Are you trying to get more donors and more attendees to come to your nonprofit fundraising events? Today, I have the privilege of talking with Gazala Uradnik of GFS Events, she’s a client of mine, and we’ve worked together with other nonprofits. She started working with nonprofits in 2012 when she created GFS Events, because she was on a nonprofit board and volunteered. And she could see that they needed help in fundraising and strategic event planning.

So I wanted to talk to her about her success because she has grown. She has some amazing tips and strategies to help nonprofits rake in more donations with their fundraising efforts and events. We also talked about pivoting to doing virtual online events and also some great tips on how to leverage online, virtual platforms for nonprofits. If you are out there listening and are involved with a nonprofit, this is the episode for you! ~ Pia

About Gazala Uradnik

Gazala Uradnik has a Master’s in Healthcare Management from the University of Michigan School of Public Health and provided strategic development and business development expertise to hospitals and healthcare systems for many years. She is an entrepreneur by nature and starting her own businesses was a natural progression of her goals and skills.

Gazala started GFS Events in 2012 because she knew that nonprofits needed help through her own nonprofit board and volunteer experience. GFS Events provides strategic event planning expertise to nonprofits through focused event strategy, logistics coordination, mission/messaging and audience and donor development.  Over the last nine years, her team has helped countless nonprofits raise millions of dollars throughout the Pacific Northwest and across the country.

GFS Events has received numerous awards for best nonprofit event and best public event through the International Live Events Association. Over the past 17 months, GFS Events has helped nonprofits across the country with strategizing and producing virtual events. Gazala serves on the Board of Women Business Owners and also as the Immediate Past-President for the International Live Events Association Seattle Chapter and has served in numerous positions, including President and Vice-President, for the Business Network International Plateau Partners Chapter.

Gazala lives in Sammamish with her husband and three children.

Web/Social Links

• Website
• Facebook
• LinkedIn Business

Highlights from the Conversation

• Welcome to episode 23!
• How Gazala landed in the nonprofit space and enjoying fundraising events.
• Setting a timeline, goals, and a strategy is key.
• Many nonprofits don’t have concrete goals for their events!
• GFS helps with all the logistical, promotional and marketing aspects of a great fundraising event.
• You can’t reach out to your donors too much. It’s okay for them to hear from you often, especially when planning an event.
• Recently, many events have gone virtual, and these can work well!
• Super Tip: Send a physical mailer or piece to virtual attendees.
• Keep your website updated and consistent with your brand message.
• Nonprofits didn’t have a choice but to pivot during the pandemic, how did they do this?
• GFS is not a transactional expense, but a transformational expense for nonprofits. They help them raise more money.
• GFS is managing multiple events throughout the year and see what works and what doesn’t and can leverage that knowledge.
• Connect with Gazala and GFS if you are a nonprofit looking to grow!

Resources Discussed/Links

• Website and Marketing Top Tips for Nonprofits
• Free gift: Top Five Ways to Engage Your Donors in a Virtual Event

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