Special events are essential to World Food Program USA's informative programming opportunities as well as fundraising. Please share your experiences with planning and implementing special events within a particular budget.

"I was very proud to plan and implement my organization's first-ever food truck festival to raise funds to support our pet food program. This program provides pet food for seniors living in isolation with their animal companions. I had a very limited budget for this event - 10,000. I used that money to purchase catering, a live DJ, table decorations, and advertising. The food truck participants donated their services, and we were able to raise over 50,000!"

"My community has several nonprofits, but they never gather in one space. Many people in the community have never heard of the work some of these organizations do, and as a result, many of the programs are underfunded and understaffed. As a city councilor, I decided it would be a worthwhile investment to earmark a small amount of money to organize the first Community Day, where all the nonprofits could gather under one roof, meet members of the community, and raise awareness for their cause and organization. The budget was under 20,000, but it was pretty simple to work within that budget to purchase tables, nameplates for nonprofits, free water, and musical entertainment. We held the event at our convention center downtown and had over twenty thousand attendees. The nonprofits gained donors and volunteers from the event and renewed interest in their causes."

Think of a situation in which you made the most out of an extremely limited budget. This will more accurately mirror a nonprofit situation. If the event was intended to raise funds, be specific about how much money you were able to raise and for what cause.