Driving Record-Breaking Gala Success for Giant Steps Illinois, Inc.
Blending Strategic Outreach and Storytelling to Elevate a Nonprofit’s Signature Event
Giant Steps Illinois partnered with Krantz Strategies to promote its annual Denim & Diamonds Gala, a signature fundraising event supporting individuals with autism and their families. With renowned autism advocate Dr. Temple Grandin headlining as keynote speaker, the stakes were high: increase visibility, boost attendance, and drive donations to support Giant Steps’ critical educational and therapeutic programs.
The result was the most successful gala in the organization’s history—both in attendance and dollars raised.
Goals:
Maximize visibility for the Denim & Diamonds Gala and Dr. Temple Grandin’s appearance
Drive ticket sales and donations to support Giant Steps’ autism programs
Strengthen Giant Steps’ position as a leader in autism education and advocacy
Equip partners and volunteers with tools to expand the event’s reach
Strategy:
Krantz Strategies led a phased, multi-channel campaign designed to promote the gala, generate media coverage, and convert visibility into engagement and giving. The strategy emphasized powerful storytelling, targeted outreach, and strong community alignment to build momentum over several months.
Tactics
Media Engagement: Crafted three tailored media pitches featuring stories from Giant Steps families and secured a Fox 32 News segment to elevate the organization’s public profile.
Keynote Positioning: Developed a press release and coordinated a media campaign centered on Dr. Temple Grandin’s appearance to generate excitement and credibility.
Local Visibility: Published event listings on 30+ relevant platforms, distributed flyers through community partners like the Lisle Chamber of Commerce and sent targeted email outreach to educators and local institutions.
Community Group Outreach: Identified and posted in local Facebook groups aligned with the event’s target audience to expand grassroots awareness.
Social Media Activation: Created and executed the “Breakfast with Temple” campaign and introduced a modern Partiful invite system to streamline ticket sales.
Graphic Design: Created branded content across platforms for tailored audiences, including presentations, event-night promotions, promotional flyers for local chambers, social media, and more.
Key Results:
300+ attendees — the largest gala audience in Giant Steps’ history
$340,000+ raised — surpassing all previous fundraising benchmarks
Major media coverage — including top-tier Chicago outlets
Expanded digital reach — through targeted social media, email, and event listings
Momentum for the future — building new visibility and donor relationships for future campaigns
This campaign proved that smart, story-driven communication doesn’t just raise awareness, it drives action. Through thoughtful outreach, compelling content, and strategic positioning, Krantz Strategies helped Giant Steps break fundraising records and connect more people to its mission of supporting individuals with autism.
The gala’s success is now a model for future events, proving the power of communication to turn visibility into meaningful community investment.