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Event Planning Finance Tips

The initial stages of planning an event can be daunting. Whether you are a nonprofit planning a fundraising gala, an athletics company planning an obstacle race or fun run, or an entertainment company in the initial stages of planning a music festival, the success or failure of an event comes down to the bottom line: finance. People may have a great time attending your event, but operating at a loss puts the event, if not the company, at risk.

It’s important to plan a realistic budget of your event early, and to revise and make adjustments when necessary. Here are some things to keep in mind as the planning gets underway to help keep your event on track:

1. Determine Funding

In the early stages, it’s important to have an open, frank conversation with those involved with the event planning about how much you are willing to spend to produce this event. You must be able to make informed decisions about what expenditures can (or cannot) be made.

2. Review the Event’s Needs

How much will the upfront costs be? What are the event’s revenue sources (ticketing, food & beverage sales, merchandise, auction items, etc.)? Once you determine what the event’s needs are, you can review and revise the scale and approach to the event to make sure expectations and execution strategy are realistic.

3. Build Your Budget and Expense Checklist

On Site Expenses
Venue Costs
Food/Catering
AV
Third Party Vendors
Event Rentals
Decor Vendors
Entertainment
Production
Marketing
Admin Expenses
Cost Overages/Emergency Funds

4. Plan How to Pay Your Expenses

Do your vendors need to be invoiced, paid ahead of the event, or at the time of the event? Do they need to be paid with a check, or credit card, or wired the funds? Do you have a plan to pay any last minute expenses that might occur on the day of the event? Do your staff have access to funds to pay for any expenses that may occur (whether via corporate credit card, petty cash, or personal credit card with reimbursement)?

Best of luck with your next event!

Published: May 19, 2014
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Toffer Grant

Realizing that banks and card issuers were not serving the development of prepaid debit card services for small and mid-sized companies, Toffer Grant founded PEX Card to help SMBs maximize the efficiency of their financial operations. His career in the prepaid card industry began in 2000 at Clarity Payment Solutions, a leading venture-backed platform company servicing the budding prepaid industry. Toffer focused on customized check to card payment conversions for large brand corporate clients and grew a high value reseller network for the company. Over six years, he initiated 65 prepaid card programs in consumer, corporate and emerging verticals of the prepaid card industry. Toffer saw the company grow from a tech startup to life in a large public company after acquisition by TSYS in 2004. Follow Toffer on LinkedIn and PexCard on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.