How the Houston Symphony optimizes its donor event program with Paperless Pro
Learn how a single donor events manager leverages Paperless Pro to strategically plan and execute vital donor events across over 50 events per season.
ORGANIZATION
Houston Symphony
INDUSTRY
Nonprofit arts, culture, and entertainment
EVENTS PER SEASON
50+
“With the Paperless Pro subscription, we've been able to use Paperless Post to its fullest extent. Our designs look more professional, and each invitation feels like a complete package."
Sarah Thompson
Donor Events Manager, Houston Symphony
THE CHALLENGE
One person, 50+ events
Sarah Thompson, donor events manager for the Houston Symphony, is responsible for planning over 50 donor events every season—from hall tours to salon concerts and formal dinners—and manages the entire invitation process herself.
“Before I joined the team, they were sending invitations through email. Gift officers would spend so much time just tracking RSVPs based on people's replies.”
Sarah Thompson
Donor Events Manager, Houston Symphony
THE SOLUTION
Unlimited events, maximum efficiency
A flat-fee annual subscription is more efficient than buying Coins on an event-by-event basis—and with a 25% nonprofit discount applied automatically, Sarah unlocks every premium feature for the entire season with no per-invitation cost calculations slowing her down.
Subscribe and save
With 50+ events throughout the season, one annual fee allows Sarah to send every invitation without stopping to buy Coins for each event—and the nonprofit discount makes it an easy budget decision.
"With how many events we were hosting, we were spending more on Coins than we would with the Paperless Pro subscription, which comes with all of the extra features for the entire season."
Design like a professional
Unlimited access to premium design tools lets Sarah create polished invitations that align with the Symphony’s brand, without a dedicated design team.
"Being able to customize the emails has been a game-changer. Adding the logo and our colors to match the invitation creates a more elevated, cohesive guest experience."
Build your brand, drive impact
A branded, cohesive invitation signals to donors that care went into donor outreach, cultivating stronger engagement, one invitation at a time.
“Ensuring our invitation looks nice and is cohesive helps people realize, ‘They put a lot of effort into it, so I'm going to RSVP and go to it.’ Event attendance often leads to a bigger gift down the line."
Optimize tracking, increase efficiency
Centralized RSVP tracking means gift officers no longer monitor their own inboxes for replies—allowing them to focus on building lasting connections instead of eagle-eyeing spreadsheets.
"All our RSVPs are in one place and tracked by one person, instead of all the gift officers having to spend a lot of admin time tracking all the responses."
THE FEATURES
Inside the Houston Symphony's event toolkit
Explore the premium features and tools included with Paperless Pro that optimize the Houston Symphony’s event-planning experience.
Key Features
Premium templates, stamps, envelopes, & liners
Customized colors, fonts & styles
Header Logo
Speakers Block
Custom Email design & sender names
Advanced Analytics
Guest Questions & RSVP tracking
Guest Check-In
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Is your advancement team ready for Paperless Pro?
Paperless Pro might be right for you if:
You host 3+ fundraising, donor relations, concerts, or VIP dinners per year
You need to maintain brand consistency without a dedicated design team
You want personalized invitations that reflect donor value
You manage a tight budget and need predictability
Pricing plans that work for you
Choose the one that works for the way you host
Pay per event with Coins
Paperless Post Plus
200 coins
Unlock more of our customization and guest management tools when you add any Plus feature during the creation process. Great for professional events, weddings, and more.
Premium Blocks
Guest Surveys
Customize URL
Password Protection
Custom Emails
Guest Tags
Get premium features for design and guest management, including Photo Gallery, Custom URL, and more for a flat fee.
$1.44
Unused Coins may be used for future events.
Unlimited features, all-inclusive pricing
A Paperless Pro subscription includes our complete suite of premium customization and guest management features. It’s a win-win for your budget, and your to-do list.
Unlimited features, all-inclusive pricing
A Paperless Pro subscription includes our complete suite of premium customization and guest management features. It’s a win-win for your budget, and your to-do list.
Make every guest feel like a VIP with beautiful, on-brand invitations and seamless communications.
Customize every invitation and event page with premium design elements like backdrops, stamps, and more.
Simplify your budget process with easy to calculate pricing plans (paid annually, not with Coins) that save you time and money.
Access all our best-in-class Plus features, including Blocks, Guest Check-In, Analytics view, Custom URL, and more.
- You send an invitation directly through Paperless Post
- Someone responds to an event via a Shareable Link
Exclusive 25% nonprofit discount
Nonprofits, charities, schools, and universities receive a 25% discount on all purchases, whether you're paying per event with Coins or choosing a subscription plan.
If you haven't already received your nonprofit designation in our system, apply below with a copy of your 501(c)(3) paperwork and your state's Exempt Organization Certificate.
Apply nowYou're in good company
Get started with Paperless Pro
Not ready to subscribe? Try Paperless Post out first (and pay per event), and access our premium features when you upgrade to Plus.
