I recently spoke at a wonderful fundraising banquet, and they did something I had never seen before. They served dinner in a to-go container! Now, I know what you're thinking. A to-go box? At a fundraising banquet? Hear me out. This was not some small, disorganized organization trying to cut corners. Quite the opposite. This is a very professional nonprofit that is run well, has multiple staff members, and works with more than a dozen regular volunteers. They do a tremendous

2026 has been the first year where I have been doing fundraising speaking, keynotes, and comedy as my primary job. If you didn't know I am the Director of an awesome little ministry called Guardian Angels of SWFL. We provide hope and homes for children and families in foster care. I have now gone to part-time at that position. (Yes, my life is pretty awesome and I thank God for that every day.) After doing fundraising speaking in 30 states, I have learned a few things. T

A clean comedy show can be a fantastic way to raise money for your Christian nonprofit while bringing people together for an evening of laughter, fellowship, and fun. When you combine great entertainment with a meaningful cause, you create an opportunity for supporters to enjoy themselves while making a difference in the lives of others. However, even the best comedy show needs an effective marketing plan to fill the room, sell tickets, and maximize the fundraising potential

Every once in a while, I get a phone call or email from an organization that says something like, “We’ve never hired a comedian before.” I understand why. When you’re a Christian nonprofit, you’re not putting on an event just to entertain people. You’re trying to communicate your mission, inspire your supporters and, in many cases, raise money to keep the ministry going. So why would you put a comedian in the middle of all of that? I’ve been blessed to be the first outside sp

I’m just going to say it: you should be doing a comedy fundraiser. I’ve done several of these now, and I keep seeing the same thing over and over again. The ROI can be incredible when you do it right. That doesn’t necessarily mean you should replace your annual banquet. Some organizations should, while others have a banquet that works really well and should keep it. A comedy fundraiser can also be an additional event that reaches a different audience and gives your supporters

I’m writing this from Arkansas, and by the time you read this, I’ll probably be somewhere between here and Montana. It’s one of those weeks where I’m looking at the calendar and thinking, “How exactly did all of this end up happening in the same week?” Last night I had the opportunity to serve a Pregnancy Resource Center here in Arkansas. Today I’m flying to Montana, where I’ll be speaking on Thursday. Then on Friday, I have the very unexpected opportunity to film a Dry Bar C

You're - You're - You're - I used the wrong one in the email! :) I’m going to give you a fundraising opinion that may seem a little strange coming from a comedian: please take the donation cards off the tables. Actually, if I’m coming to your banquet, I’d love for you to hide them. Put them in a closet. Lock the closet. Give the key to somebody you trust. Whatever you have to do, just don’t let people start deciding how much they’re going to give before you’ve actually made

There are a lot of people in the comedy world who have made me laugh. There are considerably fewer who have made me a better fundraiser. And there are even fewer who have become a genuine friend. Mike Williams somehow managed to check all three boxes for me. Mike is one of my comedy-fundraising mentors. We have taught fundraising together, talked about banquets, laughed about the ridiculous things that happen when you put comedians and fundraising in the same room, and spent

I’ve been to a lot of fundraising banquets. And I mean a lot. I’ve sat through hundreds of Executive Director speeches over the years. I’ve heard the great ones, the painful ones, the ones that went way too long, and the ones where I found myself thinking, “I have absolutely no idea what this organization actually does.” So when I hear an Executive Director give a speech that makes me think, “That is how you do it,” I pay attention. Recently, I heard SuNell from Compassionate

I get asked about this from time to time. “Tim, why is your keynote 45 minutes?” I actually think that is a really good question. When you bring in a comedian, you might expect comedy. When you bring in a motivational speaker, you might expect inspiration. When you bring in a storyteller, you might expect stories. When you bring me to your fundraising event, however, I want you to understand something very important. I am there as a fundraiser who happens to be a comedian. My

I was thinking about fundraising banquets the other day, and I kept coming back to something I see over and over again. Organizations work incredibly hard to put on a great event. They spend months getting everything ready. There are meetings about the program, the food, the decorations, the speakers, the video, the auction, the donor cards and all the other little details that go into pulling off a successful night. And because everybody has worked so hard, everybody has som

Over the years, I have had the incredible privilege of speaking at fundraising banquets all across the country. I never take that opportunity lightly because I know I am stepping into something God has already been doing long before I arrive. Every ministry has a story. Every organization has people who have prayed, sacrificed, served, and believed in a mission that is bigger than themselves. When I walk into a banquet room, I am reminded that this is never just another event

Every fall, I have the privilege of getting a front row seat to fundraising banquets across America. One weekend I'm speaking at a pregnancy center, the next I'm with a foster care ministry, then a Christian school, rescue mission, or another ministry that's faithfully serving people in the name of Christ. After having the privilege of speaking at fundraising events in communities all across America, I've noticed something that has surprised me. The ministries that raise the

Every few months I see another article, webinar, or social media post confidently declaring that the fundraising banquet is dead. They tell nonprofits that people don't attend events anymore, that banquets no longer raise money, and that organizations should abandon them in favor of the latest fundraising strategy. What I've noticed is that the people making those claims usually have something else they want to sell you. As someone who spends much of the year speaking at fund

I listen to Christian radio most days. It’s usually just on in the background while I’m driving or running errands. The music is familiar, and there’s something steady about it that helps reset my head in the middle of a normal day. It’s not something I overthink, it’s just part of the rhythm of life. But there’s one thing that’s become pretty predictable for me over time. Between songs there are often 60 second devotionals from national speakers. I get why they exist, quick

I’ve been getting asked a lot lately how to get booked more as a fundraising speaker, especially in the PRC, foster care, and adoption space. I’m grateful for those questions, and I don’t take them lightly. The honest answer is that a lot of what looks like a “system” from the outside is actually the result of a long mix of things coming together over time. Some of it is absolutely God given. Some of it is 25 years in ministry. Thirteen of those years preaching and learning h

I can finally put into words what I want in life. It’s taken me 47 years, 26 years of marriage, and 23 years of fatherhood, but I think I’m finally there. I saw it clearly on Valentine’s Day this year. My wife and I had just finished dinner at a fancy restaurant celebrating our love for each other. I had a three level seafood tower. I honestly can’t even remember what she ordered, but I’m guessing steak and lobster. I made the reservations back in October, so this wasn’t an a

I have spent much of my life around nonprofit leaders. Some are leading pregnancy centers. Some are running foster care ministries. Others are serving through churches, schools, rescue missions, or community organizations. No matter the mission, I often hear a similar story: "We are so busy serving people that we don't have time to fundraise." I understand that feeling because I've lived it myself. Most executive directors didn't step into nonprofit leadership because they dr

I am a real fundraiser. Like, for real real. I have CFRM from the Lilly School of Philanthropy and have been in the weeds of fundraising for a long time. Here is what I've learned from doing it as a comedian. When most people think about fundraising and comedy, they assume those two worlds don’t belong in the same sentence. One feels serious, structured, and strategic. The other feels spontaneous, unpredictable, and—well—funny. But after years of standing on stages in bot

If you’ve never asked for sponsorship or underwriting before, it can feel a little intimidating. Most people don’t grow up knowing how to do this. The good news is that it’s actually much simpler than it feels, and donors are often more open to it than you might expect. At its core, you are not asking someone to “help you pay for a speaker.” You are inviting someone to help make a high-impact fundraising event possible that will ultimately raise more money for your mission. T