Special Events Funding Application Process & Allocation Procedures
The special events funding process has varied over the years and needs to be reexamined and solidfied to give the organization a policy that will be followed for the next 3 – 5 years. Staff initiated a workshop taking place on November 14th at 3 p.m. to solicit ideas and feedback from event producers to continue the development of the new and improved process.
The current vision for the special event funding is to utilize special events to help brand the destination as America’s Adventure Place (AAP) via marketing opportunities, to increase overnight visitation and to help book RSCVA-owned and operated facilities. In FY 2006-07 funding allocations were evaluated comparing each event’s marketign exposure and room nights (80% value toward marketing exposure and 20% value toward room nights).
Reno-Tahoe Special Event Producers who have worked with the RSCVA in the past, Special Event Producers who currently request RSCVA funding, hotel Directors of Marketing and representatives from the Cities of Reno and Sparks special events departments were invited to participate in the Special Event Funding Workshop. The discuss focused on questions that have surfaced regarding the funding process and address concerns and suggestions from all participants. Meeting attendees have been asked to make comments/suggestions and any written comments/suggestions or white paper presentations made at the meeting will be supplied to committee members for review and discussion. This blog is another way to get your opinions in for review. Staff recommendations based on all input will be made to the Marketing & Sales Committee in January.
The questions for consideration follow and I encourage your feedback:
1. Should RSCVA Special Event Funding be used to seed new events? If so, for what period of time?
2. Should RSCVA Special Event Funding be used to fund legacy events? What constitutes a legacy event (years of event, size of event budget)? If so, under what terms?
3. Should RSCVA Special Event Funding be used to fund a mix of both new and legacy events? If so, how should the overall budget be divided for each category?
4. How can we appropriately weigh the benefits to the RSCVA? What is the appropriate weight of marketing exposure vs. room nights? What percentage of exposure should out -of-market media receive? The FY 2006/07 criteria weighted the out-of-market exposure at 80% and the room nights at 20% compared to possible funding; is this appropriate? If not, what would you recommend?
5. In FY 2006/07 we valued network TV and Cable TV at different levels; where does satellite television come in? What other mediums should be considered? Podcasting, Videocasts?
6. Should RSCVA Special Event Funding be capped at a maximum percentage of the overall event budget? If so, what should that amount be?
7. Should RSCVA Special Event Funding only be awarded if the funds are used to support/purchase out-of-area marketing? If so, should this be limited to a certain type of marketing?
8. Could the RSCVA Special Event Funding process take place only once annually? Twice? What kind of impact would funding events once a year place on special events?
9. In order to receive funding should “Reno-Tahoe” be required to be included in the event name?
10. Should the RSCVA grant funding to events that give money to charity from their event or their foundation?
11. Should the RSCVA have a system of funding that offers specific funding amounts based on set amounts of exposure? For example, if you want funding of $10,000 the RSCVA must receive X, for funding of $20,000 the RSCVA must receive Y.
12. How can the RSCVA and Special Event Producers track room nights generated by each special event? Should all special events that receive funding by the RSCVA be required to utilize an RSCVA approved housing bureau and established event rates at partner hotels? How would mandated use of a housing organization effect events?
13. How can the RSCVA and Special Event Producer obtain accurate and consistent attendance figures? How do we distinguish local vs. out-of-town attendees?
14. How does the RSCVA’s Special Event Policies compliment what the Cities of Reno and Sparks are doing for special events?
15. What type of materials/information should the Special Event Application require? Do we need to receive budgets, financial statements, marketing plan, and PR plan from each requesting event?
16. The RSCVA has adopted a policy of phased payments (25% prior to the event, 50% at beginning of event and final 25% following the completion of the event) how does this effect special events?
17. Should the economic impact of a special event be taken into consideration? If so, whose measurements should be used to ensure consistency?
18. Should funding be considered only if more than one hotel is involved in the event?
19. What is a reasonable expectation for visitor survey information to be gathered by special events? Every 3 years?
20. Are there circumstances that warrant multi-year funding to Special Events from the RSCVA?
21. Are there circumstances that the RSCVA should fund events that occur outside of Washoe County?
22. Should events that occur during our shoulder season (October – May) be eligible to receive more funding than events during prime season, to encourage development of more shoulder season events?
23. Should the RSCVA be producing events or just funding them? If producing, what types of events?
November 21st, 2006 at 7:14 am
You ask too many questions such that you need a POLL to take everyone’s vote or risk being bogged down in too much feedback.
Special Events are a critical component to Reno as a fun destination.
I think the most important issue here is how to best allocate limited funds for any event. The RSCVA is considering a barometer that relates to media exposure versus attendance. Yikes this is a can of worms.
I can see the political and financial motivations of those voices that would pursue the media exposure events. I won’t go into detail now but suffice it to say that media exposure is secondary to providing the best possible experience for the visitor. In other words, our greatest goal is repeat visitors and word of mouth marketing.
Providing the best possible travel experience may have nothing to do with media exposure events. Media exposure as a criteria for funding events is a loaded proposition that would kill our main events that are not focused on media attention and which rely on the RSCVA’s money. Can you imagine a Reno without the Air Races, Street Vibrations, and others?
Okay so the counter-argument is that we need more better exposure and that can be achieved through the right special events.
Yeah okay, so I question the selection of the so-called media events because there is uncharted territory here. Maybe the solution is to help build certain events like Street Vibrations so it can garner media attention? Or maybe we need something altogether new that fits more in line with attracting a targeted visitor? What then would be that target and how does that trickle down to funding special events?
I have answers to these questions which will come out as I discuss statistics and then intepret those stats into a clear and concise leisure tourism strategic plan. I will eventually bring it home to the topic of funding special events which I see as the icing on the cake of the RSCVA’s overall plan. Look for my comments in the Strategic Thread.
February 9th, 2007 at 8:43 am
I answered the lengthy Special Events Questionnaire. With answers and comments the thing was ten pages long. So I emailed it to Ellen.
I will try to paraphrase some main points from my answers.
1. I suggest a tiered system of funding with the lowest tier needing minimal paperwork and marketing figures and the highest tier needing detailed marketing plans and use of a housing/reservation system.
2. Funding criteria should be predicated on an event’s ability to target and reach RSCVA’s targeted visitor. Advertising exposure such as reach and repetition, competition and clutter, and audience/reader figures and demographics must be factored into the decision to fund an event. Possibly a buffer is needed on any visitor/tax revenue projection due to foreseeable variables?
3. The RSCVA must invest in their own research to the tune of $100,000 a year and encompassing at least a dozen events. Research will direct RSCVA spending and help to direct other local agencies to make capital improvements for visitors to various attractions such as: the Black Rock Desert; the Gem Cave; and Petroglyph Sites, as some examples. Or to convert the Bowling Stadium into a Science and History Museum.
4. The RSCVA must be advertising specialists able to arrive at their own projection of Room Nights, the ADR, and tax revenue. The RSCVA must know their visitor, audience/reader, and how to reach them better than anybody. The RSCVA must decide what its return on marketing investment goals are. See 9 and 10 below.
5. The RSCVA must provide co-op marketing such as Internet advertising. It must also provide ad placement assistance and overall marketing guidelines.
6. The RSCVA needs to separate branding from special event advertising. Don’t confuse the two. This relates to the RTO and getting back to RSCVA goals and plans which is about getting more bang for marketing buck.
7. The RSCVA needs to develop a branding strategy which includes special events small and large and which fits their mission statement. Since branding per se’ is not about increasing visitation how does it fit into the “increase revenue” part of things? Why should funds be directed at projecting a, “we look good, you should feel good about us, and you should keep thinking about us” message?
8. The RSCVA needs to sponsor/co-sponsor more national media events and more events overall, including events outside Washoe County.
9. What events don’t do any out-of-area marketing and which are requesting funding?
Can such an event meet the minimal room night criteria? What is that criteria exactly?
For $10,000 of RSCVA funds, what do you want for it?
10. Is making a return on the marketing investment a goal? Or do you want to raise the ADR and room night rentals thereby increasing tax revenues? Or do you want to build awareness by itself?
COMMENT: RSCVA benefits from quantity and quality of its funded special events. This has more to do with visitor experience than Room Nights and the ADR. When the experience is right for the visitor they go home happy and tell their friends about it. That’s invaluable in terms of marketing because it will translate into new and repeat visitation which is one of the RSCVA’s goals.
Funding events is not a cut and dry decision because there are many variables in terms of advertising, weather, economy, and visitor habits. Because of this the RSCVA needs to focus its attention on the targeted visitor and spend accordingly while not getting bogged down projecting every penny possible.
Generating national exposure and branding through special events is a great idea though considerable thought needs to be given as to what package the RSCVA can offer such an event. Thought must be given to how a branding campaign fits into spending, goals, and the mission statement.
February 9th, 2007 at 10:28 am
Special Event/Branding suggestions:
A) I could see an April/May outdoor competition with Skiing at Diamond Peak, Wind Surfing at Washoe Lake, and Rafting downtown.
B) I could also see enticing select TV programs to tape shows in Reno. Why can’t we get Reno911 to actually shoot here?
C) And I can see the RSCVA promoting new TV programming from within as well.
Reno has some uniqueness which has broad appeal to TV audiences such as: high tech; alternate medicine/medical cutting edge; water resources/agriculture; mining/engineering; history; outdoor competition; and much more.
These things present areas of opportunity from which a TV show can arise. For example, there may be a show about alternative medicine and doctors who practice this type of medicine and their celebrity clientele. (Yes, big celebrities come to Reno for medicine not allowed elsewhere. The best alternative medicine doctors are here.) Maybe this is an A&E or Bravo program?
Reno has a lot of unused potential when it comes to original programming and this should be explored with local writers and producers, the film commission, and others.
TV shows can take many forms like reality v. scripted and competition event v. talk show. Topics can cover a myriad of possibilities. Broadcast outlets offer choice and selection. It’s another world to explore when you get around to it.