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Special Events: Purpose and Lessons Learned

In this episode of the NP Local podcast Join co-host Scott Niermann and special guest Amanda Squibb, Executive Director of Friends of the Children – Klamath Basin (Klamath Falls, OR) as they discuss lessons learned through the years of organizing special events, and even hybrid events! Consider the purposes of hosting special events and the expected or likely ROI for this fundraising/friend-raising strategy.

Episode Highlights:

  • Scott introduces his guest, Amanda Squibb, Executive Director of Friends of the Children – Klamath Basin. (0:39)
  • Amanda shares about their recent “Friendraiser”, their primary fundraising event of the year which has the goal of both raising funds but also to raising friends and awareness for the Friends of the Children organization. (4:02)
  • Amanda discusses the challenges they have faced during the global pandemic which required them to pivot to holding virtual events in 2020 & 2021 and a hybrid event in 2022. (6:44)
  • Amanda explains that a lot of lessons were learned from their most recent “Friendraiser” but that she is very proud of their team for pivoting and being creative and finding solutions. (08:10)
  • Amanda explains that micro-fundraising events and events to raise awareness about the organization were a crucial component for them during the pandemic. (13:40)
  • Amanda discusses how they ensure a good return on investment, both in terms of fundraising and raising friends and awareness. (17:25)
  • Amanda mentions that they used their auction to focus on helping small businesses that had suffered during the pandemic. (20:40)
  • Amanda shares that she loves that nonprofit organizations can share ideas and creativity in a positive way. (25:08)
  • Amanda sees Friends of the Children – Klamath Basin as an excellent example of doing a lot with limited resources. (28:43)

Key Quotes:

  • “Friends of the Children is the name of the organization, and the ‘Friendraiser’ is the name coined for the event because while we are raising funds, we’re also trying to raise friends and awareness about the organization of Friends of the Children.” – Amanda Squibb
  • “We have an incredible committee, a board development committee, that we start planning for this event, six, seven months out, and so many of them have been doing it for so long. And like I said, we continue to innovate, and we want to bring something new and fresh every year. That’s really important to this event.” – Amanda Squibb
  • “I think we’re a great example of doing a lot with so little, you know, small community rural, we have a lot of poverty in our community and recognizing the barriers, but don’t let those defeat you, that you can do it just keep pushing.” – Amanda Squibb

Resources Mentioned:

Resources re: Special Events, etc.: