My grandfather wasn’t a big donor. He only gave to a handful of causes in his lifetime. But there was one organization that always stood out: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. He gave faithfully – moved by the emotional weight of their television commercials. The stories got him every time.

But even though he was already giving, they kept sending him address labels. Over and over again.

At the time, I didn’t get it. Why send him stuff he didn’t ask for when he was already clearly connected?

Years later, working in fundraising myself, I learned what was going on. Those labels weren’t a thank-you. They were part of the ask. A fundraising tactic. A subtle nudge rooted in the psychology of reciprocity: we gave you something, now give something back.

And while it might work once, that kind of giving rarely sticks.

The truth is, these built-in freebies – address labels, calendars, stickers – don’t deepen connection. They dilute it. They train donors to expect something with every letter, and more importantly, they shift the focus away from the mission.
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I still wonder: would my grandfather have kept giving without the commercials? Maybe not. But I know this for sure – it wasn’t the address labels that made him care.

Let’s get practical. Including giveaways in your appeals may seem harmless, but it creates three major problems:

1. It sets the wrong tone.
You’re not building connection – you’re mimicking a subscription box. That’s not what we’re here to do.

2. It costs more than you think.
Printing, shipping, design, fulfillment – it adds up fast. Those funds could go straight to your mission.

3. It attracts short-term, low-retention donors.
This is the biggest problem. Donors who give because of a trinket are less likely to renew, upgrade, or become champions for your cause. You want committed supporters, not one-time transactions.

And There’s a Legal Catch, Too
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Let’s talk taxes. When you include a premium with your appeal, you risk turning that gift into a quid pro quo contribution – where only part of the donor’s gift is tax-deductible because they received something in return. To avoid that, the item has to be of “insubstantial value” – meaning so cheap it’s practically worthless. And if the gift is that insignificant, why bother sending it at all? You’re adding printing, packaging, and postage costs for something that can’t carry real meaning or message weight. It’s a logistical headache with no lasting return.

Here’s what’s wild: Most donors don’t even want the stuff. They want to be moved. They want to know their gift means something.

That’s where Near, Dear, and Clear comes in:

• Near: They feel close to the cause.
• Dear: The mission matches their values.
• Clear: They understand what their gift will do.

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No label sheet in the world can deliver that. But a compelling story can.

This isn’t a full-on war against every branded item. There’s a time and place – but intention matters.

• Give tokens in stewardship, not acquisition.
• Let them be surprises, not bait.
• Make sure they reflect your mission, not just your logo.

A bookmark made by a student in your afterschool program? That’s beautiful.
A bulk-ordered mug with your fiscal year slogan? Probably unnecessary.
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Would you give your best friend a water bottle to say thank you?
Or would you write them a heartfelt note of thanks?

If you’re stuck in a cycle of sending “stuff” or trying to break the premium habit, here’s where to begin:

1. Lead with stories.
Make your appeal emotionally rich and mission-focused. Don’t let a keychain carry the message.

2. Map the full donor journey.
Gifts shouldn't unlock access to your best content. Welcome everyone into the story, not just your VIPs.
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3. Test it.
Try a premium-free version of your next appeal and track the results. You might find your message carries more weight on its own. And don’t forget to track retention of those new donors acquired (with premiums and without) in the next year of giving.

The truth is, you don’t need gimmicks to raise money. When you lead with purpose, your donors feel it. And they’ll stick around.
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Mission-centered messaging doesn’t just build trust – it builds staying power.

The Smart Start Fundraising System will show you how. I break down what motivates giving without resorting to trinkets and help you build a complete plan grounded in what matters.

[→ Get on the waitlist now or check out the course here.]
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Cheers!

​PS - I hope you’ll continue the conversation by subscribing to Real Deal Fundraising. When you subscribe, you’ll get my e-newsletter, which includes the best articles on fundraising, productivity, and cool stuff every week. The whole thing is curated awesomeness as well as freebies like webinars, instructional videos, and whatever else I can put together to be helpful to you!

If you liked this…

• Phonathons Are STILL Not Dead – Busting the Biggest Myths About Calling Donors
• Beautiful on a Budget: How to Design Stunning Fundraising Event Decor for $250 or Less
• 4 Power Questions to Ask Donors That Build Rapport and Lead to Major Gifts
• What With Love, Meghan Can Teach You About Donor Relations
• Culture of Philanthropy Check-Up

If you’ve gotten a catering or A/V quote lately, you know: the prices are out of control. Five figures for chicken on a salad and a microphone? It’s enough to make any nonprofit event planner want to cancel everything and cry into a spreadsheet.

But here’s the thing: we still need in-person events. We still need beautiful, welcoming spaces that feel right for our missions. We just can’t afford to throw money around.
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That’s why today I’m sharing how to create stunning event decor for $250 or less –  without sacrificing your brand, your sanity, or your goals. Let’s make every dollar count and still wow your donors.

Before you add anything to your Amazon cart or hit the dollar store, pause.

Ask yourself:
What should donors feel when they walk into the space?
And:
What does our mission look like in color, texture, and style?

Use your brand colors as your base palette. Add a neutral (like cream or gray) and one metallic (gold, silver, rose gold) for a little pop and polish, especially for more formal evening events. This is how you create cohesion – and it helps you avoid that “Pinterest mishmash” look.
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🎨 Need help visualizing? Use Canva to build a simple vision board for your event. Drop in colors, photos, and textures. You don’t need to be a designer – just get the look clear in your head before you start sourcing. (Confession: I might be a bit of vision board addict. I do these for any kind of visual planning, including my kids’ birthday parties.)

If you take one thing from this post, take this: there are affordable fabrics that can make any space look expensive.

Buy bolts of voile, gossamer, chiffon, or tulle to drape across tables, hang behind a podium, or soften up harsh lighting. It instantly elevates even a basic space.
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💡 Pro tip: My favorite is a gossamer/tulle combo. Use your venue-provided tablecloths (usually white or black), layer a strip of gossamer as a runner, and tie a bow on each side in one of your brand colors. Bonus points if it’s an evening event and you pick something with some sparkle in the material!

Don’t just lay everything flat and call it done. Think like a stylist.

Use:

• Crates or boxes (draped with fabric) to add height to food displays
• Battery-powered flameless candles for a soft glow
• Silk greenery to create movement across tables
• Small risers under platters or signs for extra visual interest

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Most venues can provide these kinds of risers for food displays but if you are doing a total DIY event, thrift stores are your friend. Layered spaces feel intentional – and they photograph beautifully, too. Here’s an example:

If your decor only lasts one night, you’ve overspent.

Invest in reusable pieces like:

• LED flameless pillar candles and tealights
• Stretch table covers
• White or clear glass vases that can be used with different themes
• Simple signage you can swap out or update each year

Also, if your table runners don’t have any food stains, you can reuse them again. Just untie any bows and fold everything neatly, storing for next year.
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You’ll not only save money long-term but having an “event kit” will make setup so much easier next time around. And it’s a better option for the environment too!

Here’s an example budget and vision board for an upcoming fundraising luncheon I’m hosting. I’ve used this method for years and know it will look great.
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Table runners: $143
Tulle: $30
Total: $173 (round up to $200)

💡 Pro tip: Don’t forget about decorating the registration table if you have one. That’s the first impression your guests/donors will see, make sure it’s on brand too.

Want another example? Here’s the vision board and budget for an upcoming evening Gala event:

Tablecloths for high boys: $60
Tulle: $20
Flameless candles: $22
Fabric: $115
Total: $217 (Round up to $250)

And lastly here’s one more vision board from years past.

And here’s how this vision board actually manifested across several different events with minimal new décor items added:

​And here are some centerpieces I did with real roses and sunflowers for another event, just tie some of the tulle in your brand colors around the clear glass vase to customize to any color you need.

One of the easiest ways to arrange flowers is to combine roses and hydrangeas. The large hydrangea blossoms take up a lot of space and cover a multitude of sins and the roses elevate the whole piece and add more color.

If you want to know more about DIY floral arrangements, I’ll be doing a whole series on this later this month on my Tiktok channel – follow me @realdealfundraising. (And if you’re not on TikTok, those posts will get reposted to Youtube @jcloudrealdeal.)

I’d love to hear how you create meaningful, mission-centered event spaces without blowing the budget. Drop your favorite tips in the comments or tag me if you build your own inspiration board using these ideas.

Let’s normalize great design that doesn’t break the bank.
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Cheers!

​PS - I hope you’ll continue the conversation by subscribing to Real Deal Fundraising. When you subscribe, you’ll get my e-newsletter, which includes the best articles on fundraising, productivity, and cool stuff every week. The whole thing is curated awesomeness as well as freebies like webinars, instructional videos, and whatever else I can put together to be helpful to you!

If you liked this…

• My Exhaustive Event Planning Checklist
• What With Love, Meghan Can Teach You About Donor Relations
• Culture of Philanthropy Check-Up
• Budget Décor
• Embrace the Theme