Partner Communities
Event Planning Checklist
High Level Planning: 4-6 Months Ahead of Event
* ❑ Establish event goals and objectives
❑ Select date
❑ Identify venue and negotiate details
❑ Develop Event Master Plan
❑ Get cost estimates (e.g., room rental, food & beverages, equipment, speaker fees, travel, etc.) and create a budget
❑ Recruit event committee, event manager or chair and establish sub-committee chairs
❑ Create and launch publicity plan & brand your event (ensure staff and/or volunteers are identified to manage specific tasks – e.g., media relations, VIP coordination, printed material design & printing coordination, signage, online /social media, etc.)
❑ Identify and confirm speakers/presenters/entertainers
❑ Identify and contact sponsors/partners
*start your planning as early as possible.
3-4 Months Ahead of Event
❑ Speaker/presenter/entertainer liaison: e.g.:
o finalize presentation/speech topics
o get bio information, photo
o travel & accommodation arrangements
o have contracts signed if appropriate, etc.
❑ Financial/Administration: for example, determine:
o Registration fees
o Set up/enable online registration
o Sponsor levels/amounts
o Identify items to be underwritten and accounting tracking details
❑ Venue/logistics planning, e.g.:
o Investigate need for any special permits, licenses, insurance, etc.
o Determine and arrange all details re menu, A/V equipment, registration set-up, parking, signage, etc.
o Review security needs/plan for the event with venue manager
❑ Publicity: Follow publicity plan, e.g.,
o Develop draft program
o Create draft event script (e.g., MC, speaker introductions, thanks, closing, etc.)
o Develop publicity pieces — e.g., newsletter articles and/or ads, radio spots, print blog posts articles for submission to other publications and/or ads, etc.
o Request logos from corporate sponsors for online and printed materials
o Develop and produce invitations, programs, posters, tickets, etc.
o Develop media list & prepare News Release, Media Advisory, Backgrounder and all media kit materials (e.g., speaker info, photos, etc.)
o Create event page on your website
o Enable/create email event notifications
o Create a Facebook event page
o Develop a promo video and post on YouTube and your Facebook page
o Register your event on a variety of online event calendars
o Create some buzz on your blog or member forums
o Determine VIPs and create invitation & tracking document (e.g., spreadsheet)
2 months prior to event
❑ Send reminders to contact list re registration/participation
❑ Presenters/Speakers: e.g.:
o Confirm travel/accommodation details
o Request copy of speeches and/or presentations
❑ Sponsorship: Follow up to confirm sponsorships and underwriting
❑ Publicity:
o Release press announcements about keynote speakers, celebrities, VIPs attending, honorees, etc.
o Post your initial event news release on your website and circulate to all partners, affiliated organizations, etc.
1 day ahead
❑ Confirm media attending
❑ Ensure all signage is in place
❑ Ensure registration and media tables are prepared and stocked with necessary items (e.g., blank name badges, paper, pens, tape, stapler, etc.)
❑ Ensure all promo items, gifts, plaques, trophies, etc. are on-site
Event day
❑ Ensure you have copies of all instructions, directions, phone numbers, keys, extra parking permits for VIP guests, seating charts and guest lists with you
❑ Check-in with each Committee Chair to ensure their team is on track
Immediately following event
While you need to conduct a thorough evaluation and update your budget, there are post-event publicity, fundraising and member development opportunities that you can take advantage of with just a little pre-event planning. Here are some of the activities you might consider once the event is over:
❑ Financial status: gather all receipts, documentation, final registration data, etc. and update budget
❑ Send thank-you’s and acknowledgement letters to:
o Sponsors
o Volunteers
o Speakers/presenters
o Donors
o the Media
❑ In your thank-you notes, be sure to remind the recipients of the event’s success – and how they contributed (e.g., dollars raised, awareness – number of
participants, etc.).
❑ Post-event publicity – see publicity section that follows
❑ Conduct a Post-Event Survey – to learn what people enjoyed about your event, and where you have room to improve.
❑ Follow-up Communication with Event Participants
❑ Reach out to event participants – thank them for participating and promote your ongoing programs and how they can support you throughout the year by joining, volunteering or making a sustaining donation.
❑ Conduct a thorough evaluation
We hope you found this checklist helpful in getting started with event planning. Use this as a starting point to identify or assign activities to various volunteers or staff; or print this off so you can literally check-off items as they are assigned or accomplished.