Lemonade stand
So you want to plan...
A LemonAID Stand
The Basics These are the first questions that your team needs to answer. Once you get these nailed down, smaller details will begin to fall into place. Who: Is this LemonAID Stand targeted for the public, or is it primarily for members of your church or organization? Opening the event to the public by holding it in a more public space is a good way to add visibility for your church. By inviting people to partner with you against malaria, you also have an opportunity to invite people to your congregation. When: World Malaria Day is Saturday, April 25, but you can schedule your stand for a more convenient time. Where: Consider hosting the event at your church, a popular corner in your neighborhood, or in a park.
Setting Your Event Budget The basic rules of event planning are: be safe, have fun, and don’t lose money. If your event costs more money than it brings in, it might build awareness, but it won’t be much of a fundraiser. Before setting your budget, estimate how many customers you will have. Take the time to look into how much traffic your location receives, the weather forecast, and any other factors that may impact potential customer numbers. Then, make a conservative estimate. Use this estimate when planning your budget to ensure that your event breaks even. List all budget items with the cost per customer estimated. If the item will cost the same no matter how many people show up, assign a fixed cost instead.
Soliciting an Event Sponsorship One way to lower the cost of your event is to seek corporate sponsors to underwrite portions of the event. Often, all it takes is an invitation. Many local businesses are happy to have the opportunity to sponsor your event in return for some good publicity for their companies. Benefits for potential sponsors Sponsoring is an affordable way to get their name out in the community. The sponsorship fee is a tax deduction, since the local church or Conference is a non-profit organization. Sponsors feel a sense of connection and pride giving back to the community. When asking for support, it’s best to have several levels of sponsorship available. For example: A $100 sponsorship earns the company the opportunity to distribute business coupons at the stand. A $250 sponsorship earns everything at the $250 level, PLUS: the company’s name on the lemonAID stand.
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So you want to plan...
A LemonAID Stand Event Planning Checklist
Initial Planning Phase
Final Planning Phase
Assign a planning coordinator and organize a team
Gather supplies Purchase cups and paper towels Assemble handouts and activity supplies Gather pledge/donation information and set up a table with pens to complete the forms
Agree on a common vision — decide if your church wants to have one stand or many Determine how much money you want to raise Budget for hosting the event, considering: Advertising Location Lemonade supplies Booth and decorations Consider the timing of your event Check community calendar for opportunities — is there a festival or neighborhood yard sale that could use a refreshment stand? Check to see if you need a permit Discuss how you want to raise funds for INM Set a price or have a pay-as-you-will stand? Order offering envelopes, pledge cards, and donation boxes (available on shop.umc.org) to offer at the stand Invite at local companies to sponsor your stand(s)
Continue promoting your stand(s) on social media sites, local airwaves, etc.
Day before/Day of Your LemonAID Stand Purchase lemons, sugar, water (if necessary) Prep volunteers Pray for the event and lives that will be impacted Handout a list of INM talking points Complete last minute lemonade preparation and set-up stand(s) Welcome guests and encourage traffic to the donation table(s)
After the Event Thank all volunteers Thank all sponsors
Secondary Planning Phase Recruit volunteers and schedule a pre-event meeting Recruit a volunteer photographer for the event Publicize your stand(s) in the newsletter of local churches in your area in a release to local newspaper and/or TV stations in a post on your church website and Facebook with flyers in local stores and businesses in an ad in the local paper with targeted Facebook advertising to those in your zip code with signs around the location(s) Engage the community Invite your mayor to declare April 25th “[Your Town] Malaria Day” several weeks ahead Coloring sheets with information for kids Consider a station to make a pipe cleaner mosquito or a net display for kids to experience Make sure you have the supplies you need Stand, table, decorations Plenty of educational materials to hand out
If you gathered customer contacts, have local churches follow up with customers who didn’t indicate a church membership. They can send a personal note thanking them for saving a life and inviting them to church. Celebrate your success! Write (or ask someone to write) a short article including the total amount of money donated to INM, photos of the event, and the names of your sponsors. Put the article on your church website and Facebook page. Post it on the Imagine No Malaria Facebook page. Send it to your Conference Communicator and your District Administrative Assistant for inclusion in newsletters. Send it to your local paper. Send donations to your Conference Treasurer or to Imagine No Malaria | PO Box 440544 | Nashville, TN 37244-0544
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A LemonAID Stand
The Basics These are the first questions that your team needs to answer. Once you get these nailed down, smaller details will begin to fall into place. Who: Is this LemonAID Stand targeted for the public, or is it primarily for members of your church or organization? Opening the event to the public by holding it in a more public space is a good way to add visibility for your church. By inviting people to partner with you against malaria, you also have an opportunity to invite people to your congregation. When: World Malaria Day is Saturday, April 25, but you can schedule your stand for a more convenient time. Where: Consider hosting the event at your church, a popular corner in your neighborhood, or in a park.
Setting Your Event Budget The basic rules of event planning are: be safe, have fun, and don’t lose money. If your event costs more money than it brings in, it might build awareness, but it won’t be much of a fundraiser. Before setting your budget, estimate how many customers you will have. Take the time to look into how much traffic your location receives, the weather forecast, and any other factors that may impact potential customer numbers. Then, make a conservative estimate. Use this estimate when planning your budget to ensure that your event breaks even. List all budget items with the cost per customer estimated. If the item will cost the same no matter how many people show up, assign a fixed cost instead.
Soliciting an Event Sponsorship One way to lower the cost of your event is to seek corporate sponsors to underwrite portions of the event. Often, all it takes is an invitation. Many local businesses are happy to have the opportunity to sponsor your event in return for some good publicity for their companies. Benefits for potential sponsors Sponsoring is an affordable way to get their name out in the community. The sponsorship fee is a tax deduction, since the local church or Conference is a non-profit organization. Sponsors feel a sense of connection and pride giving back to the community. When asking for support, it’s best to have several levels of sponsorship available. For example: A $100 sponsorship earns the company the opportunity to distribute business coupons at the stand. A $250 sponsorship earns everything at the $250 level, PLUS: the company’s name on the lemonAID stand.
1
1
So you want to plan...
A LemonAID Stand Event Planning Checklist
Initial Planning Phase
Final Planning Phase
Assign a planning coordinator and organize a team
Gather supplies Purchase cups and paper towels Assemble handouts and activity supplies Gather pledge/donation information and set up a table with pens to complete the forms
Agree on a common vision — decide if your church wants to have one stand or many Determine how much money you want to raise Budget for hosting the event, considering: Advertising Location Lemonade supplies Booth and decorations Consider the timing of your event Check community calendar for opportunities — is there a festival or neighborhood yard sale that could use a refreshment stand? Check to see if you need a permit Discuss how you want to raise funds for INM Set a price or have a pay-as-you-will stand? Order offering envelopes, pledge cards, and donation boxes (available on shop.umc.org) to offer at the stand Invite at local companies to sponsor your stand(s)
Continue promoting your stand(s) on social media sites, local airwaves, etc.
Day before/Day of Your LemonAID Stand Purchase lemons, sugar, water (if necessary) Prep volunteers Pray for the event and lives that will be impacted Handout a list of INM talking points Complete last minute lemonade preparation and set-up stand(s) Welcome guests and encourage traffic to the donation table(s)
After the Event Thank all volunteers Thank all sponsors
Secondary Planning Phase Recruit volunteers and schedule a pre-event meeting Recruit a volunteer photographer for the event Publicize your stand(s) in the newsletter of local churches in your area in a release to local newspaper and/or TV stations in a post on your church website and Facebook with flyers in local stores and businesses in an ad in the local paper with targeted Facebook advertising to those in your zip code with signs around the location(s) Engage the community Invite your mayor to declare April 25th “[Your Town] Malaria Day” several weeks ahead Coloring sheets with information for kids Consider a station to make a pipe cleaner mosquito or a net display for kids to experience Make sure you have the supplies you need Stand, table, decorations Plenty of educational materials to hand out
If you gathered customer contacts, have local churches follow up with customers who didn’t indicate a church membership. They can send a personal note thanking them for saving a life and inviting them to church. Celebrate your success! Write (or ask someone to write) a short article including the total amount of money donated to INM, photos of the event, and the names of your sponsors. Put the article on your church website and Facebook page. Post it on the Imagine No Malaria Facebook page. Send it to your Conference Communicator and your District Administrative Assistant for inclusion in newsletters. Send it to your local paper. Send donations to your Conference Treasurer or to Imagine No Malaria | PO Box 440544 | Nashville, TN 37244-0544
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