SPECIAL EVENTS: THEY’RE WORTH IT!
COURSE OUTLINE
THE BASICS
 Why special events?
 “Sexy” vs “Grassroots” events
 Common thread throughout all events
o Raising money
o Visibility to mission
o Creating an environment for new donors, board and committee members, volunteers &
corporate leader
 It’s all in the planning
 How many are too many events?
 3 top positions for any special event
 How do you define “success” for a special event?
 The Action Plan
o Timeline
o Budget
o Sponsorship Opportunities
o Corporate Leader/Honoree
o Committees
o Staff commitment/responsibilities
o Board commitment/responsibilities
o How to give visibility to your organization at a special event
CORPORATE CHAIR
 The single most important ingredient to a financially successful Special Event
 Profile
 Job description
 How to identify them
 How to meet them
 How to secure them
 How to work with them
 How to retain them
Learner Outcome:
1. Define Roles & Responsibilities
2. Leave with tools to identify and recruit event chairs
WALKATHONS
 What makes a financially successful walk and how to get there
 The role of the Corporate Chair
 Team Building – this is the success of any walkathon
 Team Captain kick-off luncheon
 Where do these teams come from?
 How do I get them to the luncheon?
 What do I do at the luncheon?
1







Team captain meetings at companies
Team captain packet
Setting goals
Follow up from luncheon
Weekly e-newsletters
Weekly calls
Family Teams vs. Corporate Teams
Learner Outcome:
1. A-Z steps from team captain luncheon to team captain meetings
2. How to set goals and help teams reach them
GALAS
 What are the components of a successful Gala?
 The role of the staff
 The Corporate Chair – this is the success of any Gala
 The role of the Corporate Chair
 How to work with the Corporate Chair
 Sponsorship vs. ticket sales
 What is the role of the board?
Learner Outcome:
1. A-Z steps in building the gala revenue and visibility of organization’s mission
2. How to work with and retain the Corporate Chair
CORPORATE SPONSORS
 Where do they come from?
 How do you meet them?
 Who opens the doors?
 What can you offer them?
 Why should they get involved with your organization?
 What more can they do besides take a sponsorship for your event?
 Cultivation after the event – for what?
Learner Outcomes:
1. Effective partnership with the Corporate Event Chair to leverage sponsorship
2. Appropriate corporate sponsor benefits
CORPORATE PARTNERS
 Is it always about money?
 What other ways can they support your organization?
 Can existing corporate partners grow their support? If so, how?
 Can existing corporate partners open doors to other potential partners?
 What are you asking them to support?
 Why support you?
2
Learner Outcomes:
1. Ways to engage new corporate partners in your organization – Bringing your mission to life
2. Effective ways to make your case.
COMMITTEES
 Your support system
 Structure
 Positions
 Job descriptions
 Goals and objectives
 Where do you find them?
 How do you get them interested? To do what?
 How to set boundaries
 Timeline and timeframe
 Cultivation after event – for what?
Learner Outcomes:
1. How to effectively find and use volunteers
2. Building your volunteer infrastructure
3