Last updated October 12, 2018

Whether it’s a gala, an auction, your AGM or national conference – events are supposed to get easier each time you do them. Unfortunately, unless you evaluate the event on paper, it will be just as hard the next time around. Taking time to jot everything down means that you have all the details, contacts, pros and cons in one place, and the event can be easily repeated no matter who is on your committee in years to come.

Use the following list to make an evaluation form for your upcoming events, and if possible, go back and evaluate events you have done in the past. Add as many details as you can including costs and contact details, and don’t forgot to attach your event budget (proposed and actual) so you have a financial evaluation as well.

• Event Name
• Date and Time Held
• Weather
• Venue
• Venue Re-booked? (Include date re-booked and deposit paid)
• General Description of the Event
• Materials and Equipment Required (Include where these were sourced from, cost, and if applicable, where the items are stored now)
• Utilities Required (Power, water, phone line, internet connection, etc.)
• Consents Required (Include details of how to apply for consents)
• Event Manager
• Committee Members
• Other Volunteers
• Sponsors / Advertisers / Supporters (Include who they are, and what they supplied)
• Other Participants (Performers, security, caterers, artists, guest speakers)
• Marketing and Promotion (Include type, size, distribution and cost of advertisements, flyers, signage, articles, emails and all other promotion)
• Expected Number of Sales
• Actual Number of Sales (eg. number of sausages sold, tickets, participants, etc.)
• Things That Went Well
• Things That Need Addressing
• Things To Remember (eg. Tap at venue turns left not right, no tea towels, BYO)
• Comments
• Total Profit / Loss
• Overall Success (Comment about the overall success of the event, and describe any outcomes achieved)

It’s a good idea to evaluate your event soon after it’s over, so things are still fresh in your mind. File your evaluation in the event file, so that it can be easily referred to next time around.

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