As Conference Director for The Canadian Culinary Federation, I was asked to offer ideas on how the local chapters could raise funds to send their junior chefs to the annual conference.
Everyone realizes the value of attending a conference, of the face time, the education, the networking, business development and so forth. However, it definitely is challenging for students or newly entering the work force to attend these wonderful career building events - heck, in today's economy it is a challenge for all budgets to send everyone who would gain from attending a conference.
here are some ideas - (also posted on our CCFCC2011 blog)
Some Great Fundraising Tips
Want to attend the CCFCC 2011 National Conference, but don't know how to fund it? Keep reading!
The CCFCC 2011 Conference Committee was asked if we had any thoughts on chapters raising money to attend the annual National Chefs Conference – asked by many groups actually.
We wish to share a few ideas with you.
Saving Money takes a lot of time and effort – nevertheless, if you invest some time into research on the internet, into networking and business development, and into your community, you can always save money.
The Short list of Ideas: (for those who don’t have time to read everything below)
· Fundraise – sell your services – people love good food – cook for them!
· Ask people to donate points for air or hotel
· Ask people you do business with to sponsor your association
· Invest in saving money with your time and research on the internet
· Ask experts for their help – travel agencies, marketing and sales, chamber of commerce, successful fundraisers – ask them for advice – not to do the work for you
· Give back to those that help you – support their business, write thank you letters, mention them by name in print, Facebook, Twitter
o Network – that is the key to success, and a big reason to attend conferences
The longer list – with more details:
o Host a fundraiser as an association
§ Each chef could cook dinner for 8 people, in someone’s home, with 4 courses and wine, that you could auction this off, or raffle this off for a $1000 per dinner
· Invite food and beverages partners to provide the ingredients
· Make sure your written menu includes their names and companies
§ Chef Poyan Danesh donated a dinner for 8, with appetizer and welcome cocktail, three course dinner with wine, dessert (and of course, shopping, menu planning, and cleanup) – sold for $2000!
o Host cooking classes
§ It is truly a time that families want to get back to preparing their own meals
· People want to learn to cook healthy, wholesome, family meals
o Organize with your local hardware stores or plant and landscaping stores or…. Well you get it
§ to cook hot dogs and sell pop every Saturday and Sunday – many businesses will match your funds, give you the storefront space
§ think outside the box – barbecue veggies, stuffed potatoes, “prawns on the Barbie”
· whatever your community will allow you to do
· include your suppliers and new products – great marketing opportunity for suppliers
o Make chocolates, caramels, etc - box them up and sell them – Easter coming up, Mothers day – get your local supplier to sponsor the ingredients
§ You could raise 10K in no time with chocolates
o Host a soup cooking competition – cold days, coming to spring – hit the local fairs, or farmers market – sell soup each Saturday and Sunday for a few weeks
§ Great homemade soup! People love it
· Add in an artisan bread or roll; even do soup and sandwiches!
· Be a member of airlines, hotels, car rentals
o Sign up online – watch for their specials and deals
· Go to your local travel agency – especially if you spend any money with them
o Ask them to see if they can get you a flight and/or hotel package sponsored thru their partners
o Maybe even visit a couple travel agencies and invite their support
· Ask your associates and corporate members if they have airline points they will donate to you and your members to fly out
o Oftentimes sales reps have so many airline points they would love to help out
· Ask the suppliers you do the most business with to sponsor the association to come out
o Or a portion of it – something is better than nothing
· Put together a letter of request to potential sponsors
o These sponsors can be numerous
§ Your suppliers and business associates
§ Local chamber of commerce
§ Local bank
§ Local car dealerships
§ Local associations that your association has helped or donated time and food to
· Outline what you are asking for – flights, hotels and conference package - $1500 to $2000 per person (with hotel, flights and conference package, it can be done for as little as $1500)
§ Outline the benefits to them
§ You will support their business and buy this amount of product over the next year (a shorter timeline if you can commit to it)
§ You will have their logo put on your delegate badge
· We can do that for you
§ You will write a thank you letter to them
§ You will write an article about them and their support for Mis en Place
§ You will mention them on facebook, twitter, and social media
o Outline why you should attend this conference
§ What this education, seminars, and networking does for you, your company, and your association
§ Read my article in mis en place – or the blog, about why people should attend conferences
§ Include this in the letter
o Take the attached sponsorship package to Cogeco and invite them to be a sponsor
§ They have a good opportunity to get involved with the association and gain recognition
§ As your employer, the article in Mis en Place would help for you to apply to them for financial support
For the Vancouver 2011 conference – specific ideas
· Google cheap flights – yesterday there was a $200 round trip flight from Toronto to Vancouver with Sunwing
o Sign up for flight alerts – when seats go on sale – grab them
§ Check out last minute sales, vacations, etc
§ Often you can get a hotel and flight package, with transfers, at a great price
· Fly out of the States – there are always cheap, cheap flights – fly into Bellingham or Seattle
o Right now Bellingham to Vancouver on Amtrak is on sale for $13 each way.
§ There is a shuttle from Bellingham airport to Amtrak.
§ Seattle to Vancouver is on sale with Amtrak for $36
· Reach out to your associate members in Vancouver – ask if they will pick you up at the Bellingham airport – it is only an hour or so out of Vancouver – depending on traffic
· Finally, consider investing in your own education and development
o This is a great 4 days to a week, in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with the delegate fees subsidized by 50%
§ Where in the world could you eat, drink, learn, and network, for 4 days, for $500.00
· All food and beverages, plus a black tie gala, for such a low, low price
· Not to mention the education seminars, and the world class chefs that will be in attendance, hosting round table sessions
· Make it a holiday with your family
o Research Tourism Vancouver, get a good deal on a suite or a condo – there are good deals to be had if you work at it
§ As long as you are staying anywhere downtown, you are only a 15 minute walk from the Renaissance Vancouver Hotel Harbourside–
§ If you get closer to false creek you are a 30 minute walk, or a 10 minute bus ride
§ Or, stay on the north shore (north Vancouver) – the seabus comes right across to the waterfront – a five minute walk to the hotel
§ Or, stay in Richmond, near the Canada Line Sky train – 30 minute ride into the hotel
· Remember, a good idea is only good if it is put in place
o Raising money is hard work, and takes time – but, if you commit to it, then, you will be successful
o Make a list of everything you and your chapter have done for the community
§ Then ask the community to give back to you now
o Make a list of everyone you spend money with – all 7 of you
§ Your bank, insurance agency, cars, furniture, equipment, food and beverages
· Ask them to sponsor you
· In return, you will continue to do business with them
Start Now for the 2012 Conference!
Put Fundraising for the Annual Conference into your Chapters Annual Strategic Plan.
Cheers
Dawn Donahue. Strategic Planner, Event Producer
National CCFCC Conference Director
No comments:
Post a Comment