Event Planner

Growing Home Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving our Greater Englewood communities through paid innovative employment training and local, healthy, affordable food. We are currently seeking a qualified and experienced Event Planner to assist us in organizing two major events in the coming year: the Annual Benefit and the Urban Ag Crawl & Backyard BBQ. We invite event planning professionals and agencies to submit proposals for consideration.

Scope of Work: The selected event planning professional or agency will be responsible for the following:

2.1. Annual Benefit (May 9th, 2024):

Growing Home’s Annual Benefit is a 350-person event featuring farm fresh food, local drinks, celebrations of Growing Home's alumni and successes, silent auction, games, a paddle raise and our closest donors and guests all together in one spot.  It takes place at Salvage One’s Event Venue, 1840 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60622 from 5:30pm-8:30pm. 

• Pre-Event Logistics Management: Oversee all logistics, including catering, audiovisual equipment, entertainment, and valet. Catering, A/V, valet and music will be the same companies as last year.  Event planner will need to coordinate and communicate with them up until the event day as well as communications with guests if needed via Eventbrite. Create run of show, task list, seating chart and layout of event. Coordinate and attend update meetings with the Growing Home team weekly leading up to the event. 
• Event Logistics Management: Day of, Event Planner will need to coordinate with all volunteers and staff to set up the event venue as well as coordinate with vendors. In addition, Event Planner needs to oversee the run of show. 
• Event Promotion: Utilizing Growing Home’s predesign event materials, Event Planner will assist with marketing and promotion plan to attract sponsors, donors, and attendees.
• Budget Management: Utilizing Growing Home’s event budget, Event Planner will need to manage any additional expenses like decorations, printing and marketing material, etc.
• Fundraising Strategy: Work with our team to implement effective fundraising strategies during the event (paddle raise, silent auction, etc). 
• Evaluation: Conduct post-event evaluations to measure the success of the event and make recommendations for improvements.

2.2. Urban Ag Crawl and Backyard BBQ (September 8th, 2024):

The Urban Ag Crawl and Backyard BBQ is an all day event between Growing Home and 2 other nonprofit organizations, Grow Greater Englewood and Urban Growers Collective.  The event includes three major events: A 15-chef barbecue at Growing Home’s own farms at 5814 S Wood Street; a 2 hour trolley tour of 10+ local farm sites; and a final after part event at Grow Greater Englewood.  The Event Planner will be responsible for overseeing the first two parts of the event, the BBQ and the trolley tour. 

• Event Planning: Develop a detailed event plan for the Backyard BBQ and tour, including the sequence of activities, schedules, and participant registration. Coordinate and attend weekly meetings with Growing Home team and partner organizations.  Create run of show, task list, seating chart and layout of event. 
• Vendor Coordination: Identify and secure participating urban agriculture sites and food vendors for the Urban Ag Crawl and BBQ.
• Budgeting: Manage a budget for this event, ensuring cost-effectiveness.
• Marketing and Promotion: Develop a marketing strategy to promote the Urban Ag Crawl and Backyard BBQ, encouraging community engagement and attendance.
• Volunteer Coordination: Recruit and coordinate event volunteers, ensuring smooth event operations.
• Evaluation: Conduct post-event evaluations to measure the success of the event and make recommendations for improvements.

Proposal Requirements:

Interested Event Planners are requested to submit the following documents:

• Cover Letter: A brief introduction and an overview of your experience in event planning.
• Proposal: Plan and approach for managing both the Annual Benefit and the Urban Ag Crawl and Backyard BBQ.
• Portfolio: Examples of previous event planning work, particularly for nonprofit organizations or fundraising events.
• References: Contact information for at least three professional references from previous clients.
  

Selection Criteria: 

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Demonstrated experience in organizing nonprofit events and fundraising.
• Creativity and innovative event planning ideas.
• Proven ability to work within budget constraints.
• Strong marketing and promotion skills.
• References and past performance.
  

Submission Deadline:

Please submit your proposal by December 20, 2023, 5:00 PM CST, via email to info@growinghomeinc.org. Late submissions will not be considered.