In a recent webinar from The Lab Link, hosted by Local Media Association, three news leaders shared how events are evolving from simple gatherings into powerful engines for fundraising, relationship-building and long-term sustainability. Panelists included Claire Linney, vice president of development at The Post & Courier; Jane Wooldridge, formerly senior director for journalism sustainability and partnerships at The Miami Herald; and Amber Bel’cher, vice president of development at Better Government Association.They shared candid, tactical insights into what works, what doesn’t and how to build an events strategy that fuels both revenue and community impact.

From small gatherings to scalable fundraising

A consistent theme across all speakers was starting small and building intentionally. Claire Linney detailed how, five years ago, The Post and Courier launched its now-signature “Preserving Community Journalism Fundraiser & Auction” by inviting just a handful of committed donors to an intimate, free event.

“Don’t overthink it, just do it,” when getting started,  Linney advised.

That early simplicity allowed the team to focus on what mattered most: storytelling and relationships. By centering events around impactful journalism, particularly investigative work that resonated emotionally with audiences, The Post & Courier created a compelling reason for people to give. 

Over time, that foundation enabled bold experimentation. In the fifth year of the event, they shifted to a ticketed model to cover costs. Also, the team introduced a live “call to heart” auction where they asked donors to raise their paddle for the donation levels they would commit to giving, and then did impromptu interviews with donors for them to share why they were donating.

These risks paid off. The Post & Courier successfully doubled its event revenue compared to prior years, raising close to $170,000 in a single night. “It was really encouraging to see the response,” said Linney.

A slide from Claire Linney’s presentation during the April 22 webinar. Image courtesy of Claire Linney.

The lesson: Effective events don’t necessarily begin as large productions; they grow from strong relationships and a clear narrative about impact.

Relationships first: “Friend-raising” before fundraising

Jane Wooldridge’s candidness about her experience with events at The Miami Herald shed light on how fundraising events faced unique challenges in a saturated and diverse market. For several years, Wooldridge led The Miami Herald’s fundraising events strategy before recently retiring. Her central lesson was both simple and can often be overlooked: “Friend-raising has to come before fundraising,” she said, adding that relationship-building before and during events can set the stage for future donations.

Wooldridge gave examples of events that “set the groundwork for major gifts” that came later in the year. “It certainly was worth everybody’s time and investment,” she said.

Relationships must come before revenue, said Woolridge, and events that lacked a strong cultivation phase or a clear, direct ask often underperformed. Without that foundation, even well-attended events struggled to generate meaningful revenue. Wooldridge shared examples of gatherings that drew influential audiences but underperformed financially because of a hesitant ask. “If you don’t make an ask, you don’t get money,” said Wooldridge.

She also highlighted the importance of aligning fundraising with specific editorial initiatives, such as climate reporting or investigative fellowships, which resonated more strongly with donors than general appeals. In her experience, donors were more likely to give when they understood exactly what their support would fund.

The power of a targeted audience

Across markets and models, a common theme was that events are not about filling chairs; they’re about curating a room where mission alignment and giving capacity intersect. Who is in the room matters more than how many seats are filled. 

In The Post & Courier’s case, Linney said they started by asking five of their first supporters to be hosts, who were each responsible for inviting ten of their like-minded friends. For newsrooms that follow this model, she recommended spending a lot of time with the event host committee to ensure these personal invitations get extended. 

In addition, Linney emphasized targeted invitations based on donor data and wealth screening, as well as leveraging personal outreach, including phone calls and mailed invitations, to ensure alignment between attendees and giving potential. “You have to have the right people at your events” for fundraising to succeed, said Linney.

An engagement ecosystem drives results

Amber Bel’cher underscored the importance of integrating events into a larger strategic framework to deepen donor relationships over time and fundraise for sustainability. “If you don’t have an engagement ecosystem to nest these events into, you will build transactional money makers, but you will not build longevity and sustainable income,” she said. “We are always thinking three to five years ahead.”

A slide from Amber Bel’cher’s presentation during the April 22 webinar. Image courtesy of Amber Bel’cher.

Bel’cher also hosts an annual development team retreat so they can brainstorm ideas and build their annual engagement calendar. This calendar includes multiple kinds of events, and she emphasized that not all events serve the same purpose. Signature events, civic impact events and community convenings are three categories of events that her organization hosts, and they are each designed with specific goals in mind, balancing revenue delivery, donor pipeline development and relationship building.

A slide from Amber Bel’cher’s presentation during the April 22 webinar. Image courtesy of Amber Bel’cher.

Therefore, events alone don’t create sustainability. They should be part of a continuous, intentional year-round relationship strategy to engage donors that includes consistent communication, donor stewardship and pipeline development.

Elevating journalists as the main attraction

If events are the stage, journalists are the stars. Each speaker emphasized that the most compelling draw for attendees is direct access to reporters and editors. Whether through small-group breakout sessions, panel discussions or informal conversations, these interactions deepen trust and reinforce the value of local journalism through a deeper understanding of the work and its impact. 

Bel’cher described events as opportunities to “invite people into the process,” giving donors an exclusive view at how reporting happens and why it matters. Events help news organizations “let people in,” she said, and this transparency not only strengthens relationships and appreciation for the work, but builds long-term loyalty and stronger emotional investment. 

Linney also highlighted how meaningful this behind-the-scenes access can be. “We bring forward the reporters that can really speak to the journalism that the funds are supporting,” said Linney. “That’s really why these people are excited about coming to the event, is getting to meet the journalists.”

It is important to note that these news organizations maintain a firewall between the journalism and the fundraising: Journalists are there to talk about their reporting, and are not involved in “making the ask.”

Succeed or pivot: Experimenting, risk-taking, and adapting

Not every event will succeed, and that’s part of the journey. All of the speakers stressed the importance of testing formats, learning quickly and evolving strategies over time.

Wooldridge adjusted approaches based on donor feedback and market realities. Bel’cher restructured event portfolios to align with long-term fundraising goals. And when fundraising had plateaued at their annual event, Linney’s team took risks with implementing paid tickets and a live auction format, and it paid off. 

In each case, flexibility and iteration were key to progress. Events are not static. They are tools that must respond to audience needs and organizational goals. 

A strategic shift for sustainability

As local news organizations continue to diversify revenue streams, events are emerging as strategic fundraising tools for building community, trust and financial sustainability. When thoughtfully designed and integrated into a larger development strategy, events can transform audiences into advocates and supporters into long-term partners.

A well-crafted event has a much deeper impact than what occurs in a single evening. Rather, the overall engagement strategy is more like planting a garden: start small with the seeds, tend to it consistently, invite the right partners in  — and over time, watch it grow.

For more information

Watch the full webinar on fundraising events here (Passcode: .$YBKN5J).

Editor’s note: Artificial intelligence was used to help the author summarize takeaways from the webinar. Any writing generated by AI for this piece was edited and fact-checked by a human.