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Fundraising that turns a room of goodwill into its best possible result
Duncan Schieb is a Sydney-based engagement fundraising strategist and charity auctioneer who has raised more than $200 million for charities and non-profits across Australia, the US, the UK and Asia. He designs and delivers the money moments of fundraising events — paddle raises, live auctions and direct appeals — and builds the donor engagement strategy around them, so organisations move from one-off event revenue to relationships that give year after year. To talk through your next event or campaign, email duncan@duncanschieb.com or call +61 498 221 100.
What is engagement fundraising?
Engagement fundraising means building donor relationships before, during and after the ask — instead of treating fundraising as a once-a-year event transaction. In practice: understanding what motivates your specific donors, designing events and appeals around those motivations, and following up so a gala gift becomes a lasting relationship.
Organisations that make this shift stop starting from zero every year. Duncan brings a rare combination to this work: three decades of strategy experience and 15,000+ auctions of standing in the room watching what actually makes people give.
What is a paddle raise, and why does
it out-raise the auction?
A paddle raise — also called a direct appeal, special appeal or fund-a-need — invites every guest in the room to give at set levels, no items and no bidding required. The appeal starts high and works down through the levels, so every gift is publicly celebrated, and everyone can participate at their own capacity. It is also the only giving that is 100% tax deductible for your donors.
Run well, a paddle raise regularly out-raises the live auction itself — because it isn't limited by the value of donated items, and because generosity is contagious in a well-led room. The difference between a flat appeal and a great one comes down to four things: the story told before the ask, the levels chosen for that specific audience, where the appeal sits in the night's running order, and the person holding the microphone.
Duncan designs all four with your committee — the story arc, the giving levels, the placement — then delivers the appeal on the night.
How I work with your organisation
Event fundraising strategy — A review of your past events to find where money was left in the room, then a plan for this year: auction item curation, paddle-raise design, sponsorship moments and the running order that maximises giving. Delivered as a working session with your committee, not a report that sits in a drawer.
The night itself — Duncan delivers the paddle raise and auction as your auctioneer and, if wanted, hosts the evening as MC — so the whole night is built around the fundraising moments rather than interrupted by them.
Beyond the event — Donor follow-up strategy so gala gifts become repeat relationships: acknowledgment sequencing, impact reporting that donors actually read, and a rhythm of engagement between events. This is the difference between fundraising events and engagement fundraising.
Most galas leave money in the room
It's rarely the guest list that limits a gala's result — it's fixable mechanics: auction items that don't match the audience, an appeal placed after the dancing has started, giving levels set by guesswork, or a program so long the room's energy is spent before the ask. Duncan's first step with every client is a free, no-obligation review of your previous events to find exactly where your result is leaking — and what this year's night could realistically raise instead.
Results
Across 15,000+ auctions and appeals on four continents, Duncan has raised more than $200 million for causes including education, health, youth sport and community organisations.
"Duncan helped us raise a record amount of funds for the Abbotsleigh Foundation at our Gala event this year. He did his research, read the room perfectly and managed to make the right appeal to our donors. His strategy and action in our paddle raise yielded fantastic results!"
— Sasha Carrel, Abbotsleigh Foundation
"He served as our emcee and auctioneer and helped us exceed our auction goals by 90%. Duncan was able to professionally and appropriately command the crowd... he kept the speaking program on schedule."
— Fundraising event client, New York City
