--- title: "Tuesday Buzz: Say No to Wine and Cheese, Nonprofits" id: "24280" type: "post" slug: "tuesday-buzz-say-no-to-wine-and-cheese-nonprofits" published_at: "2014-07-29T18:11:12+00:00" modified_at: "2026-11-09T18:23:08+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2014/07/29/tuesday-buzz-say-no-to-wine-and-cheese-nonprofits/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2014/07/29/tuesday-buzz-say-no-to-wine-and-cheese-nonprofits.md" excerpt: "Why nonprofit donor events need to get beyond simply being fancy-schmancy affairs. Also: A generational expert talks up her latest book." taxonomy_category: - "Marketing / Communications" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "Business" - "donor engagement" - "Fundraising" - "nonprofit" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "Executive Team" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Tuesday Buzz: Say No to Wine and Cheese, Nonprofits That wine and cheese tasting is pretty bland, if you think about it. If you’re a nonprofit pro trying to get donors interested—really, truly interested—in what you’re doing, you need to aim a little higher, argues Network for Good’s Liz Ragland. Speaking to Alexis Lux of the YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City, Ragland highlights what’s needed to create meaningful experiences for donors. “These experiences should bring a donation to life,” Lux tells Ragland. “You want this experience to feel priceless to them, but it shouldn’t really cost you much. It creates a closer connection to the nonprofit.” Lux suggests getting people directly involved in the programs they’re supporting—so if it’s a summer camp, for example, have the donor take part. [Hop over to the Nonprofit Marketing Blog (opens in a new tab)](http://www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com/site/its_time_to_retire_the_reception) for more tips. ### Smart Minds Meet > Thx for the interview [@kikilitalien (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/kikilitalien?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > ! Looking at Y: An Interview with Sarah Sladek, XYZ University [http://t.co/lSOXNn4IzR (opens in a new tab)](http://t.co/lSOXNn4IzR) > [#assnchat (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/assnchat?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [@Aptify (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/aptify?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > > — Sarah Sladek (@SarahSladek) [July 28, 2014 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/SarahSladek/status/493849861607792642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Have 20 minutes and some change?** If you’ve got a set of headphones, be sure to listen to Kiki L’Italien’s interview with generational mastermind Sarah Sladek, founder and CEO of XYZ University. [Chatting as part of Aptify’s Association Mavens podcast series (opens in a new tab)](http://associationmavens.com/2014/07/28/looking-at-y-an-interview-with-sarah-sladek-of-xyz-university/) (albeit without the usual video component), the pair talk about Sladek’s new book, [Knowing Y (opens in a new tab)](https://mystuff.asaecenter.org/ebusiness/publications/publicationproduct?id=107830&CSURL) . Sladek, by the way, [will be leading a learning lab (opens in a new tab)](http://www.asaeannualmeeting.org/profile.cfm?profile_name=session&master_key=B661CA86-FB14-95E3-28AF-AA3CBEEE4513&page_key=84F0D14A-DFC1-8545-CE90-B8887C01748A&xtemplate&userLGNKEY=0) on the topic of millennials at ASAE’s 2014 Annual Meeting & Exposition next month. ### Other good reads **On the occasion of the merger** of two of the biggest dollar-store brands, [Money magazine discusses (opens in a new tab)](http://time.com/money/3046526/dollar-stores-dollar-tree-family-dollar-merger/) the economics of a surprisingly versatile business model. There’s a reason Dollar Tree bought Family Dollar for $8.5 billion—which, not coincidentally, would get you a lot of stuff at Dollar Tree. **Could Facebook be making an enterprise play?** *CMS Wire* has the scoop on a [rumored service called “FB@Work.” (opens in a new tab)](http://www.cmswire.com/cms/social-business/facebook-thinks-youll-like-enterprise-collaboration-025982.php?utm_source=MainRSSFeed&utm_medium=Web&utm_campaign=RSS-News) **Be less boring when networking.** *LifeHacker* writer Alan Henry [has a few ideas to help you (opens in a new tab)](http://lifehacker.com/how-to-be-more-interesting-when-meeting-new-people-1612086910) get a grasp on the whole “interesting” thing. (iStock/Thinkstock) [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Tags: [#Business](https://associationsnow.com/tag/business/) [#donor engagement](https://associationsnow.com/tag/donor-engagement/) [#Fundraising](https://associationsnow.com/tag/fundraising/) [#nonprofit](https://associationsnow.com/tag/nonprofit/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [Video2025 Summit Award Recipient: Florida Association of Free and Charitable ClinicsOctober 3, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/10/03/2025-summit-award-recipient-florida-association-of-free-and-charitable-clinics/) - [Video2025 Summit Award Recipient: Building Owners and Managers Association of Greater Los AngelesOctober 3, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/10/03/2025-summit-award-recipient-building-owners-and-managers-association-of-greater-los-angeles/) - [Video2025 Summit Award Recipient: National Adoption AssociationOctober 3, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/10/03/2025-summit-award-recipient-national-adoption-association/) - [VideoA Donor First Look, “Unlocking Legacy: Estate Planning Essentials for Association ProfessionalsJanuary 7, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/01/07/a-donor-first-look-unlocking-legacy-estate-planning-essentials-for-association-professionals/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2014%2F07%2F29%2Ftuesday-buzz-say-no-to-wine-and-cheese-nonprofits%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !