What Does It Really Mean to Be a Gala Honoree? I believe in galas, although I understand perfectly well why many fundraisers have complicated feelings about them. They are expensive, consume an extraordinary amount of staff time and have a peculiar ability to turn otherwise rational people into experts on flowers, table linens and whether twelve people can comfortably sit at a table designed for ten. Still, I believe they can be extraordinarily valuable. A good gala does much

A budget can look balanced while cash is getting tight. Boards that focus only on budget-to-actual reports may miss the timing gaps, restrictions, and liquidity pressures that put real strain on an organization.

When boards and donors treat low overhead as proof of virtue, they often reward underinvestment in the very systems, people, and infrastructure that make mission success possible.