Passion: The Game-Changing Ingredient

Last weekend I attended a gala for a nonprofit organization. Yes, I know — events are the football fundraising critics kick around. Studies have shown that many net little or no money, and they can suck the life out of staff and volunteers.

But the reality is that there are innumerable events taking place every week, hosted by one nonprofit or another. A-Thons, dinners, concerts, garage sales and more are prevalent, and many nonprofits rely on them for operating revenue. So I try to attend a few every year and see what's working (and sometimes, what's not).