The cat-a-lyst Book

Outline for producing a successful Benefit

    In order to finance your groups projects you may want to produce a fund raising benefit event. Scaled down to fit a single event, the information provided in Appendix "A" can be used successfully for this purpose.

Consider the following three questions.

1. What are your goals?
Some might be:

   a. To raise $$$
   b. To generate awareness of your projects
   c. To enrol new participants
   d. To gain experience producing events

2. What type benefit will best fulfill your goals?

3. What is your budget?

Fund raiser events you might have include, but are not limited to:

1. Concert

2. Dinner/Banquet

3. Raffle or Auction

4. Ice Cream Social

5. Lecture

6. Film/Slide Show

7. Bake Sale

Some things you may need to do or consider when producing a benefit event are:

1. Create a Production Time line

2. Artist/Presenter

3. Facility

4. Audience

5. Advertising/Promotion

6. Tickets

7. Technical Support

8. Staff/Volunteers

9. Disabled Access/Hearing Impaired Interpreter

10. Food Arrangement

11. Donations

Some associated job titles:

1. Overall coordinator/committee

2. Administrative person/committee

3. Childcare person/committee

4. Facilities person/committee

5. Financial person/committee

6. Food person/committee

7. Networking/Communications person/committee

8. Program person/committee

9. Publicity person/committee

10. Staff person/committee

11. Ticket production and distribution person/committee

A TIMELINE FOR A BENEFIT CONCERT

4 - 2 months prior - Choose performer(s)

4 - 2 months prior - Choose facility

4 - 2 months prior - Contract with performer and facility

Identify your audience

2 months prior - Start your promotion

2 months prior - Get promotion materials

2 months prior - Contact press, Write press release (PSA)

2 months prior - Get tickets printed

2 months prior - Arrange for volunteers

2 months prior - Ads in monthly publications

2 months prior - Send promotional mailings

1 month prior - Arrange artist transportation

1 month prior - Follow up calls to press

1 month prior - Place tickets on sale

1 month prior - Line up your staff

1 month prior - Posters up and flyers passed out

1 month prior - Weekly ads placed

1 month prior - Arrange artists food, housing

1 month - 3 weeks - Staff meeting on site

2 weeks prior - Check ticket sales

2 weeks prior - Invite press to event

10 days prior - Re-check site, arrangements

1 week prior - Check ticket sales, redistribute

1 week prior- Re-poster if necessary

Day of event- Get total pre-concert sales

Day of event- Get change for box office

Day of event- Final guest list for box office

Day of event- Make special sections ( i.e. wheelchairs, persons with disabilities, etc.)

Day of event- Final staff instructions

Day of event- Give out special passes

Day of event- Work out any final problems

HAVE FUN!

After event

Thank staff, pay bills, send thank you notes etc.