Events can be a great way to increase the visibility of your Venture in the community, raise money, celebrate your successes, and have fun. However, your Venture Team should make sure the event’s purpose is important enough to merit the time and expense needed to properly organize, publicize, and run the event. Below are some things to consider as you plan your event:
Compare costs to benefits.
Events can be a lot of work and quite costly. If your goal is to raise money at your event, decide if the amount of money you’ll raise will be worth the amount of work you’ll put into the event.
Set and define goals.
Think through your goals for the event. Who is the event for? What is the purpose of the event? Why is your Venture having this event? Who will be involved? Answering these questions will help your Venture Team decide how important this event is and how much money the team can dedicate to it.
Budget your event.
It is important to create a budget for your event so your team has an idea of how much can be spent on each part of the event. Your budget should be specific. It should include opportunities to raise money (sponsorship, ticket sales, donations, and concession sales) as well as expenses (printing, permits, speakers, and food). The Youth Venture tip sheet "Event Budget Template" provides a helpful form that you can use for managing your finances as you plan an event.
Keep records.
Create a binder for your event full of information on strategies, contacts, budget items, evaluations, press clippings, and other relevant items. This information will be very useful if your team plans another event in the future.
Pay attention to the details.
For example, determine if the date and time of your event conflicts with another event in your community. Find out if you need a special permit to hold the event or to serve food.
Personally invite people to your event.
It is usually a good idea to invite three times as many people as you want to come. It’s also a good idea to call people a few days before to encourage them to come.
Publicize the event.
Put up posters in libraries, schools, and on notice boards. Circulate an electronic flyer to everyone on your email list and ask them to pass it on to their friends. If appropriate, inform the local newspapers, radio stations, and TV stations about your event.
Educate as well as entertain your guests.
Have a speaker give a testimonial at your event or hand out brochures and other educational materials.
“My favorite part of all of this was the actual event that we put on. It was powerful knowing that we were fighting for a common cause along with legislators and people that work in the field of social work.” - Makara, Box City Vigil for Youth Homelessness Venture Team, MN
More YV Tip Sheets:
- Event Budget Template
- Fundraising Basics
- Flyers
- Fundraising Events and Activities
- How to Recruit and Retain Volunteers
© Youth Venture, 2007. All rights reserved.
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| Event Planning Basics.pdf | 750.8 KB |