"Once we set up the structure of our GiveSmart Event Page, our board members and volunteer fundraisers got really excited and thought: ‘Yes! We can really do this!"
Products
Key Features
Event page
peer-to-peer and online fundraising
$950,000
total raised
$550,000
raised through virtual fundraising efforts
With only three weeks before Berkeley Rep’s biggest fundraiser, the “Party of the Year,” needed to be converted into a virtual event celebrating the theatre’s resilience and its loyal patrons. They wanted to maintain the momentum of existing peer-to-peer fundraising while honoring their special guest and their artist community.
Challenge & Solution
The theatre’s annual gala, “OVATION: Celebrate the Transformative Power of Theatre,” went virtual to honor actor, writer, and teacher Anna Deavere Smith. The event featured special tributes and a conversation between Anna, Artistic Director Johanna Pfaelzer, and Managing Director Susie Medak about the power of theatre to restore, inspire, and bring communities together. Berkeley Rep displayed the live and pre-recorded videos on its Event Page, along with their event sponsors, donor rewards, recipes for at-home cocktails, and a donor wall featuring a fundraising progress circle.
Results
Overall, Berkeley Rep raised over $950,000, $400,000 of which was raised before pivoting to a virtual event. In the remaining three weeks, they raised nearly $550,000 through peer-to-peer and online fundraising, while maintaining sponsor support and building their artistic community.