Pandemic protocols may be loosening, but that doesn’t mean nonprofits should shut the door on virtual events. A recent survey of 1,000 people who attended fundraising events between January 2020 and February 2022 suggests that the flexibility of multiple attendance options attracts supporters. Conducted by Classy, a San Diego-based fundraising platform (that was recently acquired by GoFundMe), the study found that virtual events earned higher satisfaction ratings than in-person events — 96% versus 87%.
The “2022 Fundraising Event Experience Report” found that 35% of respondents attended fundraising events that had the option to participate in-person or virtually, about evenly split between the choices. Limiting events to strictly one mode could deter a significant group of attendees who value having a choice. Importantly, the “sentiment to give” exists regardless of how people attend an event. More than 40% of both types of attendees were likely to donate more than $100 at the event.
The Report includes:
- A deep dive into the state of fundraising events
- Attendee preferences for in-person vs. virtual events
- Motivators, deterrents, and best practices from attendees themselves
- The lasting impact of an excellent event experience on fundraising goals
- How to evaluate event technology to bring it all together