Event Planning Guide/Checklist
It is important to stay organized when planning a campus event or program. Use this checklist to help you plan
as well as keep track of tasks to complete. The earlier you plan, the better your event will be! Once you have
your event planned, don’t forget to submit a Programming Proposal here: https://cglink.me/2cf/s23344.
PROPOSED EVENT TITLE: ________________________________________________________
PROPOSED EVENT DATE: ________________________________________________________
Begin Planning 6-7 Weeks Prior
Before you submit your event for approval on Campus Groups, consider the following planning elements:
Which of the six tracks is your event on?
(Select 2-3)
Succeed ⬜
Prepare ⬜
Connect ⬜
Serve ⬜
Diversify ⬜
Lead ⬜
What is the main goal of your event?
How will it benefit TC3 students? Why will they
want to come to the event?
Is this a duplication of another campus event?
What are some possible risks or liability issues?
Does your ideal date conflict with anything else?
Who is your target audience?
TC3 Students that:
Faculty that:
Staff that:
Event Planning: 4-5 Weeks Out
This period is essential to your event being approved by Student Activities. Here are some preliminary
questions to ask yourself at the 4-week mark:
Are you contracting with a performer for the event? If yes, get a copy of the contract for planning purposes
only. TC3 students CANNOT sign contacts. Have a preliminary conversation about cost, travel arrangements,
audio visual needs, etc. to help with your planning process.
What is the budget for this event? Use the attached budget planning checklist to see how much you need to
request & how much you need to fundraise!
Who is going to be in charge? _____________________
Have we:
⬜ Made a flyer/table tent/postcard?
⬜ Made a slide for the tv screens around campus?
⬜ Posted on social media and invited our networks?
Are we going to invite certain target audiences? Do we have invitations?
Have we:
⬜ Reserved the space we need for our program?
(https://forms.office.com/r/89x7BKaVJg)
⬜ Decided on the room set-up and audio-visual needs for the event?
⬜ Confirmed that our advisor or other chaperone is available for the event?
⬜ Ordered food for the event from American Food & Vending?
⬜ Started to fill out the required Programming Proposal and Funding Form?
Who is going to be in charge? ____________________________________
Have we:
⬜ Met with other clubs or campus departments to plan out the collaborative
elements?
⬜ Provided the resources that our collaborators need?
Who is going to be in charge? ____________________________________
Have we:
⬜ Decided how many volunteers we need for the event set-up? # _____
⬜ Decided how many volunteers we need during the event? # ________
⬜ Decided how many volunteers we need for the event clean-up? # ____
⬜ Decided what our volunteers are going to wear?
⬜ Developed a volunteer recruitment plan?
Who is going to be in charge? ____________________________________
Have we:
⬜ Reserved a table for selling tickets or to promote the event?
⬜ Recruited volunteers to staff the table
Event Planning: Budget Checklist
Use this checklist to track your expenses, plan your revenue, and prep for filling out the budget request form
for Student Activities. As a Club Officer, you are in charge of all purchasing and budgeting. Student Activities
will approve your budget and collect receipts following the event for reimbursement. Please make
arrangements with the Director of Student Activities at least 7 days prior to your event if you will need items
purchased by a Student Leadership Assistant with the Student Activities’ Purchasing Card.
Performer/Speaker
Fee: $___________________________________________________
Hotel: $ _________________________________________________
Transportation: $__________________________________________
What is the cost estimate? $_________________________________
Food
Get estimates from American Food & Vending.
How many people do we expect? ____________________________
What food will we serve? __________________________________
What is the cost estimate? $_________________________________
Decorations & Set-Up Supplies
How are we going to decorate?
What can we borrow?
What do we need to purchase?
Film/Play/Other License Fees
Fee: $__________________________________________________
What is the cost estimate? $________________________________
Advertising
How are we going to advertise?
Will we print flyers?
Postcards? Table tents?
What is the total cost estimate?
$_____________________________________________________
INCOME/FUNDING/REVENUE
TOTALS
Are we selling tickets? ⬜ YES ⬜ NO
If yes, how much are we going to bring in? $ ______
Expenses $______
- Ticket Sales $______
Do we have fundraised dollars? ⬜ YES ⬜ NO
If yes, how much are we contributing? $ _________
- Fundraising $______
= $______ *
Are we asking for funds from SGA?* ⬜ YES ⬜ NO
*This is the amount we need to ask SGA for
Event Planning: 1 Week Before
⬜ Confirm final number of guests/participants for food and planning purposes.
⬜ Ensure that all financial paperwork and backup documentation is turned in to Student Activities.
⬜ Confirm with your speaker. Send directions. Confirm hotel and transportation.
⬜ Confirm the check is cut to pay the speaker.
⬜ Purchase all supplies and decorations for the event.
⬜ Finalize the event program. Do you have an event script? Speaker bio & introduction? Event schedule finalized?
⬜ Send an email reminder to all event volunteers with details, expected tasks, and required attire.
⬜ Last push for marketing. Re-advertise on social media. Hang more fliers. Put out table tents.
⬜ Confirm room set up and Audio-Visual needs with Student Activities.
⬜ Create any signs needed for the event. (Welcome signs, directional signs, etc.)
⬜ Confirm with your advisor/chaperone. Get emergency contact information for your advisor.
⬜ ______________________________________________________________________________________
⬜ ______________________________________________________________________________________
⬜ ______________________________________________________________________________________
On the Day of the Event
On the day of your event, run through this checklist. ALL YOUR PLANNING PAYS OFF TODAY!!!!
⬜ Pick up/Greet performer.
⬜ Secure cash-box for at door ticket sales or money collection.
⬜ Arrive early to set-up the room and give direction to volunteers.
⬜ SMILE! HAVE FUN! You’ve earned it!
⬜ ______________________________________________________________________________________
⬜ ______________________________________________________________________________________
⬜ ______________________________________________________________________________________
⬜ ______________________________________________________________________________________
Event Planning: After the Event
YOUR WORK IS NOT QUITE OVER!
⬜ Send thank you letters to your advisor, college staff, the performer, and all event volunteers.
⬜ Submit any receipts or after event payment needs to Student Activities.
⬜ At your next meeting, complete an event evaluation form. Use the one provided in this packet.
⬜ Create a binder/folder with all the event materials to pass on for next year’s club officers
⬜ ______________________________________________________________________________________
⬜ ______________________________________________________________________________________
⬜ ______________________________________________________________________________________
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS AT A CLUB MEETING NO LATER THAN 1 WEEK AFTER THE EVENT.
Did we meet our event goals? ⬜ Yes ⬜ No
Would we do this event again? ⬜ Yes ⬜ No
Did we turn in paperwork to Student Activities on
time? ⬜ Yes ⬜ No
Did we have enough volunteers for the event and
for set-up and clean up? ⬜ Yes ⬜ No
Did we meet our budget?
⬜ Yes ⬜ No
TOP 5 THINGS WE DID THE BEST FOR THIS EVENT.
1. _______________________________________
2. _______________________________________
3. _______________________________________
4. _______________________________________
5. _______________________________________
TOP 5 THINGS WE NEED TO CHANGE NEXT TIME.
1. _______________________________________
2. _______________________________________
3. _______________________________________
4. _______________________________________
5. _______________________________________
How did this program allow us to grow as a group, as
leaders, and as officers?
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
Did we present a professional program? How did we
enhance the image of our club through this program?
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
Record the attendance at the event here:
Did we get our anticipated attendance? Did we advertise
the best we could? Do we need to change any strategies?
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
Other useful links:
• Travel Proposal Turn this form in for approval and funding of a proposed club trip.
• Travel Roster Turn this form in for approval and funding of a proposed club trip.