Learn how to run this simple, repeatable community event that turns strangers into loyal supporters — and subscribers into your biggest advocates.
We’ll make three mocktails. You’ll feel what community looks like in real time. And you’ll leave with a complete toolkit to run it yourself — for the supporters you already have, and the ones you haven’t met yet.
Give them something to look forward to: A simple, repeatable event format that deepens loyalty — and opens the door to new supporters at the same time.
Next Workshop: 16th April, 2026
One Format. Multiple Uses.
Most nonprofit events are built for one purpose. Mocktails & Meet-ups is different. Your mocktail workshop can be used to welcome new members into your Friends and Champions Community, for team building, seasonal Celebrations, Meet and Greet, Information evenings, hangouts, networking, family events – you’re only limited by your imagination. The same simple format works whether you’re strengthening bonds with existing members — or opening the door to new ones.
Your current supporters know you. But knowing isn’t the same as belonging. A regular, low-stakes gathering creates the kind of shared experience that turns a donor into a champion.
A mocktail session is low-stakes enough that people say yes even before they’re fully committed to your cause. The event does the warming-up work — so your welcome sequence can do the rest.
“The mocktail is just the vehicle. Connection is the destination — whether it’s your 10th member or your very first.”
What’s Inside
In this workshop you’ll experience both sides: what it feels like to be a guest at a Mocktails & Meet-up — and exactly how to run one for your own community.”
We start by doing it. Your team makes a mocktail together — so they feel what community looks like before we teach it. Show, don’t tell.
Format, recipe, invitation, facilitation, follow-up. A clear framework to plan any session — virtual or in-person — in under an hour.
How to use the same event to bring new people in and move them straight into your “New Members” welcome sequence.
What to send at 24hrs, 3–5 days, and 7–10 days after the event. How to keep the warmth alive — and when to make the next ask.
One event is a moment. A rhythm is a movement. How to build a simple quarterly calendar your members actually anticipate.
Every template and guide to run sessions independently — invitation copy, host script, follow-up emails, donation ask framework, and more.
What You Leave With
Every participant leaves with your first session already planned and the toolkit to run your Mocktails workshops as often as you like.
One-page template: format, date, recipe, guest list, follow-up schedule.
Three versions — warm & casual, more formal, and a short social post — all using the 3-line invite principle.
A simple, beautiful template — ready to print or share digitally with your members.
Step-by-step: what to say at the start, the conversation prompt, how to close, what to do if things go quiet.
Email templates for 24hrs, 3–5 days, and 7–10 days post-event, with blanks for personalisation.
A warm, relationship-first ask that flows naturally from your follow-up — never out of nowhere.
Plan four sessions in advance and build real anticipation with your community.
How to use events as a warm on-ramp for new supporters — and connect them to your welcome sequence.
Is This For You?
This workshop is intentionally specific. Here’s how to know if it’s the right fit right now.
You’ve built or are building a “friends of” community and want to deepen those relationships
You want a simple, low-cost event format you can actually run with a small team
You’re tired of sending emails into the void and want members to look forward to hearing from you
You want a natural way to bring new people in without a hard sell
You’re a small-but-established or mid-size nonprofit with 3–6 team members who’d benefit from training together
You’re looking for a large-scale events strategy or gala planning — this is intentionally small and repeatable
You haven’t started building your founding members community yet (look at Stage 1 first)
You want a one-size-fits-all event template with no relationship-building strategy behind it
You’re expecting a quick fundraising fix — this is a long-game community strategy, not a fast ask
— The Mocktails & Meet-ups philosophy“If people have something to look forward to, they’ll come.
If they come, they’ll connect. If they connect, they’ll stay.
And when they stay, everything else becomes easier.“
COMMUNITY & STORYTELLING STRATEGIST FOR NONPROFITS
I help small and mid-sized nonprofits turn supporters into people who stay, care, and give — not through flashy campaigns or big budgets, but through simple, human moments that build real connection.
Mocktails & Meet-ups was born from a simple observation: even when an organisation is great at getting supporters, they struggle to keep them engaged. This workshop gives your team the tools to change that — starting with one session, one evening, one shared drink.
Learn more at emebassey.com
Investment
Designed to be accessible for small and mid-size nonprofits. No hidden fees. Everything included.
Individual Seat
Team of Up to 3 ⭐
Need more than 3 people, or want a bespoke session for your whole organisation? Book a discovery call and we’ll find the right option for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not at all. The whole point is to give you a format so simple that anyone on your team can run it — including people who’ve never hosted an event before. That’s what the toolkit is for.
Very little. For virtual sessions you’ll need a few basic ingredients for the live demo (a list is sent in advance). For in-person, everything is provided. Just show up ready to participate.
If you have any existing supporter base, you’ll find immediate value here. If you’re starting from scratch, this is a great way to invite new members.
No alcohol barrier means everyone can participate equally — regardless of health, cultural, religious, or personal reasons. Mocktails are visually beautiful, low-cost, interactive, and genuinely fun to make together. They’re the perfect vehicle for connection.
Most teams run their first session within 2–4 weeks. By the end of the workshop you’ll have a date set, an invitation drafted, and a recipe chosen. The tools are designed to eliminate the “where do I even start” problem.
If you’re not sure this is the right fit, have a larger team, or a specific situation you’d like to talk through — the discovery call is a no-pressure 20-minute conversation. No obligation to book.
Book your team into the next session — or have a quick conversation first. Either way, this is the moment you stop planning and start building.