Fall 2025 Fundraising Summit Day 2

Fall 2025 Fundraising Summit Day 2: Making Events Profitable: Maximizing Return On Investment (ROI) & Strengthening Corporate and Donor Relationships

Registration will open July 2025.

Fundraising events are more than just a means to bring in immediate dollars—they are key moments to cultivate individual donors, engage corporate partners, and build long-term financial sustainability. Too often, nonprofits see events as an isolated fundraiser, missing opportunities to maximize revenue, deepen donor relationships, and secure lasting corporate sponsorships.

This 6-hour interactive workshop, led by Janet Cobb, a seasoned nonprofit strategist and fundraising coach, will show you how to make your events work smarter—creating profit while serving as a catalyst for ongoing donor and corporate engagement.

Key Takeaways

• Designing Events That Drive Revenue and Relationships:
  • Develop events that balance profitability with donor cultivation, ensuring that ticket buyers and attendees stay engaged beyond the event.
  • Learn budgeting and planning strategies to maximize your net revenue while creating an experience that strengthens donor and sponsor connections.
• Corporate Partnerships That Extend Beyond the Event: 
  • Learn how to position your nonprofit as a valuable partner that corporations want to invest in—not just for a one-time sponsorship, but for long-term collaboration.
  • Understand what companies seek from nonprofit partnerships and how to craft compelling sponsorship packages that align with corporate goals and community impact.
• Using Events to Cultivate Individual Donors for Long-term Support:
  • Move beyond “just an event” by using it as a springboard for deeper donor relationships.
  • Learn strategies for effective follow-up, donor segmentation, and post-event engagement to convert attendees into long-term supporters, monthly donors and major gift prospects.

You will leave the workshop with an ROI calculator, corporate partnership communications templates and an event follow-up calendar template.

Learn more about Day 1: Fundraising Fundamentals: Build a Sustainable Revenue Pathway and Day 3: Turn Minnesota’s Biggest Giving Day Into a Springboard for Year-End Success.

Nonprofit Academy trainings are part of the Initiative Foundation’s mission to serve the people of Central Minnesota. If your organization is located outside our 14-county and two Native nation service area, please contact Nicole Clements for participation options.

Presented by: Janet Cobb

Janet has worked in the nonprofit arena her entire career, holding a variety of positions, including communications manager, director of development, and executive director. Along the way, she has managed budgets ranging from $50,000 to more than $8 million. She holds certifications as a fundraising executive and nonprofit professional.

Nicknamed “The Small Nonprofit Whisperer” by colleagues, Janet has consulted with, coached, or trained more than 700 early-stage, grassroots, and small nonprofits to help them build capacity and acquire the skills needed to support and expand their efforts.

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The Initiative Foundation makes every effort to provide reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA) and Minnesota State Board Policy 1B.4. Members of the general public who require accommodations to attend a public event should complete this form at least 10 business days prior to an event when practical.