A repo for planning all our programs/events (virtual & physical) + the space for org wide project managers.
Organizing yearly events for OpenGov Africa requires thorough planning, coordination across teams, and alignment with the organization's mission: strengthening governance, transparency, and citizen participation across Africa.
- Decide purpose: education, advocacy, community-building, fundraising, or hackathons.
- Align objectives with OpenGov Africa's strategic goals.
- Identify key outcomes: number of attendees, partnerships, press coverage, or projects launched.
Consider a mix of event formats to reach diverse audiences:
- Conferences & Summits – Thought leadership and networking.
- Workshops & Training Sessions – Skills building for volunteers and citizens.
- Hackathons & Open-Source Jams – Collaborative project development.
- Webinars & Panel Discussions – Awareness and education.
- Fundraising Galas or Campaign Launches – Raising funds and visibility.
- Community Meetups – Local or regional citizen engagement.
- Mentorship Programs -
- Estimate costs: venue, logistics, tech platforms, marketing, speakers, and materials.
- Identify funding sources: grants, corporate sponsorships, crowdfunding, in-kind support.
- Include contingency funds for unforeseen expenses.
Assign clear responsibilities across OpenGov Africa teams:
| Team | Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Project & Program Managers | Event planning, timeline, execution, monitoring. |
| Marketing & Communications | Promotions, social media campaigns, press outreach. |
| Fundraising | Sponsorships, donation drives, crowdfunding campaigns. |
| Tech & Dev | Event website, registration systems, virtual platforms. |
| Community Management | Attendee engagement, volunteer coordination. |
| Legal & Compliance | Contracts, permits, intellectual property rights. |
| HR/Volunteer Coordination | Recruitment and management of volunteers. |
| Data & Impact Team | Registration analytics, post-event impact measurement. |
| Partnerships | Engage local and global partners for collaboration and sponsorships. |
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6–12 months prior:
- Define theme, objectives, budget, and date.
- Identify venue (physical or virtual).
- Start sponsor outreach and partnerships.
-
3–6 months prior:
- Confirm speakers, trainers, and panelists.
- Launch event website and registration.
- Marketing campaign begins.
-
1–3 months prior:
- Finalize logistics (tech setup, materials, catering if physical).
- Assign team roles and volunteers.
- Run internal dry-runs or rehearsals.
-
1–2 weeks prior:
- Confirm registrations and attendee communication.
- Test virtual platforms or venue equipment.
- Final marketing push.
-
Event Day(s):
- Execute with real-time monitoring.
- Engage attendees, speakers, and media.
- Troubleshoot issues promptly.
-
Post-event (1–4 weeks after):
- Collect feedback from attendees and volunteers.
- Measure KPIs and outcomes.
- Publish reports, recordings, or highlights.
- Thank sponsors, partners, and speakers.
- Social media campaigns on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Discord.
- Press releases to local and international media.
- Email campaigns for existing volunteers and partners.
- Collaboration with partners and influencers to amplify reach.
- Attendee registration numbers and demographics.
- Engagement during events (Q&A participation, polls, social media activity).
- Post-event surveys and feedback.
- Fundraising totals (if applicable).
- Projects initiated or collaborations formed.
- Virtual Events: Zoom, YouTube Live, Discord.
- Project Management: GitHub.
- Marketing & Communication: Mailchimp, Canva, Zoho Social/.
- Registration & Ticketing: Eventbrite, Google Forms.
- Data & Analytics: Google Analytics, spreadsheets.
- Conduct a post-event debrief with all teams.
- Document lessons learned for next year.
- Refine templates, workflows, and volunteer responsibilities.
- Maintain relationships with sponsors, partners, and speakers for future collaboration.