Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Gala

My least favorite type of fundraiser is the gala. I hate them. But, I also know some people really like them... and I know blog posts about celebrities really drive visitors to this site, so here goes:

"The most stylish stars flock to Manhattan each year for the Metropolitan Musueum of Art's Costume Institute Gala, which is thrown by Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour. This year, the A-list guests embraced their inner superheroes for the "Superheros: Fashion and Fantasy" themed bash May 5, 2008. The superhero mania that is invading American cinemas this summer took hold at one of the country's most distinguished art museums with an exhibit on how the colorful costumes have influenced fashion."

If you listen closely, you can hear me gagging. If you want to see photos of celebrities, go here.

Will the Mint Jubilee Gala outshine the Kentucky Derby?

Over the years the Mint Jubilee Gala has grown from 250 attendees to more than 1,500 and has become a signature Kentucky Derby event. Last year, they raised $350,000 after expenses. It isn't hard to imagine that soon the fundraiser will attract more attention than the Kentucky Derby itself.

According to a press release from the gala, the "celebrity" guests for tonight's event include:

Conrad Bachmann (The West Wing)
Nigel Barker (America’s Next Top Model)
Cristen Barker (Model, celebrity stylist)
Robert Bogue (Guiding Light)
Mandy Bruno (Guiding Light)
Greg Grunberg (Heroes, Alias, Lost, Band From TV)
Bob Guiney (Reality TV, The Bachelor, Band From TV)
Rebecca Budig Guiney (Actress, All My Children)
Phil Hellmuth (World Series of Poker)
John & Brad Hennegan (Producers, First Saturday in May)
Kathryn Joosten (Desperate Housewives, The West Wing)
Bonnie-Jill Laflin (LA Lakers Scout Manager, Maxim Hot 100, Model)
Billy Lopa (Artist)
Warren Moon (NFL Hall of Famer)
Joe Piscopo (Saturday Night Live, Comedian)
Nora Roberts (Author) Honorary Chair, Mint Jubilee 2007
Peter Searcy (Singer, Oprah’s Big Give)
Bonnie Somerville (Cashmere Mafia, Band From TV)
Fred Willard (Best in Show, Back to You)
Montel Williams (Talk show host)
Robert Williamson (Poker champion)

The 2008 auction items will include:

* Tickets to the 2008 Masters in Augusta
* VIP passes to the 2008 Emmy Awards and Governor’s Ball
* A trip to the 2008 PapaJohns.com Bowl in John Schnatter’s private jet
* Tickets to the upcoming MTV Movie Awards

If you don't have tickets already, forget about it... they've been sold out for quite some time.

Tale of two special events

Joanne Fritz at About.com shares an interesting comparison of two special events she recently attended.

One of them had a well known actress to talk to the crowd, but no one seemed to tell her to link her lurid life story to the charity's mission. It was so bad, she writes, "I excused myself and hung out in the restroom until I thought the guest speaker was probably done with her awful speech."

The other special event did a magnificent job of weaving together the event with the audience and the mission of the organization. Go here to read her comparison of the vastly different events.

The Things We Think and Do Not Say

Do you remember that scene in Jerry Maguire where Tom Cruise stays up all night writing a passionate mission statement and then distributes to his coworkers. He called it, "The Things We Think and Do Not Say" and when he walks in to the office the next day everyone gives his a standing ovation... only for him to be fired less than a week later.

I had this movie clip running through my mind when I came across Marsha Gittleman and James R. Rennert's opinion piece on the website of a Long Island, NY newspaper. Gittleman is director of development and public relations at United Cerebral Palsy of Suffolk and Rennert is province director of development at the Cenacle Sisters.

The two of them criticize the inefficiencies of special event fundraisers. They scold honorees who lend their names for fundraising without ever learning about the nonprofit honoring them or the cause. The authors even shame donors who ask, "what's in it for me?" or who attend fundraisers only because of the social status it brings them.

The directors of development come to the conclusion that if we all really care about the biggest percentage of each gift going to the cause, fundraisers should declare a hiatus in special events and return to personal face-to-face solicitations.

On Long Island for too long, organizations have had a misplaced comfort level in selling tickets to an event rather than promoting a cause.

The real target of this opinion piece does not appear to be the event planners, caterers, and silent auction promotion companies... rather the real target of this piece seems to be fellow development directors who have forgotten how to solicit donations based on the mission of their nonprofit without selling donors a ticket to a gala or an event.

Charity galas are great advertisement for shopping center

Outside of Tucson, Arizona is an upscale shopping center called La Encantada.

Throughout the year, La Encantada features events such as a simulated snowfall during the Christmas season, a culinary showcase in the summer and a performing-arts festival in November featuring such groups as the Tucson Boys' Chorus and the Tucson Guitar Society.

But marketing director Linda Shalit thinks she has found a way to entice people who would otherwise think the center is too high-end for their bank accounts.

Charity fundraising events.

La Encantada waives site rental fees for non-profit organizations looking to sponsor an event there and as a result, 11 charities used the space last year - raising over $500,000 for local nonprofits.

Sounds like a win-win to me.