Riverfest 2008 Proposal

August 28 – September 7, 2008

Portland, Oregon

Communications:

Based on the items you have listed, you will want one beginning email list and you will want an up-dated list each month which would include any new additions and/or subtractions. The coordinator would set meeting schedules and attend all meetings, take notes, distribute notes within three days of the meeting, prepare a contact list of partners, funders, organizers, government entities and any contacts that will be valuable in putting on Riverfest. This person would also distribute a monthly newsletter to the news list. (I am not sure if I would be writing the newsletter or merely distributing it) If I am just going to make sure the newsletter is distributed, then the cost is lower.

I would propose that it would amount to at least 4 hours or more in meetings in one month, plus the everyday up-keep of emails and schedules.

I propose a figure of $1600 per month.

Personnel:

Manage Riverfest volunteers, first we better find them and then it is easy to give them the information and find the best spot for people. Again, set meetings, assign tasks, write up duties and expectations of each job for volunteers. Tasks can be listed on an excel spread sheet and as we complete, we can cross that task off the list. It can be done as the entire project and then again under each volunteer’s tasks.

Manage the different groups of organizers, set the meetings, assign tasks and the duties along with the tasks. Once completed, we will cross that off the excel spread sheet just like we do with any of the jobs/tasks that are involved.

Managing subcommittees, list of each event, what needs to be done, who is the leader, find one if none listed, dates of all meetings with reports sent in to bring the entire group up to date of what each group/event is doing. Also, this will involve a community calendar of each group’s events so we are not stepping on each other as we go about any fundraising, outreach programs or some fun thing like a parade.

Solicit the community leaders from many different boys/girls organizations seek out diverse groups/organizations, find leaders from the many organizations around the metro area. Have a list of skills needed to be a volunteer and use the resources of the different independent groups to help build your volunteer base.

One of the ideas I would use is: after volunteers are recruited, hold an orientation for the volunteers and go over the area of what they will be doing, giving them all the information they will need, a little on customer service tips and then as the event gets closer, there would be other meetings but the orientation gets people together to start building the enthusiasm for the event.

This is rather hard to put down as an amount of cost per project but it is so important, that I propose $1,800 a month.

Marketing/Media

I would develop the marketing plan, timeline, benchmarks and budget with an outside consultant. It would be a joint project, but design, collateral pieces are best left to people that are really talented in that area. I am not, but I do know what looks good and what people tend to like. As coordinator, I would provide the content and do the press releases but I would be working with one other person to work with the media representatives, information for the calendars, any inserts and they would help maintain the media contact list.

For this project, I would propose $2,000 a month. (part would be outsourced but this amount would cover that).

Logistics:

I have already referred to a community calendar, this could include a digital map of all venues and activities, develop a festival schedule with project timelines distributed to all event organizers.

Identify what permits are needed for each group and obtain all permits for each venue. After making sure all permits are correct, attend each event during the festival and make sure your presence is known.

The coordinator would not only get permits for all venues, but identify and coordinate required infrastructure (tents, port-o-loos, staging, etc). Contract vendors to provide required infrastructure with an environmental plan in mind for each event.

For this project which will take so much time in calling, follow-up, I would propose $1,500 a month.

Finances:

Detailed budgeting, tracking expense and revenue, as often as bill comes in and report monthly but if there are projections that are way off, notify the Steering Committee with the explanation for the increase of expense.

Develop a fundraising plan with timeline and benchmarks.

I would propose $800 a month

Demeanor:

I have a great sense of humor and even wrote a book about my children named: A Mother is a Mother unless She’s Earth Vomit. I love to laugh but that does not mean I do not take my job or duties lightly but I just think you have to have fun in the job you are doing or you should find something else to do.

I am a past president of the local Meeting Professionals International and had leadership roles working with new lawyers when I worked with the Oregon State Bar. I know how to delegate but I am not a micro-manager type. I believe if I pick someone for the job, that they are capable to do the job or I would not ask them. I do however expect them to work hard, have fun and turn in the best performance possible. I love working with diverse segments of our community, kids are great and I even help my daughter out if she needs a room mother for her 4^th grade class (yikes, what am I thinking!).

The environment is very important to me and I am currently helping plan a program showing others the results of being “Green”. I also recycle anything I can from old bags of wet cement and turning them into great borders for flowers to my daily garbage.

I propose no charge for this area

Thank you for allowing me to give you a proposal. To do the costing by project is hard because I do not want to charge you too much but still charge an amount that I know I can live with while doing the job. The totals reflect an amount of $7,700 a month but you have it figured as 40 hours a week, which really works out to $1925 a month.

I can provide references if needed and I would enjoy working on this event as I am sure it will be a huge success.

Thank you,

Carolyn B. Wence, CMP (Certified Meeting Professional)

Plans & Action

503-259-0739

Cell: 503-330-7010