Episode 05 - Party Like It’s 2021: The Current Landscape of Special Events
Episode Guide
It’s the end of 2021 and we explored the state of special events now— from donor relations to best practices and experiences for audience engagement.
Episode Highlights
Hybrid events
Hybrid events are two different experiences. Your virtual audience will not have the same experience as in-person attendees.
“You want to have an experience unique to your own [setting].”
Leverage the programming and utilize a moderator for the virtual audience to ensure the programming moves along.
Ensure that questions are answered to keep the virtual audience connected and engaged
In-Person events
Know your audience. Consider the comfort levels of your donors.
Utilize best safety guidelines and protocols.
Timed-ticket - staggered entry times for attendees
We may see a rise in outdoor events during the Spring and Summer seasons, where social distancing is possible.
Results on Special Events survey
We asked our community for their thoughts on attending special events. Our survey was conducted prior to the announcement of the Omicron variant.
The results remain divided regarding in-person events.
Community members who have attended in-person events felt comfortable to do so with mask-wearing and social-distancing.
Respondents would feel more comfortable attending an indoor event if there was limited capacity.
Guests
Vanessa Coppes
CEO & Editor-in-Chief, BELLA Magazine
Hera Javaid
Director of Individual Giving, Asia Society
Host
Yolanda F. Johnson
Founder, Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy (WOC)®
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Bella Magazine
“BELLA Magazine is a national subscription- and newsstand-based lifestyle publication offering a curated guide to fashion, beauty, health, philanthropy, arts and culture, cuisine, celebrities, and entertainment.”
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About Our Guests
Vanessa Coppes, CEO & Editor-in-Chief, BELLA Magazine
A seeker and a student of life, since 2009 she has been committed to sharing with and teaching others what she has learned through her experiences on her online platforms. A certified Digital Media strategist and Digital Marketer, Coppes is also the author of “5 Steps to Fabulous: Choices for Living Beautifully, Inside and Out!” and “Social Media Strategies for Small Businesses: A Guide for Solo-Entrepreneurs.” In August of 2019, she acquired the BELLA brand and launched BELLA Media + Co. which publishes the national newsstand and subscription lifestyle publication, BELLA Magazine.
Hera Javaid, Director of Individual Giving, Asia Society
Hera Javaid has ten years of fundraising experience building strategic fundraising initiatives for the annual fund, stewardship, special events, and front-line solicitations for grassroots, leadership, and major gifts at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Baruch College, Natural Resources Defense Council, 92nd Street Y, and the American Museum of Natural History.
She’s currently the Director of Individual Giving at Asia Society, focusing on driving growth in individual giving from general membership through major gifts supporting all of Asia Society’s pillars—education, arts and culture, and policy. She has previously held the Associate Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving role at John Jay College. Hera managed annual fund campaigns and the Educating Fierce Advocates for Justice Benefit, the College’s premier fundraising event that raises critical support for student success.
Hera has a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Stony Brook University and received a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Baruch College. Her professional affiliations include Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy (WOC) and Women in Development (WID). Hera is a 2021 graduate of the inaugural WOC Radiant Leadership Institute.