Effective Strategies for Hosting Author Events on a Budget

www.authorsandmore.com Carole Weitzel President Email: carole@authorsandmore.com 512 914-2596

What is Authors and More ? A booking agency for authors, storytellers and other presenters. An agency owned by a retired librarian who knows what a presenter needs and what a school needs in a presenter. An agency that will work with you to help you find the right author for your event. Liaison with the author, publisher, and librarian.

Visit Tips: Start your planning What's your budget a. Honorarium or fee b. Travel expenses 1. Flight, car rental, and/or mileage 2. Hotel 3. Meals or per Diem 4. On site transportation if needed

What's most important to you? Identify the author or storyteller that best fits your event. Date: It would be best to have 3 available dates. If you must have a specific date are you flexible with the presenter? Price range

How to make a great event without breaking the budget: Prepare the audience Publicize the event Library website Parent Links, emails Public Library Create excitement for the author visit Read the books Learn about the author Check for equipment needs

Prepare the Audience: Prepare the students, teachers, and parents Share details about the author and their books Read the author s books Send parent links, emails Help students prepare questions for the author. Send home book sales flyers Create welcome posters ask author to autograph them

What the author needs Have the schedule ready at least 2 weeks in advance. Allow time for autographing of books, material Provide refreshments during the day a. bottled water or other beverages b. lunch check for any allergies Stay on schedule

What the author needs (cont.): Needs information about the presentation area. Discuss equipment needed for program Test the equipment ahead of time Provide a parking space Payment should be available the day of the performance. Send your payment to Authors and More.

$$$ Saving Ideas: Is there another school in your district which also wants to schedule the author the same week? Sometimes an author will discount their fee when they are booked for more than one school in the same week in the same area. Authors and More can help with booking authors for more than one day from surrounding districts thus saving costs for everyone. Sharing travel costs helps with budgets & bottom lines.

$$$ Saving Ideas (cont.) Check with the Public Library Community groups in the area may book the author/storyteller for an evening performance Book Clubs Ladies or Men's groups Look for a community sponsor Check with your local bookstore

Funding Sources: TCA - Texas Commission on the Arts Anina Moore http://www.arts.state.tx.us/ PTAs - Be proactive with the PTA , ask to be on the programs committee. Book Fairs - Tell parents the book fair is raising money to bring authors to the school. Let them know that the profits benefit the students and how you plan to use it.

Funding Sources (cont.) Corporate grants Most large companies have a grant program Education grants More info in later slides Local Companies Ask companies located near the school or library for a donation. Be specific about how you will use the donation and how it benefits the students. Give them credit for sponsoring the program.

Corporate Grants A Plus educational foundation rewards www.aplusfcu.org Email: educationfoundation@aplusfcu.org Applications available Feb. with a May 31st deadline Bank of America: Corporate Philanthropy http://www.bankofamerica.com/foundation/

Corporate Grants (cont.) Capital One: Contributions and partnership https://changecapitalfund.org/funder/capital-one/ Kohls: Associates in Action https://corporate.kohls.com/corporate-responsibility/associates-in-action For every volunteer hour tracked by each associate, Kohl s will make a donation of $25 to the non-profit organization. Starbucks Foundation https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/the-starbucks-foundation/

Corporate Grants (cont.) Target: Arts and culture in schools www.target.com/grants Target: Take charge of education Redcard holders give 5% to the school of their choice on their purchases. Promote this with your parents and staff. Checks are given to the school in September. School's status can be checked online at anytime for the balance.

Corporate Grants (cont.) Wachovia and Wells Fargo https://www.wellsfargo.com/about/corporate- responsibility/community-giving/ Walmart and Sam's Club Giving Program http://walmartstores.com/CommunityGiving/8916.aspx

Education Grants Adopt-A-Classroom http://www.adoptaclassroom.org/index.aspx American Library Association https://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/awards/browse/grnt?showfilter=no Donors Choose http://www.donorschoose.org Fundsnet Educational & Literacy https://fundsnetservices.com/grants/education-and-literacy

Education Grants (cont.) Institute of Museum and Library Services http://www.imls.gov/applicants/name.shtm Lee and Low Books https://www.leeandlow.com/educators/grant-assistance National Endowment for the Humanities https://www.neh.gov/grants National Storytelling Network http://storynet.org/programs/grants/index.html

Education Grants (cont.) Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators https://www.scbwi.org/awards-and-grants-new/ Texas chapter https://www.scbwi.org/regional-chapters-new/ U. S. Department of Education http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grants-apply.html

Education Grants (cont.) The Wallace Foundation https://www.wallacefoundation.org/about-wallace/pages/funding- opportunities.aspx

www.authorsandmore.com

www.authorsandmore.com Carole Weitzel President Email: carole@authorsandmore.com 512 914-2596