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One of the most common fears nonprofit leaders have about a paddle raiser is this:


What if no one raises their paddle?


It?s a terrifying thought. You?ve gathered donors in the room, you?ve planned the program, and when the moment comes to ask for support? what if the room just sits there?


The good news is that successful paddle raisers are rarely left to chance. They work because the organization has created the right leverage before event night.

To explain what that looks like, let?s start with a story.


A Lesson in Leverage


During my freshman year of college, I played on the lacrosse team.

At the time, I was barely over five feet tall and just over 100 pounds soaking wet. One day we decided to play a casual game: the women's team versus the men's team. We traded sticks and the game was on.


At one point, I was running down the field with the ball while one of the guys ran beside me. He was about six feet tall, close to 200 pounds, and pure muscle. He was messing with me by putting his stick in my face. Having all brothers, and wanting to match his energy, I decided to mess with him too.


I reached over to try and grab his stick out of his hands?but instead, I accidentally grabbed his wrist.

With the perfect combination of timing, momentum, and physics, I executed what turned into a perfect hip toss and launched him about ten feet across the field.


For a moment I thought I had just thrown his stick. But everyone else on the field was laughing hysterically because they had just watched this tiny freshman girl throw a grown man.


That moment stuck with me because, first of all, it was funny. But also because it had nothing to do with strength or size.


It was all about leverage.


I didn?t overpower him. I didn?t dominate him. The situation simply gave me the right leverage at the right moment.

And that same concept applies to paddle raisers.


You Don?t Need a Huge Organization


Many nonprofits assume that paddle raisers only work for large organizations with wealthy donor bases.


They think:

?We?re too small.?

?We don?t have big donors.?

?We?ve never done this before.?


But just like that moment on the lacrosse field, success doesn?t come from brute force. It comes from leverage.


With the right strategy in place, even organizations with modest audiences can run incredibly successful paddle raisers.


Here are three ways to build that leverage before event night.


1. Secure Plants and Matches


The most important step happens before the event ever begins.


You want to secure plants and matches.


A plant is someone who agrees in advance to raise their paddle at a specific level during the paddle raiser. That might be $10,000, $5,000, $2,500, etc.


A match is someone who offers a challenge gift, such as committing $20,000 to match donations from the audience.


These commitments create powerful signals in the room.


When donors see others raising their paddles, it reinforces the idea that giving is the right thing to do in that moment. Momentum builds quickly.


The best place to find plants and matches is among people who already believe in your organization.


Look at:


You can even review your donor history and create a list of people who have previously given at levels like $5,000, $2,500, $1,000, or $500. Then reach out personally and invite them to be leaders in the room.


You?re not just asking for money?you?re asking them to help set the tone for maximum generosity.


2. Create a Compelling Mission Moment


Before the paddle raiser begins, you need to help donors connect emotionally with the mission.

This is where the mission moment comes in.


The mission moment is usually a short video or a live story that highlights one person, family, or animal your organization has helped.


The most powerful stories follow a simple arc:


When donors see that transformation, they move from thinking about the issue to feeling it.

This emotional connection helps them identify their personal ?why? for giving.

The mission moment and the paddle raiser together create an experience that is not just transactional. It?s a chance for donors to feel deeply connected to the work they are supporting.


3. Use a Professional Auctioneer


Even with plants and matches in place, the way the paddle raiser is conducted matters enormously.


This is where a professional auctioneer can make a major difference.


An auctioneer who has worked hundreds of events understands how to guide the room through the giving levels, maintain momentum, and connect the donations directly to the mission.


An inexperienced facilitator might move through the giving levels quickly, asking something like:

?Who wants to give $5,000? Okay, you. Let?s move to $2,500.?


But a professional auctioneer approaches the moment differently.


They create the right pacing, energy, and emotional connection. They stay poised in the face of silence and they don't move on from levels too quickly which unlocks thousands of dollars.


They tie each giving level to a tangible impact. For example, they might explain how a $10,000 gift funds scholarships for a certain number of students, or how a $5,000 gift launches someone into a brighter future.


Without the right pacing and messaging, it?s surprisingly easy to leave $5,000, $10,000, or even $20,000 on the table simply because the paddle raiser was handled by an amateur.


Bringing It All Together


If you follow these three steps?securing plants and matches, creating a compelling mission moment, and working with a skilled auctioneer?you create the leverage that makes paddle raisers work.


And just like that unexpected moment on the lacrosse field, something powerful can happen when the conditions are right.


Donors who may have never raised their paddle before might suddenly step forward. Because when the moment is structured well, generosity has a way of surprising everyone in the room.