Timeline checklist

For an event scheduled for late September, we recommend the following planning and preparation timeline:

January/February (6-9 months before event)

Organizational

• Form event organizing/leadership team
• Hold initial planning meeting
• Define roles and responsibilities 

Partners

• Identify potential partnerships (e.g., local library, public schools, universities)
• Schedule introductory meetings with partners
• Confirm partner interest and capacity

• Determine event date window (around early September)
• Confirm event date with library and school district and finalize time and venue location
• Gather a rough estimate of number of students and schools attending

Budget

• Draft budget (use any previous budget if available and tips from this toolkit to help)
• Identify any funding gaps

March/April (4-5 months before event) 

Organizational

• Confirm number of students and schools
• Begin researching and reaching out to bus options if needed
  • School providing?
  • Funding?
• Confirm venue layout and begin mapping table set-up

Workshop

• Recruit university partnerships for workshop
• Schedule workshop date and time
• Reserve the workshop space

Funding

• Begin outreach for funding or donations
• Track all responses

Recruitment 

• Design flyer for recruitment materials
• Create presenter and volunteer sign-up forms
• Track all responses

May/June (3 months before event)

Recruitment

• Send out recruitment flyer and sign-ups
  • Departments and programs
  • Graduate listserv
  • Centers and institutes
  • Social media
  • Networks
• Send reminder emails/posts

Materials 

• Begin planning winners', teachers', and students' goodie bags
• Confirm budget allowance
• Purchase tri-fold posters, glue, and colored paper for presenters (will be handed out at workshop)

Workshop

• Decide on food and drink options for presenters (optional)

July (2 months before event)

Logistics

• Reconfirm school attendance numbers (number of students and teachers)
• Confirm number of presenters
• Confirm number of volunteers
• Confirm transportation information

Supplies/Food

• Draft event lunch plan (vendor, dietary needs, quantity)
• Order graduate student giveaways

Paperwork

• Identify any approval forms needed for spending (food, supplies, etc.)

August (1 month before event)

Logistics

• Close any sign-ups for final numbers
• Send confirmation emails to presenters and volunteers with description of expectations and responsibilities

Presenters

• Send poster guidelines and information
• Confirm any special needs and/or dietary restrictions

Event

• Draft table assignments
• Draft student rotation schedule
• Draft judges scoring sheets
• Order swag and giveaway items if not done

2-3 weeks before

Logistics

• Hold workshop 
• Finalize event lunch order
• Confirm event lunch delivery details from vendor

Coordination

• Schedule day for bag stuffing 
• Confirm table set up

1 week before event

Coordination

• Bag stuffing
• Send final reminders to presenters and volunteers on event day information; confirm volunteer arrival times
• Print (judging forms, table signs, schedules, maps)
• Confirm buses and arrival times with schools or bus vendors

Day of event

• Arrive early
• Confirm set-up is correct
• Greet presenters and volunteers 
• Hand out shirts for volunteers and presenters
• Direct student groups
• Manage rotation timing
• Collect judging forms
• Distribute teacher and student goodie bags
• Support cleanup and tear down; receive lunch delivery
• Take lots of photos
• Distribute giveaway items during celebratory lunch
• Have fun!

Week after event

• Send thank you emails
  • Local partner
  • Schools and teachers
  • Presenters
  • Volunteers
  • Funders and sponsors
• Collect feedback - send out a survey
• Collect and store extra materials
• Ensure information is organized for next year