Planning Guide
Planning an event at Stanford can be an involved process. There are several requirements to be aware of before planning can begin.
Who can plan events at Stanford
Only officially recognized Stanford departments and organizations may plan and host events at Stanford.
Stanford Event Organizers
Only officially recognized Stanford departments and organizations may plan and host events at Stanford. Those who plan events at Stanford are considered to be Event Organizers.
Stanford Event Organizers must be one of the following:
- Stanford academic departments, schools and institutes
- Administrative offices within and operating on behalf of the university
- Non-academic departments recognized by the President's Office, such as Athletics
- University student groups registered with and approved by Office of Student Engagement
Stanford Event Organizer cannot be:
- Individual members of the Stanford community: faculty, staff or student body acting as individuals in providing their name to a group simply so that they can plan an event and use campus facilities
- University individuals who wish to use of space for private events not related to university business
- Individuals, groups or organizations (commercial or non-profit) who are unaffiliated with the university
Read the Stanford Event Organizer Requirements policy for more information.
General event planning steps
Step one - develop a plan
Goals and objectives
The goals and objectives of the event must align with the university's mission and relate directly to the educational goals of the organizing department.
Budget
Budgeting is a critical part of the event planning process. It is important to develop an effective budget on which you can rely so appropriate decisions and adjustments, if necessary, can be made.
Before making a commitment to hold the event, examine the financial elements involved, considering all expense estimates and the funds you have on hand for this event. If there is a shortage of funds, revisit your expectations and determine whether you wish to scale down or change the overall approach. You may also wish to consider whether financial assistance can be obtained from other sources (e.g., ticketing or registration fees, and co-sponsorships with other Stanford departments).
Proposed budgets should also be submitted to your department chair and/or school dean, or director for initial review and approval before planning begins. To insure that the event can remain within budget, create a tool/spreadsheet for tracking all estimated costs.
Timing
It is important to consider the academic calendar when selecting the date. Events should not occur the week before or week of university final exams and Big 5 events or during university holidays and winter closure. Review the Limited Event Dates policy for specifics.
Policies
Review the Event Policy Guide page for any policies that may apply to your event. Be sure to read and understand the relevant policies and contact our office if you have questions.
Step two - reserve a venue
Review the Venue Reservation page for information about how to reserve space on campus. If you are looking for a venue, our Venue Guide provides a listing of the most frequently requested venues with details about the space and reservation information. Also consider how current/future construction on campus may impact your venue choices. Please note: The Office of Special Events & Protocol (OSEP) does not reserve campus venues.
Step three - submit work requests
Review the Venue Preparation and Clean-Up page for general information about work requests for custodial, PSSI, Grounds and Event Services.
Step four - event logistics and details
Review the following pages on our website for general information about each of the different aspects of event planning.