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Welcome to the Lesbian and Gay Band Assocation — a musical organization comprised of concert and marching bands from cities across America and the world.
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Conference Bid Process
Hosting an LGBA Annual Conference or the
Mid-Year Board of Directors’ Meeting
Considerations for Host Bands
Annual meeting:
• 100+ attendees
• board meetings
• delegate meetings
• workshops required
• performance opportunity strongly recommended
• budget needed
• plan 2 years out
• competitive bidding process
Mid-Year Board of Directors’ Meeting:
• 16 attendees
• meeting space needed
• performance opportunity desirable but not required
• minimal budget
• no workshops
When we consider a bid for an annual conference, we consider the following:
Location
We try to be in a different part of the world each year.
Stability of your band
You need to assure us that you have the support of your band to follow through
Cost
Is the event financially feasible for most of our members?
Timing
Does the event conflict with other LGBA events or religious holidays?
Logistics
Is it easy to get around? Have you planned sufficiently to handle 150 people?
Performance
Is this something our members will want to do? Difficulty of music, rehearsal time, etc.
Workshops
What topics planned? Speakers?
Balanced Budget
Do you have a sound financial plan?
Other things to do
Will it be fun? Are there activities in the area for partners/guests? Additional tickets, fees may be required for these activities.
CONFERENCE REQUIREMENTS
- Schedule over a weekend, not exceeding 4 days including travel time.
- Provide hosted housing for those in need.
- All meetings and/or rehearsals should take place in the host hotel or as close to the hotel as possible.
- Meeting space for the Board of Directors on the first day to accommodate 15 people. Meeting table required. Minimum meeting time is 5 hours, preferably 8 hours. The Board will meet a second time for a minimum of 1 hour on the last day.
- Meeting space for two Delegates meetings, the first is 2 hours, the second 1 _ hours. This meeting space will have to hold 2 Delegates per band registered. Tables and chairs required.
- A minimum of two workshops with some sort of speaker. One must be on Diversity, the other a topic of your choosing. In addition, at least one round table session is a good idea.
- Welcome gathering, tied in with registration on the first day.
- At least one social event, even if informal.
- Refreshments for the Saturday a.m. Delegate Meeting and some option for lunch mid-day.
- If planning a performance, plan for moving our group from place to place, as well as the moving and storage of large instruments.
- The maximum participation fee to be charged is $50.
- Beginning 3 months out from the conference date, attend the monthly LGBA Board Meeting, via chat.
- Communications of details of the conference and registration to our members.
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FINANCES
As part of your bid package, you are to submit a balanced budget. This means planning for all anticipated expenses, and covering those expenses with registration fees and other income. If you plan a performance, that budget should be kept separate from the conference budget, as the performance is being produced by your own band.
LGBA will provide the host band with $1,000, intended to enhance the conference. The purpose of this financial support is to provide the means to enhance the workshops with speakers, create a social event for members, or otherwise improve the conference experience. Remember, we want the conference to be fun and memorable.
You are welcome to seek grants or other financial support for the weekend. You may raise funds through t-shirt sales or CD sales, but please remember that our membership will already have spent a considerable amount of money to attend. If producing a concert, you may factor ticket sales into your concert budget, as you would with any performance put on by your band.
Registration fees are to be held at a maximum of $50. It is not unusual to have reduced fees for “conference only” participants or partners/spouses who may attend social functions only. The lower you can keep this fee, the better. Plan on a reduced rate for early registrations. The registration fee is intended to subsidize meeting space, perhaps a meal or social gathering, things that directly benefit the conference participants.
TIMING
Your bid package must be submitted to the LGBA Board 30 days prior to the annual conference, 2 years out. Example: You want to host the 2007 conference. The 2005 conference is Nov.3-6, 2005. Your bid is due Oct. 3, 2005.
PROCESS
Conference bids are reviewed by the LGBA Board of Directors. Assuming your bid meets the overall requirements for a conference, you will be asked to do a presentation for our Delegates. Our Delegates then vote on the conference location.
THE BID PACKAGE
Your bid begins with the Official Conference Application. This specific format will guide you through the required components, as follow:
- Proposed conference schedule
- Details of a performance opportunity, if any
- Proposed lodging, including hosted housing
- Proposed meeting and/or rehearsal space
- Details of meals, entertainment
- A balanced conference budget
- A balanced performance budget
You may include additional materials to support your proposal. You will need to submit 16 copies of your application and any additional materials.
YOUR PRESENTATION
If your bid meets LGBA requirements, you will be asked to present your bid to our Delegates. This will happen at the LGBA Conference, 2 years prior to your event. While you will have about 10 minutes to address the Delegates officially, you have the first half of the conference to talk up your idea with LGBA Members.
To host the
Mid-Year Board of Directors Meeting:
Just contact a member of the LGBA Board and express your interest in hosting this meeting.
We love to attend your concerts, or join in, especially during anniversary years.
These meetings are generally held on a spring weekend.
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