When Less Is More: Scaling Back to Drive Deeper Donor Engagement

Tuesday November 17th 2026

Bigger isn’t always better—especially when it comes to donor events. Today’s most memorable gatherings are often smaller, more intentional, and designed for specific audiences. In this session, learn how scaling back can actually create more meaningful connections, stronger relationships, and better results.

We’ll explore how to:

• Understand what donors want from modern event experiences—and why intimate, targeted formats often resonate more.
• Tailor experiences for focused audiences instead of defaulting to broad, “all-come” events of the past.
• Evaluate ROI on a smaller scale by measuring engagement, relationship growth, and strategic impact—not just attendance numbers.