A commonly overlooked aspect of conference planning is philanthropy. But why? Charitable efforts, after all, add warmth and positivity, create networking opportunities, increase brand awareness, and attract major sponsors. It sounds like an obvious benefit to us.
This is why we’ve helped many clients create charitable moments in their programming, providing attendees with unique, memorable experiences.
Not sure where to start? Here’s a quick checklist of questions to ask yourself:
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What organizations are most meaningful to your staff, company, and attendees?
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Are there any charities connected to important industry topics?
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Which philanthropic efforts will tug at your attendees’ heartstrings?
Now that you’ve narrowed down who to support, it’s time to decide what kinds of events you’d like to plan. Here are some charitable efforts we’ve produced in the past.
Entertaining Events
Celebrities love to support good causes. Big names also help your marketing team attract more guests to the philanthropic elements of your conference and help charitable organizations reach a much wider audience. In this vein, Coterie Spark has worked with performers like Outside Looking In to add more meaning to a conference’s charity efforts.
Don’t just chase celebrities, though! Local artists are great. We recently hired a painter for an upcoming conference. The artist will paint a large tire on stage, and after the event, the tire will be donated to an organization that saves old tires. Instead of going to a landfill, that tire will be given to a community building a garden or needing a tire swing for its park.
Emotional Events
Team-building exercises can also positively impact attendees and your charity’s efforts. We hosted a breakout session with the Roc Solid Foundation, where attendees filled Ready Bags that would be donated to families of kids fighting cancer. At a meeting for the Pediatric Academic Societies, we worked with United Literacy for Children to collect books and raise awareness about children’s illiteracy. During another conference, we created a Build-a-Bike station where attendees could build and then give bikes to children in need. In Hawaii, we programmed activities to help make the Ala Wai Canal fishable and swimmable in partnership with the Genki Ala Wai Project.
Exciting Events
What should you do if your favorite charity’s message isn’t dire? Have fun! One of our favorite examples is puppy play time! In collaboration with PAS, conference attendees were treated to some cuddles with adorable puppies. While we don’t know if anyone adopted and flew home with a new best friend, the event was memorable enough that it’s very possible. We also know attendees were eagerly asking about puppy playtime when registering for the following year’s conference.
Effortless Events
You can also choose to remove guilt from guest interactions with philanthropic efforts. Instead of asking them to donate books, money, energy, time, etc., GIVE THEM something to take home that still advances the charity’s mission and keeps it top-of-mind. Example: our team gave out water bottles from Fill it Forward at a PCMA event. QR codes on each bottle then allowed guests to track their environmental impact every time the bottle was refilled.
One of our long-standing clients also introduced Givsly to their annual conferences. It’s a way for the organization to donate money to an attendee’s preferred charity, instead of offering swag. This effort combines both philanthropy and sustainability.
Educational Events
Networking and team building are great, but there’s value in traditional speaking engagements too. Give up one of your sessions to a speaker from your charity. Allow them to speak directly to a large group of attendees, sharing stories and the organization’s impact on their lives.
Conferences and meetings often boil down to business and financial goals. Taking time away from that, however, to connect with a great cause only amplifies your brand’s image and commitment to doing those things the right way.
Want to produce the perfect philanthropic event for your upcoming conference or meeting? Let’s talk!
