Steering committee, host committee, honorary members, partners, planning group, advisory group, co-sponsors….how do you want to organize yourselves to make this exhibit happen?
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Current members:
Will everybody who comes to meetings participate in the organizing or will you have a smaller organizing committee? It is very helpful to designate 1-2 people who will take the lead—these people are not necessarily the site coordinators.
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Pulling in new people:
This exhibit is a great opportunity to pull in new partners. Invite potential partners to a launch or kick off meeting. Follow up with phone calls.
Other organizations may want to help host the exhibit. They may want to hold their own event at the same venue related to HIV and/or microbicides.
Start by making a list of prospective coalition partners, including (but not limited to) the "natural allies" listed above. Think of people you already know and have worked with before, as well as those you don't know who may be interested in microbicides. See if someone within your personal/professional network knows the people you'd like to invite who are unknown to you.
Whichever approach you use, make sure the invitation is reinforced personally. NGO staff and volunteers are busy and, often, over-committed people. They need to hear from someone they know about why they (in particular) are being asked to participate in this effort and why it is important. If you send the initial invitation via letter or e-mail, follow it up with a personal phone call.
3. Thinking BIG!
You may also consider asking for a few prominent leaders in your community to be involved and lend their name. Their participation may include:
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Lending their name for the invitation
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Coming to an event
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Writing letters to other key community members
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Asking one of their underlings to help out with the planning committee
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Speaking on a panel
What Goes into an Exhibit Folder
When you are approaching potential partners, venues, and funders, it is helpful to provide them with information about the Global Campaign, about microbicides, about your local coalition, AND about the exhibit.
Katie West at the Global Campaign can help provide the materials for these folders – just get in touch with her a few weeks before you need them. Kwest@path-dc.org
Things that should go into the folders:
General Global Campaign information on one side: general info on one side:
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Take action – factsheet #1 at www.global-campaign.org/download.htm
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FAQs – factsheet #2 at www.global-campaign.org/download.htm
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GCM endorsers – About the Campaign #1 at www.global-campaign.org/download.htm
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GCM palm card – if you have them handy
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Any good media articles that you have
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Information about your local site.
On the other side: the exhibit information: (need to figure out a better order)
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a sample invitation or takehome card (the Global Campaign can send these to you)
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2 page description of the exhibit
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2 pager on where the exhibit has been so far
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print out of a sample e-invite
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all of the panels and artifacts (or just a sampling of a couple)
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how to guide IF APPROPRIATE
Levels of Involvement for exhibit partners
It is helpful to outline explanations for different levels of involvement. These are just a few examples of how the Northwest Microbicide Coalition organized in December 2004. Feel free to adapt to your own needs.
Level
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Your responsibilities
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How your contribution will be recognized
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Host organizations
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Help organize one or more events
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Help staff one or more events
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Invite your colleagues, friends, and neighbors to come see the exhibit
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Help publicize the event through official organizational channels
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Join us for any/all of the events
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Option to host a night at the exhibit
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Options
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Name on the postcard invitation
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Mention at every event if there is a speech
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Put your organization’s information on the table at events
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Included on a sign at the event
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Have a speaker at one event
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Option to host a night at the exhibit
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Co-sponsors
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Lend us your name, or your organization’s name, as a co-sponsor or member of the host committee
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Invite your colleagues, friends, and neighbors to come see the exhibit
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Join us for any/all of the events
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Option to host a night at the exhibit
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Mention at every event if there is a speech
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Put your organization’s information on the table at events
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Included on a sign at the event
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Option to host a night at the exhibit
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Financial Sponsors
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Make a financial contribution of $100 or more to one or more events
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Join us for one of the events
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Invite your colleagues, friends and neighbors to come see the exhibit
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Option to host a night at the exhibit
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Mention at every event if there is a speech
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Put your organization’s information on the table at events
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Included on a sign at the event
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Option to host a night at the exhibit
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