the most concise and relevant informational piece I have come across for staff management of events

1. Planning and Managing
Events

2. Special Events…it takes a village
Take time
Take labor
Take you away from other work
Take, take, take…what do they give?

3. Why do we do Special Events?

4. Special Event Benefits to Institution
Dollars
Donors
Public relations
Recognition
Cultivation of donors
Cultivation of volunteers
Pipeline
Major gift prospects self-identify

5. Define Event
Purpose
Timeframe
Location
Attendees
Activity at event
Marketing
Volunteers, Staff, Students, Board – who
does the work?

6. STOP
Does this definition match your office
purpose?
If so, how does it further office goals?

7. So who does the work?

8. Institutional Culture
How does your institution’s culture
make fund-raising decisions?
In the past, was there lots of volunteer
involvement?
Or have all event decisions been staff
driven?

9. Staff History or Volunteer History
Staff driven: what control to give up to
get volunteer involvement?
Volunteer driven: administration to assert
staff role

10. One Man Band
Understaffed? Set clear limits: amount of
your time, responsibilities, goals, set
realistic expectations on dollars and
donors
Tell administration the consequences of
understaffing
Other staff to involve? If other offices
benefit from this event, get them
involved and coordinate

11. Staff—why do you need volunteer
involvement?
Cultivation of volunteer
Community voice
Volunteer contacts
Involve non-staff culture in tone of
event
Political buy-in
Dollars and donors

12. What should be decided by staff?
Bigger budget decisions
Keeping event focused on goals
Administration’s priorities & policies
Elements that affect your staff/time:
stuffing envelopes, marketing

13. Managing volunteers
Fairness counts
Politics can prevail
Use executive committee structure
Plan meetings: have your advocates
bring your issues to meetings

14. Staff conflicts with volunteers
“Over-involved Volunteer”
“Doesn’t Follow Through Volunteer”
“Goes Over My Head Volunteer”
“Makes Decisions Without Me Volunteer”

15. How to avoid conflict about
Control and Communication?

16. 1) Plan all communications and
decision-making procedures:
Overcommunicate
Job descriptions
Committee nomination guidelines
Budget and expense approval process
Event Fact Sheet
Press Release

17. Overcommunicate more
Timeline (abbreviated for volunteers)
Marketing Copy
Contact Sheet (with volunteer titles)
Sponsor Copy
Meeting Dates
Meeting Minutes

18. Underscore Overcommunicate
Provide written materials in advance
Provide hard copy at meetings
Review verbally at meetings
Note agreement/changes in meeting
minutes

19. Event Job Descriptions for Every
Volunteer
Event Chair
Event Vice Chair
Auction Chair
Sponsorship Committee Member

20. Event Job Descriptions for Staff
Director’s role
Event Manager’s role
Coordinator’s role

21. Timeline Breakdown
Every other month:
12 months to 6 months out
Monthly:
6 months to 2 months out
Weekly:
2 months to 1 week out
Daily:
Last 7 days out

22. Include in Timeline
Date to be accomplished
Action Step
Who’s responsible for completing
Completion date

23. Detail in Timeline
Not just:
10/21….Address invitation envelopes…RW
Rather:
9/20 Updates in database complete JP
9/21 Order data/setup spreadsheet MC
9/25 Print invitation list for committee review RW
10/14 Changes to invitation list entered MC
10/15 Re-print list and proof RW
10/19 Revise and run merge for envelopes MC
10/21 Address invitation envelopes RW

24. 2) Plan in advance how decisions
will get made
What needs vote by volunteers (like job
descriptions)?
Variable decisions that have low effect on
budget
Cultural decisions that effect tone of event
Keep politics in mind

25. 3) Plan in advance how volunteers
are invited to join committee
Document qualities of candidates: skills,
contacts, wealth, occupation
Beware of volunteer nominated strictly for
major gift reasons

26. 4) Plan should include ways of
addressing challenges from last event
Review last event’s de-briefing
Many challenges will stem from issues of
control and communication

27. What are key elements of great
events?

28. The Details
Personal
Consistency and coordination
Style
Surprise
Courtesies

29. Keep Focus on Purpose of Event
cure for cancer
scholarships
study abroad

30. Entertain and Engage
time for chit chat
pull heart-strings
explode misconceptions
enrich mind and spirit
thank and recognize

31. Energized team of volunteers
Word of mouth