NYC CHARITY & FUNDRAISING EVENTS
Charity & Fundraising Event Planning in NYC
A great gala raises real money. EMRG Media plans charity galas and fundraising events for nonprofits across New York City, handling venue, catering, production, and the donor experience so your board relaxes and your cause takes the spotlight.
- Planning to production
- 5.0 across 130+ reviews
Every event has a moment people remember
25+
years
IN BUSINESS
1100+
Events produced
98
%
CLIENT RETURN
25+
years
IN BUSINESS
98
%
CLIENT RETURN
1100+
Events produced
Fundraising Event Inquiry
Tell us about your cause, your date, and your goal. An EMRG producer replies within one business day with venue ideas, a production plan, and a realistic budget for the night.
- Free consultation
- Transparent, scoped pricing
- One team, every detail
- Free consultation
- Transparent, scoped pricing
- One team, every detail
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Full-service charity and fundraising event planning in NYC
One team handles every part of your gala or fundraiser, so your staff and volunteers stay free to focus on the donors and the mission that matters most tonight.
Event Planning & Coordination
Concept, run-of-show, timelines, and logistics for galas, benefits, and fundraisers of every size.
Venue Sourcing
Ballrooms, lofts, museums, and rooftops across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the NYC metro matched to your guest count and tone.
Production & AV
Staging, sound, lighting, and screens that carry the program, the speeches, and the ask to every table.
Donor & Guest Experience
Registration, seating, VIP handling, and the flow that keeps guests engaged from cocktails through the last bid.
Auctions & The Ask
Live and silent auctions, paddle raises, and giving moments staged to lift the total your event brings in.
Vendor & Catering Coordination
Catering, bar, entertainment, and rentals all coordinated under one budget and one point of contact.
25+ years planning Charity & Fundraising Event across New York City
EMRG Media has planned charity and fundraising events across New York City for over 25 years, from intimate donor dinners to large-scale galas built to hit a fundraising target. We understand these events carry a dual mission, raise real money and make donors feel genuinely appreciated.
Our producers manage venue, program, and guest experience so the event supports your cause instead of distracting from it. From auction logistics to the final ask, one dedicated team handles every detail.
Why Senior Buyers Choose EMRG Media
Scale and longevity
25+ years in business & 1100+ events produced by a dedicated in house team of event, production, & AV specialists.
The client roster speaks first
Trusted by Google, Bloomberg, Netflix, Barclays, Condé Nast, Sotheby’s, and many other leading global brands.
Recognized authority
Led by award-winning event professionals and backed by decades of experience producing industry-leading events.
Reviews that hold up
★★★★★ 5.0 average rating across 130+ verified Google reviews, reflecting consistently exceptional experiences for clients of every size.
Transparent pricing
Every event is quoted individually based on guest count, venue, production requirements, timeline, and overall scope to ensure accurate and transparent pricing.
Featured Work
Joe & The Juice 10th Anniversary Party
BDO
VTEX
Fiverr Summer Party
Russell Westbrook Holiday Party
Joe & The Juice 10th Anniversary Party
BDO
VTEX
Fiverr Summer Party
Russell Westbrook Holiday Party
How Working With EMRG Media Works
DISCOVERY
30-minute consultation to understand your goals, audience, budget, and timeline.
CONCEPT
Tailored event strategy with venue options, vendor recommendations, and budget planning.
Planning
End-to-end coordination of production, vendors, logistics, AV, talent, & run-of-show details.
Execution
Seamless event delivery from setup to breakdown while you focus on your guests.
DISCOVERY
30-minute consultation to understand your goals, audience, budget, and timeline.
CONCEPT
Tailored event strategy with venue options, vendor recommendations, and budget planning.
Planning
End-to-end coordination of production, vendors, logistics, AV, talent, & run-of-show details.
Execution
Seamless event delivery from setup to breakdown while you focus on your guests.
Client Confidence
YouTube
10/10 would recommend! Great experience working with Erica and the EMRG Media team to ensure we had a seamless holiday party for about 900 people. Erica was available to help with every step along the way and help bring to our attention additional ideas, needs and considerations to help make our party a huge success! Her team went above and beyond on the day of to ensure all of the final touches were handled and it allowed for our internal planning team to be able to sit back and enjoy the party. Great at communicating and sourcing vendors at a great rate due to their connections within the industry. Looking forward to working with EMRG Media again in the future!
Big Brothers Big Sisters
We’ve worked directly with EMRG Media for the last two years for our Annual Volunteer Recognition Ceremony. From start to finish the EMRG team is patient, flexible and gives top tier service ensuring that our event was a success and created a welcoming environment for our community. The Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City team is looking forward to hosting many more events with EMRG Media.
WPP Media
Our theme, “A Night of Iconic New York,” celebrated the city’s landmarks, symbols, food, culture, and sounds, and the EMRG Media team transformed Terminal 5 into a stunning representation of the Big Apple. Each floor transported attendees to a different iconic neighborhood, from Little Italy and Chinatown to Times Square and Bryant Park. Employees were fully immersed in the experience, feeling as though they were traveling through the city’s vibrant boroughs.
Google
Thank you to the EMRG team for your creativity, attention to detail, flexibility, and seamless execution. You took the time to truly understand the vision and made the 2-day NYC event unforgettable with your magical touches throughout. I would not hesitate to partner with EMRG again for future events.
Polymarket
Incredible experience working with Erica and EMRG Media. She coordinated for us a 200 person event with less than two weeks’ time, and was able to accommodate everything we needed. The entire event went smoothly, and was better than we could have ever imagined.
10/10 would recommend! Great experience working with Erica and the EMRG Media team to ensure we had a seamless holiday party for about 900 people. Erica was available to help with every step along the way and help bring to our attention additional ideas, needs and considerations to help make our party a huge success! Her team went above and beyond on the day of to ensure all of the final touches were handled and it allowed for our internal planning team to be able to sit back and enjoy the party. Great at communicating and sourcing vendors at a great rate due to their connections within the industry. Looking forward to working with EMRG Media again in the future!
We've worked directly with EMRG Media for the last two years for our Annual Volunteer Recognition Ceremony. From start to finish the EMRG team is patient, flexible and gives top tier service ensuring that our event was a success and created a welcoming environment for our community. The Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City team is looking forward to hosting many more events with EMRG Media.
Our theme, "A Night of Iconic New York," celebrated the city's landmarks, symbols, food, culture, and sounds, and the EMRG Media team transformed Terminal 5 into a stunning representation of the Big Apple. Each floor transported attendees to a different iconic neighborhood, from Little Italy and Chinatown to Times Square and Bryant Park. Employees were fully immersed in the experience, feeling as though they were traveling through the city's vibrant boroughs.
Thank you to the EMRG team for your creativity, attention to detail, flexibility, and seamless execution. You took the time to truly understand the vision and made the 2-day NYC event unforgettable with your magical touches throughout. I would not hesitate to partner with EMRG again for future events.
Incredible experience working with Erica and EMRG Media. She coordinated for us a 200 person event with less than two weeks' time, and was able to accommodate everything we needed. The entire event went smoothly, and was better than we could have ever imagined.
WHERE WE PLAN EVENTS
Where we plan fundraising events
We plan charity galas and fundraising events across New York City and North Jersey. Each area links to its own dedicated location page.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
When during a gala should the fundraising ask happen?
The fundraising ask is often most effective immediately following a compelling mission moment, such as a video, testimonial, or speaker with firsthand experience. For many galas, this works well after the main course, when guests are settled, engaged, and emotionally connected to the cause. Timing should also account for the overall flow of the evening—an ask too early may compete with dinner and conversation, while one too late may catch guests as they begin to leave.
How do you run a paddle raise so it actually works?
Start high and work down. A paddle raise usually works best with five to seven giving levels and a total run time of about 8 to 12 minutes. Securing a few opening commitments before the event can create immediate momentum at the higher levels instead of asking the room to make the first move cold. Keep the pace moving, make each level easy to understand, and let guests see the collective progress as giving builds.
Can EMRG Media help increase what our fundraiser raises?
Yes. EMRG Media builds fundraising moments into the event rather than dropping them into the middle of dinner. Mission videos, speakers, live auctions, paddle raises, lighting, sound, and timing are planned as parts of the same experience, with the run-of-show shaped around the organization’s fundraising goals and the moments when guests are most engaged and ready to donate.
What share of an event budget is acceptable for a nonprofit?
A commonly used planning benchmark is to keep fundraising event expenses around 20 to 30 percent of the revenue generated, although first-year events and new programs may run higher. Sponsorships and underwriting can change that equation significantly by offsetting major costs such as the venue, catering, or production. That’s why sponsorship strategy should begin early, before the event budget is fully committed.
Do you plan events for nonprofit organizations of any size?
Yes. EMRG Media has produced fundraising events for national organizations and first-time local benefits alike, including work for Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City and leading breast cancer charities, scaling the plan and the budget to where the organization actually is.
How long should a live auction be at a charity event?
Six to 8 lots is the working range for a live auction charity event, running 3 to 5 minutes each, for a total of 20 to 30 minutes. More lots do not raise more money, they lower the average bid as the room fatigues. Put the strongest lot second rather than last, since the room is warm by then and still fully present, and use a professional auctioneer, which reliably outperforms a celebrity host at the same event.
Can EMRG Media source venues and manage vendors for a fundraiser?
Yes. EMRG Media sources fundraising venues across New York City and the metro, then coordinates catering, bar service, entertainment, AV, photography, décor, and other event partners. One producer manages those moving pieces so the organization’s leadership and development team can spend event night focused on donors, sponsors, and the mission.
Tell us about your event
