Design the event plan and budget: goal/KPIs, format (in-person/virtual/hybrid), audience, a budget with a named contingency line, the break-even point in registrations/sponsorship, and the dated go/no-go gate.
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---
name: design-event-plan-and-budget
description: "Design the event plan and budget: goal/KPIs, format (in-person/virtual/hybrid), audience, a budget with a named contingency line, the break-even point in registrations/sponsorship, and the dated go/no-go gate."
---
# Design Event Plan & Budget
Decide the event before you spend on it. Goal first, then format, then the money.
## The sequence
1. **Goal + KPIs.** Pick the primary goal (revenue / pipeline / community / education) and 2-4 measurable KPIs with targets and a baseline.
2. **Format.** In-person / virtual / hybrid — chosen against goal, audience reach, and budget. Hybrid is two productions; name the cost.
3. **Budget.** Fixed (venue, AV, platform, staff) + variable (per-attendee F&B, swag) costs, **with a named contingency line (commonly 10-20%)**.
4. **Break-even.** The registrations and/or sponsorship needed to cover the budget. This number drives the go/no-go threshold.
5. **Go/no-go gate.** A date and a hard threshold (registrations, sponsorship secured, speakers confirmed) at which you proceed, pivot, or cancel.
## What "done" looks like
- Every cost line has an owner and a confidence level.
- The contingency line exists and is sized, not zero.
- Break-even is a number, and the go/no-go threshold is derived from it with a date.
## Anti-patterns
- A budget with no contingency/buffer line.
- A format chosen by fashion ("everyone does hybrid") rather than goal + budget.
- A go/no-go decision with no date or no threshold.
Traverse the format and break-even trees in [`../../knowledge/event-management-decision-trees.md`](../../knowledge/event-management-decision-trees.md) before committing. Output via [`../../templates/event-plan-and-budget.md`](../../templates/event-plan-and-budget.md).
