NPHC & MGC Chapter Party Planning Checklist
Does your chapter want to host a party on campus or nearby to raise money for your organization? Below is a
checklist of best practices to make sure it is SAFE, SUCCESSFUL and FUN for everyone who attends!
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What is the date of your event?
o Be sure to complete an event registration form for your council as soon as you select the date of your
event. The council officer (VP for NPHC & VP Programming for MGC) will help you make sure that there
are no conflicting events that re planned for the same day.
o There may be additional paperwork from CSIL for you to complete for your event (an EIF or Event
Information Form). These forms need to be started AT LEAST two weeks in advance.
o This expectation applies for events in the summer as well.
What venue will you use for your event?
o There are many great options on campus or near campus that have low/no rental fees.
o If you select a venue that serves alcohol (a bar or restaurant downtown), then you will need to check
with your national policies about whether or not alcohol can be served at your event.
o Make sure you work closely with the venue so they know how your event must run and know what is
expected of them. Most venues are very accommodating for Greek orgs!
Have you reviewed plans with your graduate/chapter advisor?
o This important person needs to be kept updated throughout the event planning process.
What is the cost for entry?
o What type of event is this – is it open to the public? Are members allowed to bring dates? Are there
some people who you do not want to attend? Is this event closed to only UI students and do students
have to show their ID?
o Are there specific people who need to be invited (grads, other chapters, dates, etc.)? Will these people
get in for free? If they will, be sure to provide a guest list of these individuals at the door so there is not
confusion about who has to pay and who doesn’t.
Have you determined your marketing plan?
o Once the date has been approved and your location is selected, you can start to think about how you
will promote your event. Is there a theme?
o A successful marketing plan will include details on how you wish to reach your audience. Is your
audience best reached via social media? Email? Snail mail invitation?
o You will likely develop a flyer or a social media event to market your event. A few questions to ask
yourself about your flyer or social media marketing for the event:
 Is the theme and flyer representative of the tenants and values of your organization?
 Would you proudly hand a copy of your flyer to the National President of your
fraternity/sorority? The President of the University?
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Have you booked security for the event?
o Each event hosted by an undergraduate chapter must have a security presence at the party.
 CSIL highly recommends having one or two UIPD officers in uniform present so they can
intervene if any guest(s) become unruly or if an incident occurs. Contact Loren Noska (lorennoska@uiowa.edu) to secure these individuals. Generally, a police officer will cost $20/hour
and should be there from start to finish for your event.
What are the duties of each of your chapter members before/during/after the party?
o Every member of your chapter should have some responsibilities for planning the event. After all, they
will all be benefiting from the funds raised – right?
o One person cannot plan, execute and facilitate a party all on their own – that is impossible and unfair to
that individual. Duties must be delegated to multiple members of the chapter and ideally, everyone has
a role.
How will you be gathering cash at the door?
o Be sure to check out a cash box from The HUB prior to your event. You can take this back to the IMU
after your event to make sure that the money you raised is secure and is deposited directly into your on
campus account.
o A responsible member of your chapter should be the ONLY person in charge of the cash box at the event
and taking money at the door. This should not be a staff member at the venue or a graduate member –
it needs to be an undergraduate officer of the chapter.
How will you use the money you raised?
o Remember, you first need to subtract all of the planning costs of the event (DJ, venue rental, supplies,
etc.) out of the total money raised at the door. Once you have that total, determine how the money will
spent or saved for chapter use. Will it be used to pay for national/council dues or taxes? Will it be used
to pay for an upcoming conference, event or program?
o Make sure you determine this early on in the process so they is no confusion after the event is
completed.
What if I don’t want to follow any of this and would rather have an ‘unofficial’ event?
o This decision is up to your chapter and know that it comes with a lot of risks. In order to protect your
members, your chapter and yourselves as leaders, it is always safest to follow the protocol outlined
above.
o Remember: if a majority of the attendees will be members of your chapter, the event is being planned
by members of your chapter, and attendees/observers would assume this is a chapter event – then it is
a chapter event and should follow the protocols outlined by your council.