Podcast – Episode 27: Elevate Conference Recap
In this episode of Auction Is Action with U in It!, Bobby D. Ehlert brings you inside the Elevate Conference and shares the ideas that resonated most: not just about fundraising events, but about generosity, community, and what actually happens when people gather together.
Featuring conversations with fellow auctioneers Matt Ro, Stephen Kilbreth, and Kelly Russell, plus Bobby's own takeaways from the sessions, this episode is a front-row seat to some of the most compelling thinking happening in the nonprofit fundraising world right now.
Key Takeaways
Fundraising Events Are Gatherings, and Gatherings Are Biological
When people share experiences, break bread, laugh, and give together, something real happens in the brain. Oxytocin, the trust hormone, increases. Connection increases. Generosity increases. Generosity is not solitary. It is social. When we design fundraising events, we are designing a shared emotional experience.What If You Held an Event and Didn't Raise Any Money?
The question sounds like hearsay in fundraising circles, but it reveals something important. Even without a dollar raised, you could grow your community, deepen relationships, create new advocates, and build trust. Events aren't only about the dollars raised that night. They're about what becomes possible when the right people gather together.The Data on Events Still Matters
Of the 1.9 million nonprofits in the United States, only about 900,000 are actively operating. Donor retention sits around 41%. And only about 15% of giving happens online. Most major gifts still happen in person, at meetings, at events, at gatherings where people can look each other in the eye.The Progression of Generosity Framework
Story creates resonance. Invitation activates alignment. Giving enacts alignment. Acknowledgement creates connection. Fundraising is not convincing people to give. It is proclaiming what you believe in so clearly that people want to participate. It's an invitation into mattering.Why People Give Matters Less Than Who They Become When They Give
People align with their identity. When someone raises a paddle or makes a gift, they are not just giving money. They are confirming something about who they are: a helper, a protector, a builder, an advocate.The Event Is the Starting Line, Not the Finish Line
Your event is not the final moment of generosity. It is the beginning of a donor journey. The real work starts long before the first invitation goes out and continues long after the last guest leaves.The Event Arc: Five Chapters Every Great Gala Follows
Welcome, where guests learn how to participate. Mission, where they see the work and feel the impact. Fundraising, where the live auction and paddle raise happen. Celebration, with honors, entertainment, and recognition. And gratitude, thanking the board, sponsors, volunteers, and guests. Events are not spreadsheets. They are emotional environments.The Neuroscience of the Golden Goosebump Moment
When people feel emotions together, brain waves and heart rates begin to synchronize. Researchers call this neuro coupling. Shared emotion creates shared identity. Shared identity creates cooperation. The most powerful moment in any fundraising event is the moment the room feels something together. That is when generosity becomes contagious.Nobody Wants to Be the First Paddle in the Air
People don't decide whether their gift is affordable. They decide what is normal. Once someone moves, momentum begins. The first follower creates a movement. Then the second, then the third, and suddenly generosity becomes the norm in the room.Matching Gifts Increase Participation by More Than 50%
Studies show matching gifts significantly increase donor participation. And most donors prefer matches that are already committed because it signals that the momentum has already started.Stop Treating Generosity Like an Imposition
Human beings are naturally generous. You don't have to convince people to give. You just need to give them a reason rooted in purpose, impact, and belonging.The Better Question to Ask After Every Event
We often measure events by attendance, revenue, and applause. But the better question is: the morning after, will donors remember the program, or will they remember who they became in that room?
FULL TRANSCRIPT
Bobby D.: Hey there everyone. Bobby D here at the Elevate Conference and we're just getting started here with day two. My mind is blown with all of the great information that has been provided by all the great speakers, presenters, and sessions. This is fantastic.
I am here with the Kilted Auctioneer, Matt Ro. Matt, how has your Elevate been?
Matt Ro:
It's been phenomenal. I got to attend last year virtually and being here in person is so much better.
Bobby D.:
As a fellow auctioneer, what is one thing you pulled out of this conference that you're going to bring directly to your clients?
Matt Ro:
Neuroscience and event design. Hands down the two most important things that people just think happen naturally, and they do not. It is beyond intentional.
Bobby D.:
Very strategic. I think they used the word "engineered" yesterday. And today we have the author of Neurogiving, Cherry on Kochi, giving a keynote.
Matt Ro:
I totally have a happy man crush on that guy. That book is incredible. Any fundraising paddle raise appeal that I write, I'm going to use AI and say, "Please write me a two-minute paddle raise appeal using the framework created by Cherry and Koshi in Neurogiving." And what it spits out is absolutely phenomenal.
Bobby D.:
I'm a huge fan of that book. I just finished it and it flipped my whole mindset of what giving really is.
Matt Ro:
And how to encourage that. The mirror neurons that get you firing where you're like, I feel as opposed to I think. I don't want you thinking. I want you feeling that you have to give $10,000. Not thinking, can I afford this?
Bobby D.:
That's absolutely right. Matt, here we are at Elevate. Let's go learn some more.
Matt Ro:
Thanks, Bobby.
Bobby D.:
Hey there everyone. I am here with Stephen Kilbreth here at the Elevate Conference. What do you think about this conference, Stephen?
Stephen Kilbreth:
I think it's been amazing. It's so fun being with all of the great vendor partners that we have. And what's cool about this is we get to be in the room with everybody and see all the speeches and everything, but what's most important is the 300 people sitting out there.
Bobby D.:
I love that these are all fundraising event focused individuals that see the value of events and how they can help build their community.
Stephen Kilbreth:
And one of the things we've been learning, like you and I have been talking about the whole time, is how we approach our events being mission focused. That is the star of your event. If the star of your event isn't the mission, then you're doing it wrong. It shouldn't be us. It shouldn't be the band. It shouldn't be anything other than the mission.
Bobby D.:
That's absolutely right. What's one thing you're able to take to help your clients from this conference?
Stephen Kilbreth:
I think what we've been learning is that every event is unique and I loved the session on how to create the ambiance of the event: the design aspects, the lighting, the colors. I would say that's not the star of the event, but it does set the mood for your mission.
Bobby D.:
And you've got to set that mood because when people are feeling good, they're giving.
Stephen Kilbreth:
Exactly. No question about that.
Bobby D.:
Where can we find you, Stephen?
Stephen Kilbreth:
Childevents.com. If Bobby's not available, you can come our way. We'd be happy to help you out at your event.
Bobby D.:
Thanks, Stephen. Hey everyone. I am here with the world famous auctioneer and MC of Elevate, the one and only Kelly Russell. Kelly, how has your Elevate been?
Kelly Russell:
My Elevate has been really fun. Have you been elevated?
Bobby D.:
I'm always elevated, my friend. I run on a high.
Kelly Russell:
We love that.
Bobby D.:
What's your favorite thing you've seen here at Elevate?
Kelly Russell:
All of it. All of it. I love auctions. I love events. I love the relationship building. That's the biggest thing, really. I love the relationship building with the folks in the room, with the vendors, with the other auctioneers. We have fun and it's so good to see everyone come together and be united under the premise of: we're here to help elevate everyone else.
Bobby D.:
Having people surrounded together to elevate their fundraising events.
Kelly Russell:
One of my favorite sayings is: we rise by lifting others.
Bobby D.:
Elevate. Rise. I love it. You're doing a great job as the MC and thanks for letting me be a part of this.
Kelly Russell:
I'm really glad you came. Thanks for being here.
Bobby D.:
I want to thank those auctioneers so much for sharing their expertise and ideas about fundraising. I wanted to share some of the biggest ideas that really stuck with me: not just about fundraising events, but about generosity and community and what actually happens when people gather together.
Because if you're in the nonprofit world, whether you're an executive director, a development professional, a board member, or a fundraising auctioneer, one thing is clear. Events still matter. But maybe not for the reason we used to think.
One of the first ideas that stood out at Elevate was this: fundraising events are not just events. They are gatherings. And gatherings do something powerful to human beings. When people gather together, something biological actually happens. Trust increases. Connection increases. Generosity increases. Researchers talk about oxytocin, the trust hormone. This is released when people share experiences, break bread together, laugh together, and yes, give together. Generosity is not solitary. Generosity is social. And that means when we design fundraising events, we're not just designing a program. We're designing a shared emotional experience.
Another powerful idea that came up was this question: what if you held an event and didn't raise any money? That sounds like hearsay in fundraising circles, but think about it. What could still happen? You could grow your community. You could deepen relationships. You could create new advocates. You could build trust. You could connect with donors, board members, and mission leaders in the same room. Because events aren't just about the dollars raised that night. They're about what becomes possible when the right people gather together.
Here's an interesting reality check from the data. There are 1.9 million nonprofits in the United States, but only about 900,000 are actively operating. Donor retention right now is about 41%. And only about 15% of giving happens online. Most major gifts are still happening in person, at meetings, at events, at gatherings where human beings can look each other in the eye. So if you're wondering whether events still matter, they absolutely do. But they need to be intentional.
One of my favorite frameworks from the conference was called the progression of generosity. It looks like this. Story creates resonance. Invitation activates alignment. Giving enacts alignment. Acknowledgement creates connection. In other words, fundraising is not convincing people to give. Fundraising is proclaiming what we believe in so clearly that people want to participate in that mission with us. It's an invitation into mattering.
And this ties into something researchers in philanthropy are starting to understand more deeply. Why people give is actually less important than who they become when they give. People align with their identity. They see themselves as a helper, a protector, a builder, an advocate. When someone raises their paddle or makes a gift, they're not just giving money. They're confirming something about who they are.
That leads to another powerful insight. The event itself is not the finish line. It's the starting line. Your event is not the final moment of generosity. It's the beginning of a donor journey. Which means the real work actually starts long before the event happens: before the first glass of wine is poured, before the invitation goes out, before the room fills with people. The planning begins with intention.
And honestly, that's one of the reasons Beth Sandifer and I were able to launch galatoolbox.com at Elevate, because so many nonprofit leaders told us they wanted better tools, templates, and strategies to help them design events that actually build relationships and raise more money. Not just events that happen, but events that work.
One framework that was shared is called the event arc. Think of your event like a story with chapters. Chapter one is the welcome: helping people understand how to participate. Chapter two is the mission: show the work, share the stories, let them see the impact. Chapter three is fundraising: this is where the live auction and paddle raise come in. Chapter four is celebration: honors, entertainment, recognition. And chapter five is gratitude: thanking the board, the sponsors, the volunteers, and the guests. Every great event follows this narrative arc because events are not spreadsheets. Events are emotional environments.
And this brings us to something fascinating about the neuroscience of generosity. When people feel emotions together, something incredible happens. Their brain waves start to synchronize. Their heart rates start to synchronize. Researchers call this neuro coupling. Shared emotion creates shared identity. Shared identity creates cooperation. Which means the most powerful moment in any fundraising event is the moment when the room feels something together. That's the moment when generosity becomes contagious. That's what I call the golden goosebump moment.
And here's something important. People don't decide whether their gift is affordable. They decide what is normal. Human beings are social creatures and nobody wants to be the first paddle in the air. But once someone moves, something changes. Momentum begins. The first follower creates a movement. Then the second. Then the third. And suddenly generosity becomes the norm in the room.
Matching gifts also play a big role in this. Studies have shown that matching gifts can increase donor participation by more than 50%. And here's an interesting nuance: most donors actually prefer matches that are already committed. They want to know that the momentum has already started. Because generosity is contagious, energy is contagious, and kindness is contagious. When people see generosity happening around them, it invites them into the experience.
Another idea that stuck with me: stop treating generosity like it's an imposition. You don't have to convince people to be generous. Human beings are naturally generous. What you need to do is give them a reason to be generous with you. A reason rooted in purpose, in impact, in belonging.
One of the most important reminders from the conference was this. We often measure events by three things: attendance, revenue, and applause. But maybe the better question is this: the morning after the event, will donors remember the program? Or will they remember who they became in that room? Because when someone raises their paddle, volunteers, advocates, or supports the mission, something deeper happens. They become a part of the story. And that, in many ways, is the real work of fundraising. Helping hope feel real. Helping people see that their generosity matters. Helping people feel connected to something bigger than themselves.
And when we do that, something beautiful happens. Events stop being transactions and they start becoming movements. So if you're planning an event this year, here's the question I'd like to invite you to ask. Not just how much money can we raise, but what kind of community can we build? Because when people gather together around a shared purpose, incredible things become possible. And that's where generosity begins.
Thank you all so much for joining me here on the Auction Is Action with You in It podcast. If you found this helpful, please share it with someone who plans fundraising events or works in the nonprofit world. If you're looking for tools to help you design a better event experience, make sure you check out galatoolbox.com. You can also find us at calltoauction.com.
Until next time, remember: auction is action with you in it, and the most powerful action is generosity. Thank you for all the impact you are making in the world. My name is Bobby D, your host of the Auction Is Action with You in It podcast, and we will see you next episode.
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At Call to Auction, we specialize in turning galas and fundraising events into mission-driven, revenue-generating experiences. From paddle raises to live auctions, our team knows how to excite donors, engage audiences, and inspire generosity in the moment.