Thank you for volunteering to host a house party for Georgia’s WIN List.

Your House Party kit is on the way!

House parties are crucial to our success. They broaden our base and allow us to meet people from new communities. The more progressive people we engage, the closer we get to changing the face of power in Georgia.

To help you feel more comfortable hosting an event, below are tips on setting goals, a suggested timetable and agenda, recommendations on collecting donations and volunteer names, and downloadable resources.

If you have not received your House Party kit by one week prior to your event, please let us know so we can put a rush on! We encourage you to reach out to Melita Easters, our Executive Director or Anna Beck, our Board Chair. We’re here to help you, so use us!

The purpose of a house party is to:

Provide an opportunity for us to meet progressives from YOUR community
Engage attendees by providing the history and overview of Georgia’s WIN List, as well as important updates around upcoming elections
Provide opportunities for members of your community to plug in to WIN in multiple ways if they choose
Help us identify members of your community who want to serve on our board, make a contribution, or host their own house party

The purpose of a house party is NOT:

For you to spend a lot of money
For you to feel stressed about filling a room

Timetable

6 Weeks Before the Event

Set the date
Consider asking friends to co-host if you’d like
Draw up your invitation list and remember only 30-40% of invitees actually attend
Use the verbiage and imagery provided at the end of this document as you like with your invitation
Remind people, while we do intend to ask for contributions, this is not a “fundraiser” but a “friendraiser’.

5 weeks Before the Event

Email Save the Date notices. Sample text and jpeg images are provided below.

4 weeks Before the Event

Email invitations. Sample text and jpeg images are provided below.

2 Weeks Before

Call/Text or email to remind and encourage folks to attend
Update Anna or Melita as to expected number of guests (it is helpful to provide a little information on the type of folks expected i.e. job, age, gender etc.)

1 Week Before

Finish any remaining calls/texts/emails to get RSVPs
Decide who will do the introduction and how long you would like Georgia’s WIN List to speak
Ready your refreshments (NOTE: a successful party DOES NOT require you spending a lot of money. Please do not feel pressure to do so. Wine and cheese is perfectly acceptable)

After the Party

Email those who could not/did not come and direct them to the Georgia’s WIN List website
Return all Pledge Forms, checks, and sign-in sheets in the self-addresses, stamped envelope provided in your House Party kit
Consider sharing your party pics on social media
And if you have time, please email your House Party Evaluation form to Anna Beck, to let us know how your party went, and how we can improve future parties

Agenda

House parties are most successful when scheduled for a two-hour time slot. Commonly chosen times include Monday through Saturday nights, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm or 7:00 to 9:00 pm; or Sundays from 4:00 to 6:00 pm. or 5:00 to 7:00 pm.

The first half hour is for guest arrival and conversation. As guests arrive, they sign in. This way, we’ll be sure to have their name and current address so that we can get everyone a prompt thank-you note or appropriate follow-up.

When the program begins, it is usually broken down into two parts:

Introduction – 1-3 minutes long, usually done by the host/hostess
Georgia’s WIN List presentation-followed with Q and A

After the question and answer period, the official program is over and guests can mingle informally.

Your Invitation List

How can you make sure your house party will be well-attended? Generally, about 30-40% of the number invited will attend any given event. Our goal is to have a minimum of 20 people present at each event. While we have personally challenged ourselves with fundraising goals, and encourage both you and your guests to give, we do not want you to feel personally responsible for the financial success of the event. We will very gently and professionally make a fundraising ask at the conclusion of the presentation. Frankly, we want these house parties to be about more than just “writing a check”.

This may seem obvious, but here are a handful of categories that can help you prioritize your invite list:

Family: Consider including your parents, kids, aunts, uncles, and cousins

Friends: And don’t forget friends of your spouse/partner/boyfriend/girlfriend Neighbors: Next door, upstairs, downstairs, the whole block, your neighborhood association, landlord, tenants, and the parents of your children’s friends

From Church, Temple, or Synagogue: Your clergyperson, minister, priest, rabbi, church leaders, and regular attendees

From Work or Community Work: Everyone in the office, your partners, your boss, your clients, co-workers, or union leaders

Members of: Your political club, community group, or local peace and environmental group, members of your sports team, cooking club, poker buddies, gym acquaintances, or book club

Professionals you know personally: Your lawyer, dentist, doctor, pharmacist, real-estate agent, dry cleaner, and hairdresser

Pull out Lists you’ve made in the past: The invitation list to your last party, your holiday card list, personal and work address books, and cell-phone directory. Think about interesting people you’ve met, but may not know well, who are active with specific issues, communities, and organizations within your area.