There is perhaps nothing more synonymous with nonprofits than special events. Each month there are often dozens of organizations hosting fund raisers from luncheons and galas to golf tournaments and auctions.
While the revenue from events may account for a significant portion of many organizations’ budgets, their planning can be time-consuming and taxing on limited staff resources.
But in an economy where many nonprofits have scaled back on big events, The Amistad Center for Arts & Culture — with five major events planned for 2012, its 25th anniversary year — is making the social experience of special events a core part of its mission.
That’s a tall order for an organization with a staff of three employees. A typical event — such as The Amistad Center’s A Taste of History event on Feb. 27 — can take up to six months to plan, according to the Olivia White, the Hartford organization’s executive director. That means planning often overlaps for multiple events. And while coordinating a Taste event requires numerous logistical steps — from securing a lead sponsor to recruiting restaurants to participate to publicizing the event — White contends the investment in time is worth the effort.
“We are an organization that celebrates African American culture, and food [which is made with an African American twist] is a big part of a culture,” White explained, noting the A Taste of History event will also feature an art exhibit at the Wadsworth Atheneum, where The Amistad Center is located. “I think people find real value in taste events like ours where they can sample foods from great area restaurants while celebrating culture through art and music.”
White also sees real value for her organization’s bottom line. That’s because the 15 or so participating restaurants and beverage distributors will donate the food and wine, making A Taste of History — now in its fifth year — a cost-effective event for the center. “Our lead sponsor [this year, Pratt & Whitney] covers any costs associated with the event,” White said, “so 100 percent of event proceeds benefit our organization.”
White said one-third to one-half of her organization’s budget is raised through special events, making success of events critical to the organization’s survival.
Another key to The Amistad Center’s event success has been targeting different audiences. “You can only ask the same people for support so many times,” White said. She notes that the Taste event is expected to draw nearly 400 individuals, while the fall gala and Juneteenth gala are primarily corporate sponsored.
”With Juneteenth, a lot of companies help expose their summer interns and new associates to Hartford’s culture, hoping to attract and retain employees,” White explained. “We want our events to align with our target audience’s needs.”
And each year White’s organization gains more insight into those needs through post-event surveys. “Event success is not simply about meeting a financial goal or the number of attendees, it’s about whether your guests leave satisfied,” White said.
And, while The Amistad Center’s large scale events — including Juneteenth, the summer event which commemorates the ending of slavery, and its fall gala — can be time-intensive to plan, White says, event planning becomes easier over time with experience.
With some of Hartford’s finest restaurants participating in this year’s A Taste of History event, satisfying guests should not to be a problem
