Planning An Event | Alumni Association of the University of Michigan                            

It is important that your club begins planning its events far in advance so you have the flexibility to deal with unforeseen developments along the way.

For most club events (and all significant club events), you should prepare and circulate to your club's board a written event proposal, including the purpose and target audience for the event and a general budget. Click here for a sample proposal form (.pdf). Once the proposal is approved, you should develop a detailed event task list and timeline, and recruit club leaders and other volunteers to assist with planning, promoting, and hosting the event. You may also wish to solicit sponsors to underwrite some or all of the cost of your event.

In selecting an appropriate venue, you should consider its location, facilities, cost, and capacity. You may wish to use this venue checklist (.pdf) when evaluating potential venues.

Budgeting & Pricing

Projected Expenses

You should consider at least the following potential expenses when planning your events (including whether the expense is fixed or variable):

• Venue fee, including set-up charges
• A/V equipment, including microphone, speakers, projector, and computer and internet access
• Other rental equipment, including tables and chairs, stanchions/rope, or tents
• Food
• Beverages, including bartender fees and gratuity
• Promotional materials, decorations, and supplies, including invitations, postage, signage, programs, and fliers
• Parking and transportation
• Speaker fees and travel expenses
• Security costs (e.g., if you have a high-profile guest)
• Insurance, if some or all of the event is not covered by the Association's policy

Projected Attendance & Revenue

You will also need to determine what price (if any) to charge to Association members, non-members, and their guests, as well as the number of tickets each registrant is able to purchase. In making these decisions, please take into account (1) your projected expenses, especially fixed costs, (2) the capacity of the event space, and (3) anticipated alumni interest and demand for the event, including your target audience.  There is a 2% fee that we have to pay the credit card company.  This will come out of your proceeds so factor that into your pricing.

Next Steps

Submit the event to the Club and Association's event calendars and request event attendance registration.

Promote your event via your club's communications channels, including your listserv emails and social media.

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