Tips for Hosting
A few simple tips for hosting
A few simple tips for hosting
Planning on hosting a watch party? Sharing dinner or drinks with friends? Become a Community Hub Host and build progressive power in state legislatures at the same time! Invite your friends to gather with you in solidarity, and donate what they might pay for a dinner date to our candidates or partner organizations ($5 or $500, every dollar counts). States Win MA-RI will supply you with unique donation links and a candidate or organization dossier; we can also assist with event invitations and RSVP management, and provide tips for a successful night.
2 weeks before the event:
Invite your friends and neighbors. A personal phone call or email is often best.
Plan the details of your event. Potluck, cocktails, game night, craft party, community walk, wild debauch - it's up to you!
Let us know if you’d like us to create an event page to help you manage RSVPs.
Decide if you’ll keep the event private, or announce it to volunteers in the States Win community.
1-2 days before the event:
Send a reminder to your guests 24 hours before your Shindig (if using our event system these reminders can be sent automatically).
If you’re joining a scheduled States Win virtual event as part of your Shindig:
Be sure to RSVP for that event and save the Zoom connection link (we recommend adding it to your calendar).
Whether you plan to stream the event on your laptop or hook up to a larger screen, test out your computer setup.
Stock up on food, drinks, games (all you really need are a few friends around your kitchen table).
Prepare materials for the shindig:
Review our event handout, which includes information about the organizations/ candidates we’re supporting; a link to a detailed dossier; and your unique ActBlue link.
Print a dossier for the candidate/partner organization for guests to read.
Decide how you will share the donation link with guests (email, text, a computer set up for donations, QR code on handout). We can help you figure out the best option for you.
Day of event:
Ask for donations early in the Shindig. It’s easy to get caught up in conversation and forget to collect $$ before guests start to depart!
Create a QR code (we can help) or set up a computer or tablet with the ActBlue page where people can donate (online donations are easiest to manage).
Print out check donation forms to have on hand (as with the ActBlue page, these will include questions required by campaign finance law), Note: Cash donations are not allowed.
Keep the momentum going:
Check in with us after your Shindig re: your event donation totals, so that you can publicize to guests! (We can provide the total your guests donated using your unique ActBlue link; you can report the total received from guests using check donation forms).
Ask your guests if they might be willing to host the next Solidarity Shindig. The goal is to keep the momentum going until we flip the balance of power!
Post pictures of your event on social media to encourage others to participate. Remember: courage, and carousing, are contagious!