Some galas spend a relatively high percentage on the event, but also deliver impressive total sums of money to the designated charity. Some galas are well-run. Others appear to operate with less fiscal discipline and efficiency. Some galas are designed only to raise charitable donations, while others seek publicity for the cause. State and federal regulators generally overlook the amount of money groups spend on such fund-raisers and do not publish guidelines on the accepted level of overhead.
Charities try to operate efficiently.
The United Way, for example, requires the community programs it supports to spend no more than 25 percent of their budgets on administrative costs. But many beneficiaries say the amount of money going to the cause is more important than focusing on the cost of overhead. Many nonprofit organizations in San Antonio depend on the money from annual galas to balance their budgets and fund crucial programs in an era of growing competition for shrinking support. But galas are also central to a traditional San Antonio social scene, one that still delights in debutante balls. San Antonio is a city of fiestas and people here, in the Southern style, really love to dress up, get geared up and go out to a party.