Planning and promotion are essential to a well-managed, successful workshop. This timeline will help avoid last-minute emergencies that could jeopardize the success of your workshop.

9-12 months ahead

• Select Planning Committee; identify subcommittees and leaders
• Survey potential participants to gauge interest in topics (SIG members, ACE members, non-ACE members, potential ACE members)
• Consider other participants in your area (students, agencies, institutions, organizations)
• Identify appropriate audience needs
• Define program objectives and goals
• Check possible competition with program topics and dates
• Establish workshop dates
• Negotiate site and facilities
• Establish preliminary budget
• Identify hotel accommodations; negotiate block of hotel rooms
• Determine deadlines for additional outside services
• Initiate fundraising, outside sponsors; apply to ACE Headquarters for a start-up loan
• Contact exhibitors; determine space requirements and allocations, if appropriate
• Develop marketing and promotion plans to alert people of upcoming workshop
• Divide work assignments among committee members

6-9 months ahead

• Contact speakers and identify preliminary promotional efforts
• Identify and compile mailing lists for participants, exhibitors

5-6 months ahead

• Confirm speakers; ask about equipment needs; request program outlines, bios, photos
• Arrange speaker transportation
• Determine preliminary speaker audio/visual needs, other equipment needs
• Finalize air/ground travel options
• Finalize marketing plan
• Send "Save the date" notice; send information to ACE Headquarters for posting on the ACE Web site (or develop own site and share URL)

4-5 months ahead

• Outline program and set tentative schedule
• Confirm and obtain authorization for speaker fees, accommodations, etc.
• Identify and schedule/reserve outside activities
• Determine registration process
• Develop brochure
• Update Web page
• Establish final budget

4 months ahead

• Determine meals/menu requirements with caterer
• Update Web page
• Confirm transportation arrangements, local activities

3 months ahead

• Update Web page
• Proof and approve final registration materials, online registration form
• Order/rent mailing lists
• Market the workshop via e-mail

2 months ahead

• Prepare and produce printed pieces
• Develop and mail registration packet and post on Web site
• Update Web page; market the workshop via e-mail

1 month ahead

• Update Web page
• Verify program schedule with committee leaders
• Confirm speaker transportation; notify speakers of schedule/changes
• Select agency or university gifts for speakers and others, if appropriate
• Identify and obtain materials for participant packet

2 weeks ahead

• Update Web page
• Assemble participant packet materials
• Finalize evaluation form
• Review and confirm audio-visual needs and meeting room set-up with site coordinator
• Confirm registrations (ongoing until workshop date)
• Confirm menus with caterer

2-5 days beforehand

• Provide caterer with guaranteed meal and beverage counts
• Review and modify room set-up based on enrollment total

1 day beforehand

• Walk through program (including registration table set-up) at site
• Check last-minute details
• Identify individuals to summarize sessions

Day of workshop

• Confirm with individuals who will summarize sessions
• Thank contributors (financial and in-kind payments)
• Acknowledge committee members, administrators, and staff support
• Present agency or university gifts to speakers and others, if appropriate
• Collect participant evaluations

Post-workshop: Within 2 weeks

• Send thank-you notes
• Authorize payments
• Share session summaries with ACE Headquarters for Web site, Signals newsletter
• Compile and review evaluations
• Review final financial reports
• Develop and share final report with ACE Headquarters
• Share final report and evaluation with local administrators, Planning Committee

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