What if your next fundraising event didn’t just raise money for one night, but built generosity that lasts for years?

In this episode of the Sustainable Giving podcast, host Dave Raley sits down with longtime fundraising leader and speaker Kirk Walden for a wide-ranging, practical conversation about events, recurring giving, and the future of sustainable generosity.

Kirk has spent more than 30 years in fund development and has helped ministries raise over $75 million, much of it by transforming high-energy fundraising events into engines for long-term, recurring support. Together, Dave and Kirk unpack why events still matter, where they often fall short, and how leaders can design moments that move people from inspiration to lasting commitment.

This isn’t a conversation about better banquets or sharper pitches. It’s about building systems, culture, and leadership maturity that turn embodied experiences into sustainable impact.

Key Topics They Talk About:

1. The Stage as a Strategy
2. Events as Major Donor Discovery Engines
3. Recurring Giving Inside a Live Event
4. Why Sustainable Giving Isn’t Rocket Science
5. Culture, Leadership, and Long-Term Impact

Also in this episode, they talk about:

• Reading “signals in the room” during live appeals

• Commitment psychology vs. emotional spikes

• Follow-up strategies that actually work

• The danger of event dependence

• Why unhealthy culture eventually breaks recurring generosity

If you only get one moment with a donor — on a stage, in a room, or during a shared experience — how are you inviting them into something that lasts?

Key Resources:

• Learn more about Kirk’s work.

• Subscribe to Kirk’s Substack.

• Connect with Kirk on ⁠LinkedIn⁠.

• Connect with Dave on ⁠LinkedIn⁠.

• Learn about Dave’s new program, ⁠RISE.

Special thanks to our team at Sustainable Giving: Tom, Kirsten, Victoria, and Abigail