The 3 Things You Need for the Perfect Paddle Raise

Chapter Leadership Brief 11.26.25

by Erin Ward and Bobby D. Ehlert
Co-founders Inspire Hearts Fundraising

If there is one moment in a fundraising event that can transform a nonprofit’s entire year, it’s the paddle raise—“the BIG ask,” “call to action,” “fund-a-need,” "special appeal," or whatever you choose to call it. When done right, a paddle raise doesn’t just raise money—it raises belief, builds community, and ignites generosity at a level no silent auction, live auction, or sponsorship package can match. It is the most direct, mission-centered, and emotionally resonant revenue generator in the room.

But the perfect paddle raise doesn’t happen by luck. It happens by design.

After helping hundreds of nonprofits maximize their events, we’ve found that nearly every successful paddle raise—no matter the size of the organization or the audience—comes down to three essential elements. Nail these, and you unlock transformational fundraising. Miss even one, and you leave tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars on the table.

A paddle raise succeeds long before the first paddle number is called.

Here are the three things you absolutely need for the perfect paddle raise.

1. A Compelling Mission Moment That Opens Hearts

The emotional runway leading into the ask is where the magic happens. This is where guests shift from “attendees” to active participants in the mission. You’re trying to create what we call the Golden Goosebump Moment—that universal hush when every person in the room leans in, feels the mission, and becomes ready to take action.

A great Mission Moment includes:

A Single, Powerful Story

Not five stories. Not a broad overview. One story. One face. One moment of impact.
Humans remember stories, not statistics. A personal narrative builds empathy and moves people to act.

Authenticity Over Performance

The story doesn’t need to be perfect—it needs to be true. Whether told by a client, parent, volunteer, or staff member, it must feel human, vulnerable, and real.

A Clean, Focused Delivery

Avoid jargon, complexity, or long explanations. The audience should understand the challenge and see clearly how their generosity becomes the solution. We call this Crayon Simple—clear enough that a child could explain it back.

When this moment lands—when the room gets quiet and you can feel the emotional shift—that is your Golden Goosebump Moment. That alignment primes the entire audience for generosity, setting the stage for a paddle raise that can exceed even the loftiest goal.

2. A Confident Ask From a Prepared Live Fundraising Host / Auctioneer

Once hearts are open, you need someone who can skillfully guide the room into action. A paddle raise is not just an announcement of giving levels—it is a carefully orchestrated sequence of leadership, timing, psychology, and emotional intelligence.

Here’s what a trained fundraising host/auctioneer brings:

Command of the Room

A professional understands the energy in the room—when to pause, when to push, when to celebrate, and when to let emotion speak for itself.

A Thoughtful, Strategic Giving Structure

The most successful paddle raises follow a top-down, descending structure, inviting leadership donors to step up first. When a high-level donor gives boldly, it unlocks permission for others to follow.

A skilled fundraising host/auctioneer knows how to:

• Celebrate the transformation of a guest into a donor
• Increases momentum, energy and participation
• keep the entire room engaged at every level
• maintain emotional continuity from start to finish

Credibility and Trust

Guests must feel that the person asking for money understands the mission and respects the donors. A trained host/auctioneer builds a safe, inspiring, mission-aligned space for generosity.

Seamless Collaboration With the Development Team

Your host/auctioneer should never walk into the room guessing. They should know:

• who the key donors are
• which gifts are pre-secured
• the fundraising goals
• the emotional tone and mission remarks required for your audience

Logistics to Capture Donations and Data

A perfect paddle raise also depends on clean back-end systems:

• Every guest receives a paddle tied to their name, contact info, and payment method.
• A trained Scribe that captures every raised paddle quickly and accurately.
• Mobile-friendly payment options reduce friction and speed up check-out.
• Guest information is pre-loaded into your software so data flows directly into your CRM.
• A same-night reconciliation process ensures accuracy and fast acknowledgments.

The perfect “ask” is a partnership between the nonprofit, the story, the systems, and the person trusted to guide the moment.

3. A Room That’s Prepared to Give Before the Event Even Starts

The perfect paddle raise doesn’t start at the event—it starts months before.

The highest-performing nonprofits intentionally prepare their donors long before they enter the ballroom.

Pre-Event Donor Mapping

Identify leadership givers early. Engage them. Pre-secured gifts  at tierd can set the entire room in motion and dramatically influence participation.

Strategic Seating

Generosity is contagious. When leadership donors sit in visible locations, their raised paddles create momentum across the room. More paddles up mean more paddles up.

Mission Marketing

Your guests should arrive already connected to the mission and aware that a paddle raise will take place. Use:

• pre-event emails
• impact statements
• event website messaging
• short videos or social content
• personal invitations from board members

This early connection “primes the pump,” making the Mission Moment exponentially more powerful.

Board Engagement

Your board should fully understand how the paddle raise works and commit to participating. A visibly generous board unlocks confidence and energy across the room.

When donors arrive informed, inspired, and emotionally connected, the paddle raise becomes a natural act of generosity—not a surprise ask.

In Summary: The Perfect Paddle Raise Is No Accident

It’s engineered.
It’s intentional.
It’s strategized.

And when done correctly, it becomes the most powerful opportunity of your entire fundraising year.

To achieve the perfect paddle raise, you need:

1. A Mission Moment that opens hearts
2. A confident, experienced fundraiser guiding the ask
3. A room that’s prepared to give long before the event begins

Master these three components, and your paddle raise doesn’t just raise money—it raises belief, connection, and community. It creates a collective moment where every person in the room feels like a hero contributing to something bigger than themselves.

And that is when fundraising becomes transformational.

Erin Ward and Bobby D. Ehlert, co-founders of Inspire Hearts Fundraising, are nationally recognized fundraising hosts/auctioneers and event strategists with more than 40 years of combined experience and over $1 Billion raised. After analyzing data from hundreds of galas, they’ve seen a clear shift: traditional auctions are fading, donor attrition is rising, and the paddle raise has become the most powerful tool for inspiring generosity and transforming guests into lifelong supporters at events.

As leading experts in the art and science of the paddle raise, Erin and Bobby D. help nonprofits nationwide elevate their events through mission-centered fundraising, event experience maximization, speaker coaching and board engagement training. Their mission is simple: inspire hearts and help your organization change the world.