COMMUNITY EVENTTOOLKIT

Thank you for hosting an event to benefit Urban Homeworks (UHW)! Community-hosted events
help raise awareness and financial support to help further our mission to lead the fight for housing
justice so that all people have a safe, stable, and dignified place to live. These events are crucial inbringing mission-aligned supporters into the work of building equitable housing solutions in theTwin Cities.
We are grateful for the volunteer hours, creativity, and dedication that goes into making theseevents happen. You are part of a community that shares our vision of housing justice for all.
We hope this toolkit will provide you with the foundation to host a successful event. Don’t hesitate toget in touch with Paul Vliem, Urban Homeworks Development Director, at 612-758-0024 orPaulV@urbanhomeworks.org with any questions you have.

STEPS TO GET STARTED
1. Decide your event theme or concept
Before you start planning the details, decide whatkind of event you would like to host. Will this bea bake sale, house party, concert, or something
completely different? Be realistic about what you
can take on and get creative! If you need ideas,
there is a list of event ideas on page 3 of this toolkit.

2. Identify your audience
Think about who you hope to engage in thisevent. Will attendees be friends, neighbors, afaith congregation, or the general community?
Remember to think about how many attendees
you hope to attend, as this will impact your event
location.

3. Set a date, time, and location
Now you can choose when and where you will hostyour event. Make sure you give yourself enoughtime to plan your festivities successfully. Once you
have your date, time, and location, you can begin
with a more detailed event planning timeline. Seean example on page 3 of this toolkit.

HOW UHW CAN HELP
WITH YOUR EVENT
Large Events(est. donations of $10,000+)••••

Literature and information about
UHW
Executive Director to speak (asschedule allows – advanced noticeof 2 months or more is encouraged)
Assistance with promotion
Limited assistance with staffing

Mid-Sized Events(est. donations between $5,000$9,999)•••

Literature and information about
UHWAn UHW Director to speak at theevent
Assistance with promotion

Small Events(est. donations less than $5,000)•••

Literature and information aboutUHW
A staff or volunteer to table or
speak at the event
Assistance with promotionEVENT GUIDELINESDATES & SPEAKERS: Urban Homeworks would appreciate being notified of your event date before
it’s confirmed with at least one month’s notice. This allows appropriate time to make sure there are
no overlapping events.
NAME & LOGO: Urban Homeworks must approve the usage of the UHW logo or name and all
promotional materials before distribution. Materials should not use language that states that UrbanHomeworks is hosting or sponsoring the event; you should list Urban Homeworks as a beneficiary inthese instances.
PROMOTION: Urban Homeworks can help with event promotion at their discretion by posting
information on the Urban Homeworks website and social media, and by disseminating information
within the current Urban Homeworks networks. Urban Homeworks cannot provide mailing lists toevent organizers.
EVENT EXPENSES & TAX-EXEMPT STATUS: Urban Homeworks cannot advance for communityhosted events nor pay for event-related expenses. Community-hosted events cannot use UrbanHomeworks sales tax exemption by law.
TAX DEDUCTION: Urban Homeworks will provide tax deduction receipts to individuals who makechecks out to Urban Homeworks, or those who have used an Urban Homeworks remittance envelope
to donate using cash, debit, or credit transactions securely. If an event ticket covers part of the cost ofthe event, event organizers must clearly state this on the invitation. For example, if an event costs $10
per person, and the ticket for the event is $30, only $20 is tax-deductible. Urban Homeworks cannot
provide a tax receipt to individuals or companies who donate to an auction or raffle.
AUCTIONS & RAFFLES: Community-hosted events may not use the Urban Homeworks raffle license
number. Please visit the Minnesota Gambling Control Board at mn.gov/gcb/exemptexcluded.html
for more information. All raffles held to benefit Urban Homeworks must apply for and receive araffle license.
REGISTRATION/RSVP: The event organizer must collect registration/RSVPs. If you are not abusiness or organized club that can raise money, Urban Homeworks can provide the following
assistance:• Urban Homeworks can accept checks made out to Urban Homeworks for event registration.
(Urban Homeworks cannot collect and track event RSVPs)• Urban Homeworks can provide remittance envelopes to receive cash, check, or credit card
payment securely.
• Urban Homeworks can receive donations online at www.urbanhomeworks.org/donate• All event contributions must be collected by the event organizer and given to Urban
Homeworks within two weeks following the event.
• Many online event registration websites may help collect registration information. Ask Urban
Homeworks for more details.
THANK YOU LETTERS: Event organizers are responsible for thanking sponsors and in-kind donors.
If applicable, Urban Homeworks will also send a tax-receipt so long as we obtain donor information
with their financial gift.

EVENT CHECKLIST

Successful events rely heavily on advanced planning. The following checklist can help you make sure
you’re covering the bases. Not all items apply to your event. Take what’s useful from this list andtailor those steps to fit your unique planning process.
TASKDESCRIPTIONCOMPLETEDOrganize a Core
Planning CommitteeThis includes people to help develop and implement ideas,
promote the event, and recruit additional volunteers as needed

Create an EventTimeline

Make a to-do list and include dates for when the tasks should becompleted. Try starting backward from the event date.

Find anEvent Space

Once you have your date, time, and audience in mind, decide
where you’d like to host the event and, if needed, reserve thespace.

Apply for Necessary
LicensesIf you will be hosting a raffle and don’t have a raffle license to
make sure to give yourself plenty of time to apply for one as it
takes a while to receive.

Determine Methodsof Promotion

Promotion can consist of a large scale media effort, flyers,
postings on community calendars, and the use of social media.
Provide UHW with all promotional materials so that we can assist
with event promotion.

Sponsorship
Solicitation

If you plan to have sponsors, create and provide a potential list toUHW for approval. It’s best to contact them as soon as you havethe approval to ensure their ability to give.

Auction/Raffle

If you plan to hold an auction or raffle, create and provide a
potential list of companies to UHW. Make sure each donor fills
out a form.

Send Invitations

Send invitations around six weeks in advance as a general rule.

Registration/RSVPs

Track RSVPs as they come in.

Thank YourSupporters

Don’t forget to send a thank you letter to all donors, including
your sponsors and in-kind donors.

EVENT IDEAS

Having trouble thinking of what type of event you would like to host? Find inspiration in the event
ideas below.
50/50 Raffle
Art Fair/Art Show
Bake Sale
Birthday/Graduation Fundraiser
Car Wash

Christmas in July
Food Cart Night
Golf Outing
Holiday Giving Party
Beer or Wine Tasting

Sports Tournament
Wine Walk
Yoga for Good
Movie Showing/Educational Event
Church Offering Collection

Thank you for supporting Urban Homeworks!