Community Relations Office:

University Advancement:

Find Units Within Advancement:

Event Planning Checklist

Community Relations also serve as consultants to many divisions within the university for many large, upscale events. The attached is a checklist one should use when organizing an event.

The following are guidelines for planning and executing a successful event:

Concept:

1. Event goals, format and venue
2. FIU leadership required to be present
3. Target audience

Schedule Event:

1. President and Provost calendars
2. University-wide event and academic calendars, community calendar
3. Venue availability

Inreach:

1. Form Event Committee
2. Hold first meeting, establish event guidelines, delegate tasks, schedule next meeting
3. Prepare and send out Hold-The-Date e-mail to appropriate individuals
4. Prepare event’s timed program /agenda
5. Establish VIP’s attending, prepare information to coordinate their participation
6. Check with campus bookstore for their interest

Collateral Material:

1. Develop outreach/marketing concept
2. Write text for invitations, posters programs, embedded e-mail flyers, etc., send out for approvals
3. Send approved text to publications department and interactive design for design, obtain approvals
4. Send approved designs to various printer vendors
5. Determine guest lists, prepare labels if mailed invitation or flyer, update e-mail lists if necessary

Budget:

1. Propose anticipated budget based on discussed event goals and format
2. Establish source and size of actual budget, look for possible donors if appropriate
3. Set-up procedures to secure vendors quotes, prepare requisitions and obtain PO numbers

Services & Vendors:

1. Determine types of services and vendors needed
2. Prepare standard Request for Quote (RFQ) document describing event in general terms
3. Prepare standard Request for Services (RFS) document describing event in general terms
4. Send out RFQ’s and RFS’s – customize as needed depending type of product or service needed

Possible Vendors:

• Photography, videography, sound and lighting, tents and chairs, catering, venue, tech support, printing, supplies, florist, music, disc jockey, emcee, soloist, sign language interpreter, transportation, hotel, airline tickets, welcome or commemorative gifts, regalia, decorations

Possible service providers:

• Facilities, landscaping, university advancement, media relations, communications, parking and traffic, campus security, student ambassadors, peer advisors

Outreach/Marketing:

1. Establish marketing plan and schedule
2. Research target constituency groups and prepare mailing information
3. Assemble and send out any mail pieces to predetermined guest list labels
4. Prepare marketing packets and mail to university and outside community target groups
5. Follow-up on marketing packets to ensure their arrival and distribution
6. Send out embedded e-mail flyer to UNIVMAIL and all available list(s)
7. Prepare RSVP data form if applicable, collect data and advise committee of progress
8. Request media relations department to prepare and send out press release
9. Provide event information to Communications & Media departments for distribution

Set-up and Logistics:

1. Establish look and feel of event through committee process
2. Request speaking points for president and other VIPs
3. Prepare final program/timed agenda and distribute to participants and staff
4. Prepare event set-up memo and diagrams for facilities
5. Prepare final instructions memos for vendors & service providers as needed and submit
6. Follow-up with all vendors and service providers two or three days prior to event
7. Prepare VIP chair/floor signage and wall directional signage as needed
8. Prepare registration table materials, gather supplies needed
9. Charge radios and gather other event supplies needed
10. Prepare contact sheet to include staff and vendor contact information

Event staffing and Volunteers:

1. Determine staffing needs, present to committee for discussion and delegate for resolution
2. Prepare staffing list by responsibility and fill in as names are submitted
3. Prepare timed agenda and instruction memo for staff/volunteers, distribute as needed
4. Arrange for event walk-through to discuss logistics and crowd control\
5. Coordinate event set-up of venue with staff/volunteers, post directional signage

Post event Fulfillment:

1. Secure radios, podium banner and other supplies
2. Review guest registration lists to determine actual numbers
3. Input collected e-mail addresses
4. Collect and file samples of all collateral materials, press releases, print media pieces, pictures
5. Distribute pictures and post event promotional pieces to VIPs and donors
6. Clean out, organize and store event paper and electronic files
7. Scan cross section of event pictures for electronic storage
8. Close out budget, ensure all vendors and service providers are paid on a timely basis
9. If recurring event, schedule debriefing meeting, type up and distribute results