What We Shared at the Nonprofit Fundraisers Symposium: Using Games to Expand Reach and Relationships
- Marc Almanzor
- Mar 18
- 2 min read
Updated: May 7
Last weekend, I had the opportunity to join HJC New Media's Mike Johnston at the Nonprofit Fundraisers Symposium to co-present a session titled “How Games Can Help Social Impact Organizations Find New Supporters, Deepen Relationships, and Expand Their Brand.”
This was my first time attending this conference, and it didn’t disappoint. It was a great chance to connect with new faces in the fundraising world and hear directly from professionals who are curious about—or just beginning to explore—the potential of gaming and content creator communities in their work.
A Few Key Takeaways:
1. Fundraising with Games Is Still New to Many
There’s still a significant awareness gap. Many in the audience had never encountered the idea of fundraising within the gaming space, or they were hesitant due to lingering stereotypes about gamers. The good news? Once the possibilities were laid out, many were excited by the creative potential.
2. Don't Overlook Board Games
When we say “games,” most people immediately think of video games—but tabletop and board games are just as viable for engaging communities and supporters. Whether it's a Dungeons & Dragons livestream for charity or a Settlers of Catan tournament, analog gaming is a powerful, underutilized space.
In particular, as we discussed social impact video games, Mike, who is a big board game fan, also presented examples of social impact board games like Kaiju Table Battles. On the surface, this game is about big monsters fighting in a city, but dig deeper and you'll find the game addressing identify issues, queerness, and community. Truly fascinating!
3. Casual Games Are Part of the Conversation
We asked attendees to name their game of choice—and Candy Crush emerged as a clear winner! This was a great reminder that the gaming audience is broader and more diverse than many assume. Mobile games, puzzle games, and other casual formats have massive reach and appeal, especially with non-traditional gamer demographics.
It was great to see the audience's interest piqued as they realized that the barrier to entry was not as complex as they initially expected. Knowing that these kinds of partnerships are possible, they can start to generate ideas for how they can approach game developers, especially ones that have great potential alignment with their missions.
Final Thoughts
A big thank you to Mike for the invitation to co-present—it was a pleasure to share the stage and insights with you! And congratulations to DMAW and The Nonprofit Alliance for hosting such a thoughtful and well-run event. I’m already looking forward to attending again next year.
If you missed the session and want a copy of the presentation deck, drop a comment below and I’ll make sure you get it!
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