I have raised around $40MM for nonprofits and have invested 15+ years in fundraising for charitable organizations. I'm happy to share any insights that could be helpful.

as background:

I co-founded a nonprofit that had a very high-profile billionaire backing it. The net worth of the founding donor was a significant hurdle because it gave the appearance that no money was needed.

This is exactly the opposite of the for-profit sector. If this same founder were backing my for-profit company, it would attract other capital because people would see it as a great investment. In the charity space, this can be a significant hurdle.

We overcame this challenge by being very transparent In what the founders paid for and what they did not. This made donors realize that they could still make a significant impact on the organization without merely supplanting the Founder's gifts.

We also leveraged the value of being associated with such a prominent figure. That was probably something that we did not capitalize on enough, and something you should particularly focus on ... especially because you are organizing big public events.

I would especially look at developing a significant corporate giving strategy, and develop a robust sponsor package that provides them with measurable impact on their brand as well as on your organization.

Happy to talk if you have time. Either way, my best wishes to you!