Planning your Event! Eat So They Can 2012
What is Eat So They Can? ESTC is a global dinner party which takes place on the weekend of October to raise money for vulnerable women and children around the world. ESTC is GVN Foundation’s largest annual fundraiser and is in its sixth year. GVN Foundation is a non-profit organization with UN consultative status.
Define your goal What is your event about? What do you want your end result to be? Is it realistic? Who is your audience/clientele? Can you do it all on your own or do you need help?
Type of Event Deciding the type of event you are going to hold defines the answers to the rest of the questions in this presentation. Chose your target age group or population. Details need to be appropriate to your audience: ◦Time, Day, Dress, Food and Drink, Activities, Entertainment, Prizes, Location.
Budget Set your budget right at the beginning Stay organised ◦Keep track of all expenditures ◦Keep all receipts ◦A spreadsheet is a great way to stay on top of everything!
When working out costs for your event: ◦Make sure the cost is appropriate to your audience ◦Work out how much of your entry/ticket costs go directly towards to cause ◦Is it a great deal? ◦Don’t be afraid to ask for a better deal from venues and suppliers!
Other ways to raise funds Once you have decided on the type of event you are running, here are some other options for raising more funds! Raffles – donations of prizes Games ◦Heads or tails, Coin closest to the bottle, Challenges, Trivia competitions, Board games. Auctions
Sponsorship Sponsorship is a great way to support your event! Sponsorship can be in the way of funds, goods and services and donated prizes. Develop a sponsorship plan; what is “in it” for the sponsors Advertising, promotion at event, tickets, logo on promotional materials, space at venue
Is/Are your sponsor(s) appropriate to the cause? Too many sponsors? Don’t make promises you can’t keep Give them some info about ESTC and the work that they do A thank you after the event is super important!
Your Venue Is your venue easily accessible? Disabled access? Decorations – It is easy to make somewhere look stunning for not much money! What does the venue provide in the package/hire cost? Catering and Bar Extra costs
Advertising & Promotion Free advertising options are out there! ◦Facebook and Twitter ◦Community Notice Boards and Newsletters ◦Shop windows ◦Letterbox drops ◦Newspaper coverage ◦Press Releases
If purchasing advertising: Make sure the form of media you are using is reaching your target audience Negotiate with the provider – pay for advertising space in return for free promotion as well i.e. – newspaper articles, on air mentions, photographs
Eat So They Can! Catering is a big part of your event! Do you need to provide options for dietary requirements? Is food appropriate for your event – cocktail, sit down meal, buffet. If they offer you a taste test, go for it!
Timeline Have a timeline of how you want your event to run. Give this timeline to: ◦MC or Guest Speakers ◦Entertainment ◦Venue operators ◦Security
On the day! Relax! Everything will be fine! Wear comfortable clothes and shoes when setting up – you will be on your feet and you may get dirty! Drink lots of water, especially if you are going to enjoy a few drinks that night! Keep a folder with all details with you at all times – quotes, contact details and contracts.
Make sure all details have been covered. Check all sound and audiovisual equipment twice. Once when it is all set up, and once just before your guests arrive. Don’t try to do it all yourself – ask for help if you need it! Have a contingency plan! Stick to your timeline as much as possible, if you need to change it, make sure everyone it affects knows!
After your event Find out how much you have raised for ESTC! ◦If you can give a rough estimate during your event, this can be very exciting, people love to know how much they have helped out the cause! Send out thank you notes within a couple of weeks. Give yourself a pat on the back! You did it!
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