Resources needed

We all know that hosting any event, whether online or in-person requires resources, which are both people, as well as money. At the same time, we know that such resources are not always available, both for yourself as the organiser, or for the participants of your event. Having adequate funding for your event responds to the collective need for embodied care among you, your team and your participants when investing time and labour in coming together. It is useful to be aware of any hidden costs in the form of time and money to everyone involved.

When applying for funding for your event, here are a few costs you may want to consider when drawing up your budget proposal:

Infrastructure and venue costs: For an in-person local conversation, you may have to consider costs such as venue rental, meals, materials needed for activities, transport for participants and perhaps even accommodation. At the same time, an online event may require costs for technology, or the paying for the use of secure platforms or online spaces.

Travel costs of participants: It is not always acknowledged that both online and in-person events require a ‘travel process’: participants need to commute to a space where they can devote their full attention. Participants will have varied hidden costs to be fully present at your event, which can include data costs, renting a private space with internet access, buying any materials needed for the event, paying for elder or child care, or buying meals.

Top tip!
Include a flat per diem for each participant with no claims process in your budget proposal. Participants can use the money to pay for the specific things they need in order to participate and be fully present at your event!

A dedicated support team: Whether you are organising your local conversation on your own, or as part of a collective, having a support team dedicated to different needs of your event can help you to stay focussed on your role hosting the event. Support persons you may want to consider bringing on board would include:

• An experienced facilitator: especially if you intend on having difficult conversations around sensitive topics, having an experienced facilitator to hold the space can greatly enhance the safety and depth of each conversation and the process overall.

• A tech person or team: particularly in the case of an online event, a dedicated tech person (or team, for a larger group) can offer guidance to participants who may be new to using particular platforms or online tools, or struggling with their connectivity.

• A documenter or documentation team: as you will read below, documenting the process and content of conversations during your event greatly enhances the inclusivity, accountability and possibilities for learning that your event can offer. Having a person or team dedicated to this task can ensure a coordinated, comprehensive and efficient documentation process and will provide rich material that you can draw from for any future action after your event.