Table of Contents
The planning leading up to an event can be stressful sometimes, but hopefully the event itself is fun and informative and enjoyable!
Typical Event Flow
Many groups have found that a meeting template like the one below works to keep people engaged:
- Starter period: Time to socialize/mix with others.
- Presentations or Group Discussions: This could be a software, platform, tech tool, or organization representative, a how-to tutorial, a group presentation, etc.
- Speakers or Discussion Leaders: This is often a group discussion on the topic that was just presented.
- Ending period: More time to socialize/mix with others.
Typical Event
- Day: First Tuesday of the month
- Time: 90 minutes, starting at 6:00 PM
- Format: Presentation or panel on an online tool that nonprofits can use to increase their impact
- Venue: Coworking space or local technology company’s offices after hours
Planning Checklists
Event planning is all about lots of small details.
Every group will have a different planning flow, but we encourage you to steal from these veteran groups. 🙂
- NCTech4Good has a comprehensive pre and post-event checklist that covers everything from marketing to thanking the presenters.
- SF TechforGood “How to Run an Event” checklist
- Philadelphia’s Seth Horwitz has created a comprehensive checklist.
Typical Monthly Tasks for Philly Net Tuesday 2013-12-03.docx
Don’t be intimidated by these checklists! These established groups do a lot, but your Net2Local group can scale to however much effort you want and can put into it.
Managing Volunteers
There’s lots to be done, but you don’t need to do it alone! Use these resources to make managing event volunteers easy.
- Volunteer job descriptions – sample roles that may need filling
- Volunteer recruitment email – send this to your group before your event
- Volunteer sign-up workflow – a simple way to manage your crew using email and doodle.com
Day-of-Event Game Plan
As a general outline for events, you can use this list as a game plan:
- Get to the facility early so you can set up and greet people. Be sure to test the wifi or get any required passwords if you plan to use the internet.
- Stake out a corner, a table, or other clear area for a check-in space (name badges or sign in sheet that you may have). If you’re at a crowded bar or café, let the staff know you’re there for an event and ask them to direct people to you if any get lost.
- Bring along a sign to post somewhere visible to let people know they are in the right place.
- Pass around a sign-in sheet (if you don’t have it near the door).
- Nametags are great for groups where most people don’t know each other. (Alternatively, you can put these with the sign-in sheet near the door/entrance)
- Ask people to introduce themselves and say why they’re there. Introduce the format of the event and the speaker/presenter if you have one.
- Be sure to ask for volunteers who may want to help with your next event.
Related Wiki Pages
Available Resources