As a reliable revenue source in the nonprofit sector, well-run fundraising events are an essential component of many fundraising campaigns. Part of the preparation for these events is picking the right format, with virtual and in-person options offering unique benefits. The choice between them – or knowing when to use both – shapes fundraising outcomes in ways uncharted by earlier event calendars. 

To identify the right format for a nonprofit fundraising event, here is more about each format’s trade-offs and how to decide which one best serves organizational goals, audience and capacity.

The pros and cons of virtual fundraising events

Virtual fundraising events are now a standard alternative for nonprofit event planners. They serve certain organizational goals very well and others less effectively. Understanding that distinction is more useful than treating them as less-expensive versions of in-person events.

Pros of online fundraising events

• Lower overhead costs: Without a venue, catering or printed materials, a virtual event shifts costs toward technology and promotion. The reduced overhead can produce a favorable return on investment (ROI) even when total revenue isn’t as robust as that of an in-person event.
• Broader geographic reach: An online fundraising event can draw supporters from any location. For organizations with widely distributed audiences, alumni networks or communities spread across multiple regions, virtual formats remove the attendance barriers that geography creates.
• Stronger for donor acquisition: Virtual events consistently attract a higher proportion of first-time attendees than in-person events. Organizations focused on expanding their donor base may learn that virtual fundraising events can be a more efficient channel for identifying new supporters.
• Flexible registration timelines: Registration for a virtual event often remains open until the day of the event, reducing the pressure to commit to an early headcount and potentially increasing total attendance.

Cons of online fundraising events

• Weaker for donor retention: Organizations with established supporter bases may discover that virtual formats strain long-term relationships. From conversations between supporters to direct access to staff and leadership, personal interactions that happen organically at in-person events are harder to replicate online, and donor relationships that go unreinforced can weaken over time. 
• Engagement requires deliberate programming: Without the natural energy of a shared physical space, virtual events need intentional structure to hold attention. Live Q&As, real-time giving prompts and gamification elements all help, but each entails planning effort less customary at in-person events.
• Raw revenue tends to be lower: Virtual events often generate less total revenue than in-person equivalents, even when the ROI profile is comparable or better. That gap matters for organizations with large revenue targets tied to a single annual event.

The pros and cons of in-person fundraising events

In-person events hold the stronger position on revenue and relationship metrics, though they come with real trade-offs in cost, geographic limitations and operational complexity. Some fundraising events for nonprofit organizations justify those compromises, while others won’t.

Pros of in-person fundraising events

• Higher revenue potential: Across the broader events landscape, Freeman’s Trends Report found that 82% of attendees prefer in-person gatherings, a penchant that supports higher attendance ceilings and stronger per-event revenue for organizations that can sustain the format.
• Stronger donor retention: Relationships formed in person produce better donor retention between events. Supporters who feel a genuine connection to an organization’s community are more likely to return, amp up their giving and refer others. That pattern compounds across multi-year fundraising horizons.
• Deeper mission connection: Face-to-face interactions between staff, volunteers and supporters create emotional resonance that is harder to replicate digitally. For mission-driven organizations, the shared experience is part of what turns one-time attendees into long-term champions.
• Better suited to major donor cultivation: High-capacity donors often expect dedicated seating, direct conversation with nonprofit leadership and the credibility of a well-resourced event. Major gift fundraising relies on relationships that develop more naturally in person.

Cons of in-person fundraising events

• Higher overhead and lead time: Venue rental, catering, staffing, signage and logistics raise the financial threshold for breaking even and require significantly more planning than a virtual equivalent. Small and early-stage organizations may find it difficult to absorb the costs.
• Geographic limitations on attendance: In-person events draw primarily from local and regional audiences. Organizations with supporters spread across the country, or those trying to grow beyond their immediate community, run into that geographic ceiling.
• Greater volunteer and staff demands: Planning and day-of logistics necessitate a hands-on operational team. Site setup, check-in, crowd management, troubleshooting and post-event breakdown all consume staff capacity that a virtual event largely doesn’t.

5 tips for choosing between virtual and in-person fundraising events

Neither format is right for every situation. To ensure careful consideration of each option without defaulting to what seems easier or more familiar, here are five top tips for deciding between in-person and virtual fundraising events.

1. Start with the goal, not the format

The event format question is much easier to answer once the primary event goal is clear. Organizations focused on acquiring new donors generally find virtual events more effective. In contrast, those focused on retention, major donor cultivation or deepening community ties are likely to get stronger returns in person.

A nonprofit trying to accomplish both in the same calendar year might plan a larger in-person event for revenue and retention while using lower-cost virtual events for acquisition. Both formats can serve distinct purposes without competing for budget or energy.

2. Know which audience segment the event is designed to serve

An emphasis on major donors, lapsed supporters, new prospects or geographically distributed followers leads to different format preferences. For instance, major donors often expect in-person access, while newer or lower-level donors and those outside the local area tend to be more open to virtual.

A review of donor data on engagement history, geographic distribution and giving levels helps ensure the event is structured for the audience it’s trying to reach.

3. Let the event type inform the format

Some fundraising event ideas for nonprofits translate more naturally to one format than the other. Live auctions, benefit galas and major donor receptions are stronger in person, where real-time bidding energy, social atmosphere and the visible commitment of physical attendance all contribute to performance. Virtual 5Ks, online auctions, peer-to-peer campaigns and watch parties work well online, and some work better there.

A hybrid format is worth considering when both audiences are meaningful, though it adds AV coordination, technology management (online and at venues) and the challenge of keeping two audiences equally engaged. For most small and early-stage organizations, fully committing to one format usually produces better results than splitting attention across two.

4. Review past event data

For organizations with prior event history, past performance is the most reliable input. ROI, donor acquisition rate, retention rate between events and post-event survey responses together paint a picture that raw fundraising totals can obscure. Reviewing all four can reveal trade-offs that an aggregated revenue figure hides.

An event that raised more money in person but showed better ROI virtually tells a more useful story than either number alone. Pulling this data before each planning cycle guides format decisions that hold up over time.

5. Assess technology and capacity honestly

Virtual events demand less logistical overhead but more deliberate engagement programming and dependable fundraising event software. Fundraising pages, livestreaming infrastructure and systems for registration and real-time giving tracking are all worth having in place before the event, not hastily assembled under pressure. In-person events call for fundraising event management software built around different must-haves, such as event ticketing, on-site check-in and tools that support mobile giving, donation tracking and sponsor logistics.

The more useful question is which kind of operational lift an organization is positioned to handle, and whether the technology already in place supports that format or would need to be purchased or built from scratch.

Run event with Give Lively

Whatever event format is optimal, Give Lively can help. Our free fundraising platform supports both formats, without platform fees. Our Event Ticketing, Text-to-Donate and Live Display products cover ticketing, mobile giving and real-time donation tracking for both in-person and virtual events. Campaign Pages are a pillar of virtual events and support livestream embeds, peer-to-peer fundraising and donation thermometers.

Explore Give Lively’s features to see how the tools bring events to life. To see our platform in action, sign up for a demo.