively, and build contingency plans to protect your bottom line. Whether you're planning a gala, auction, or virtual fundraiser, you'll gain practical tools to make informed financial decisions for your next event.

Learning Outcomes:

Review the fundamentals of creating a comprehensive fundraising event budget that accounts for both revenue opportunities and expense categories
Identify key decision points in the planning process that impact your budget and learn strategies to maximize ROI
Develop a path the helps you with key event planning decisions along the way

Resources For You

The Fundraising Event Co. / Ryan Goodwin

Bringing people together ignites change. At The Fundraising Event Company, we're dedicated to empowering nonprofits by shouldering the logistics, strategy, and storytelling of their events. Our collaboration lightens your workload, allowing you to prioritize relationships while we turn gatherings into movements for your mission.

If you need planning support or budget advice contact ryan@fundraisingeventco.com

TFE Co. Instagram

Get the Book: Planning A Successful Major Donor Event

This is the how-to planning guide for an engaging, high-impact major donor event. Maximize ROI and raise more for your nonprofit. In this book we cover the big picture, why events and when to choose events for your mission, what kind of event is right for your needs, how to design a strategic plan, how to begin outreach and solicitation, roles for your staff, roles for your board, engaging a committee, developing an event program, logistics and set up, budget planning and hitting fundraising goals.

REVIEW: If you have a fundraising event, read this book FIRST!
I LOVE this book and I recommend it often to anyone leading a major donor event. It is a step-by-step guide that will lead you to your best event yet. My team can attest to the dramatic evolution of our events since reading this book and gleaning from the expertise of Samantha and Kristin. When you follow their framework, you will start to see amazing things happen in your event fundraising. My team and I read this book often, and we are still learning and putting strategies into action. It's my favorite event fundraising resource, along with the entire team at Swaim Strategies. Thank you for such a wonderful tool for the nonprofit community!
- Erica Soto

Get The Book

Get the Budget Template

This is a template and guide to help you in your revenue strategy planning. It is the single most impactful tool for your fundraising event planning.

Your revenue budget can help you establish a path to success and focus your efforts for the biggest return. Your budget is what grounds your event, allows you to make a strategic fundraising plan and, most importantly, achieve your fundraising goals.

Buy The Budget Template

Auctioneers We Love

Two key items came up in today’s webinar. On the revenue side we talked about sponsorship. Look below for a deeper dive on sponsorship. On the expense side we talked about the importance of a great Benefit Auctioneer and the importance of having a ‘fundraiser’ on your fundraising stage! They are experts in helping you hit those goals and can bring you training, consulting and advise through your planning.