In the past few months months we have executed 4 in person and 4 virtual events, most went well, but a couple could have been better. My pro tips would be to conduct a site visit of your training location. We have standard checklist that we use for site reconnaissance so that we can:
- Provide details on how to get to the training. Sometimes google maps does not provide accurate directions and/or there is not good cell service on the route to the site and we can provide key landmarks to make sure people do not get lost.
- Determine where participants should park, particularly when we are going to someone's farm. we take a snapshoot of site using google maps and put arrows or colored lines to show people where to park and where not to park. Sometimes when parking is complicated or in a tight space we make sure to have someone in the parking area directing traffic.
- Determine where participants should enter a building or link up with instructors. We annotate this on our google map snapshot also.
- Assess the site for ADA compliance and make sure our participants know what is and is not available. Sometimes the location of elevators in a building will cause us to encourage participants to park in a particular area. Also we want to make sure that facilities are ADA compliant so that if any of our participants are in wheelchairs we can be prepared or be able to advise them on aspects of what will be assessable.

- Identify obstacles or hazards at the training site and develop a hazard mitigation plan.  
- If on a farm, walk to every area we expect to use to see how assessable training locations will be and how farm participants may have to walk. Sometimes we recommend they bring a light weight stool/chair if they cannot stand for long periods during pasture walks.
- Determine if there are restrooms or if we need to coordinate for a porta pottie
- Determine if the site has the capacity to support the number of people we anticipate, tables, chairs, etc...

- Determine what the training site set up will be and long it will take to set up.
- Determine if we need to have an inclimate weather plan. We have a canopy tent we can take with us in case of rain if the site does not have a location we can move into. Are the indoor spaces usable based on the number of participants we expect and the maximum occupancy for that room/building.
- Determine if there is a location where we can set up sign in table or place participants can fill out a paper evaluation.
- If we are providing refreshments, is there a location and tables for this.
- Do we need to bring trashcans or trash bags?
- Do we need signs to help participants navigate to the site, to a classroom, or other location?
- Do we need to be concerned about bio security and provide a boot washing station.

Additionally we have a checklist of tasks we must do to ensure an effective implementation. This is a several page document, so I will not put it here.

A colleague and I recently went to an amazing conference in Maine put on by Farm to Institution New England. They did a great job of getting attendees ready for the event by facilitating pre summit networking, providing suggestions on what to bring, and in depth details about the host hotel through an app. I really appreciated how they listed the entire presentation/workshop schedule in advance so that attendees could take their time to see which interested them the most and then were able to conveniently add it to their schedule (which also sent optional push notifications). I also really appreciated how they kept the large full group speeches to a minimum and based them around meals as to not tie people up unnecessarily. As with many events in the food systems world, the provided meals were phenomenal and featured many local ingredients. They truly practiced with they preached. However, during the first day there was no coffee provided in the afternoon and, coupled with an out of order self serve coffee machine the hotel, there was palatable panic among attendees. The hosts received this feedback and quickly remediated it by providing a nonstop flow of coffee for the ensuing days of the conference.

From the success of this event, I can glean some important points. Set a detailed schedule in advance and stick to it. Allow flexibility for attendees to focus on what interests them the most. Have mechanisms for real-time feed back and the ability to make adjustments on the fly. And finally, always have coffee on hand for long events because caffeine is non negotiable.

I recently attended a 2-day workshop with Penn State Extension that I thought was very well executed. I liked how they sent out the detailed schedule right after registration, and it did not change upon arrival, which means that the schedule and topics covered were well thought out and planned for in advance. I liked how they built in some flexibility with the schedule as well and included hands-on learning after learning about the topics. They also provided us with plenty of resources and examples of how the topics can be applied to youth and adult activities at our own organizations. The only thing I thought could have been done better was specific directions of where to go the day of. The workshop took place on a working farm so there were a lot of buildings and parking areas, so it was not clear exactly where to report. It turns out that they system they used to send out emails was not working properly the week before, so none of the participants knew exactly where to report. Fortunately, I arrived early so there was plenty of time to figure out where to go, and they built in flex time to the schedule and could begin the first day late while others arrived.

As I was reading this question I was trying to figure out weather to respond about an event I attend or an event I planned, but instead of trying to decide I will do both! The reason I want to discuss both is because I see them as comparable. The components that work well for planning an event are similar to the components of a successful event I planned out.

What went well?
- Constant Communication before, during and after (even if it did not consist of much information)
- Responding to needs or requests in a timely manner
- Everyone on the team knows their job/responsibilities and how they fit within the "bigger picture"
- Ample time to plan, prep, brainstorm and formulate a plan over a specific timeframe with set deadlines for each decision
- An opportunity for people to have fun and interact outside of the "educational" components
- Giving people a choice: weather this is having multiple sessions within a timeframe or to allow people to stand/walk to hear a presentation rather than sitting
- If there is time (and the appropriate setting) get input from the participants before the event to make sure their needs/wants are being met. There may be time to tailor it to what they are requesting!
- Know your space and what you have access too ahead of time and make sure your event will be compatible with it. If not- what do you need to get?

Pro-Tips:
- Be over communicative even if you do not have much to say, say something. This is better than not communicating!
- Involve a team for multiple perspectives (if possible), varies the content/presenters
- Make it fun and impressionable

A program that was successful for me, was on Grass-Fed Organic Dairy Production with the experts from UVM Extension. The program was a success due to pre-planning, lots of marketing, and collaboration with partners to ensure success. Below are some of the pro-tips I learned from that event:
- Food: make sure the food aligns with the audience attending. This was a Grass-Fed Organic dairy crowd so I made sure that our coffee creamery, cheese, and milk were all organic products as having conventional dairy products would not have fit the program.
- Amish Logistics: Our target audience was mainly Amish producers, so I needed to get creative with marketing. This included hand delivering stacks of flyers to members of the different communities that I knew would pass them along to other members to spread the word. The milk co-ops to add the flyer to their producer’s milk checks.
o The presenters also had to create handouts for the program as many of our Amish communities are very strict, so to respect their wishes we conducted the presentation without using technology.
o I did learn that I need to be better prepared in the future for buggy parking and logistics for tying up the horses during the events.
- Collaboration: I am not an expert in Grass-Fed Organic dairy production, so I built connections at both the milk co-ops and UVM to bring the experts to my producers.
- Pre-planning: We planned this event a couple of months ahead of time to allow for marketing and to make sure we had plenty of time to make sure that we had all aspects of the program taken care of….as you read above, I overlooked the requirements for the horses and buggies.

A few weeks ago, I attended the Outdoor Learning Conference in Banff, Canada with a colleague. She led the first field trip/workshop and I thought it was well executed.

To prepare to lead the workshop she had practiced what she was going to say multiple times and out loud. She had printed a clear and simple agenda outline to guide her and make sure she didn't forget anything. We both made sure to have all the necessary supplies for each activity and a few extra. Since we were going to lead a bird walk, we had previously studied the grounds so that we had a clear idea of where we could go, in case of any last minute adaptations due to accommodations for a participant, and what birds we could potentially see in each place.

Something I really liked was that she made sure to include at the start of the program a land acknowledgement, a grounding exercise (breathing technique), and asked that people include their name, native lands, current place name and a bird that reminded them of home when introducing themselves. I felt like this helped create a connection to the topic and to each other, which made it easier to communicate.

She provided clear instructions throughout. From how to do an activity, or when and where we would meet if separated, to what the agenda was so that there were no surprises. She also had backup plans in case of having to change the location of the walk (Female elk can be dangerous this time of year and were seen around the area).

I had to lead the same workshop two days later and wasn't as successful in the implementation. However, we had a debrief after and came up with ways to improve. Also, having read the "Factors Impacting Program Delivery" article, I feel even more confident on what is needed to improve the implementation and therefore the outcomes.

The pro-tip I'd like to focus in on is 'prioritization'. I have often found that events and programs that are well executed had a solid priority list that everyone agreed upon and used for their own tasks in preparation for the event or program. There's always tons of tasks that need to be completed, and most have deadlines that tend to dictate when things are completed. I think it's worth considering the priorities and most important tasks, even if it doesn't exactly jive with the deadlines that have been set. When the big important tasks are completed, it then becomes easier to knock off the smaller less important tasks quickly and efficiently.

This pro-tip certainly does not solve all of the problems, and it isn't even the strategy that is most appropriate in all cases, but I've found that it's often very helpful when looking at the big picture and trying to implement successful programs.

When I have recently been planning events (hosting meetings with different groups of colleagues, coordinating travel to trainings with other groups of colleagues), I have channeled some of the organizing principles I've observed our Energy Hub director use to coordinate our quarterly in-person meeting. These principles I've noticed and appreciated (pro-tips!) include sending out a calendar invitation as soon as you have the date and time confirmed, adding location details as you learn of them, sending out an agenda several days in advance, sending a reminder email a day or two before the event, and showing the agenda throughout the event to keep the group on pace. To keep the day fun, food is provided and stretch breaks are scheduled in.

For a decade + I was responsible for large scale youth and family events for the state 4-H office (500+) participants. Tips for what went well - very much like all of yours. The pro-tips that grew out of some un-pro moments :) - (1) keep, update, share, refer to an organized "go-list" of items needing done and who is responsible for them. (2) consider the agenda from multiple perspectives and audiences...what would they see, would they know how to find others, are there special needs, are there friendly faces to answer Qs...etc. Over time I grew to call this "surprise management" and it was vey valuable to surviving and thriving. Incidentally I miss those big events! So much fun once I got past the learning curves.

launching nutrition education at the community farmers markets has been an oncoming progression of work and success. Our South West SNAP-Ed team developed healthy 5-ingredients or less recipe cards based on seasonal produce and food items that are commonly found in food pantries. In addition, the back side of the recipe cards include a “Store Well, Waste Less” preserving tips based on each recipe. As the nutritionist for Cattaraugus County I delivered multi- packs of these SNAP recipe cards to the large Olean Farmers Market, also known as the REAP Market. While visiting one of the farmer’s vendors to set down recipe cards for Farmers Market folks to take as they please, one of the market shoppers said “oh I love to cook summer squash, I am always looking for new recipes! May I have one?” This comment was a great indication that the recipe cards were well received at the market. Planning these types of events out ahead of time and being clear about expectations with all involved parties - including set up is my pro-tip!

This past December I organized a convening session of representatives from communities that I had been assisting in the NYSERDA Clean Energy Communities (CEC) program. This was for my previous position as a CEC Coordinator for Southern Tier communities at CCE Schuyler. The focus of the meeting was for folks to: 1) share with the group program success stories from their communities, and 2) provide feedback on the type of support their communities need going forward within the general field of increasing resiliency to the impacts of a changing environment. I felt that the meeting was a success: in total 9 municipalities were represented, covering the four counties that I was assisting (Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, and Tioga), and nearly 30 folks were in attendance. It was impactful to hear the many success stories that were shared, and to receive constructive feedback on how Extension could provide further assistance.

A particular key to success that I implemented when planning this event: working backwards (i.e. the day of the event), I made a timeline of key tasks that needed to be completed and their associated dates. This allowed me to effectively plan the event, ensuring that all the required steps were completed on time.

The first thing that came to mind is a series of SNAP-Ed FVRx classes. This 6-week program provides nutrition education to participants referred by medical providers, featuring a new recipe and food demo each week. At the end of each class, participants receive $20 in vouchers to spend on fresh fruits and vegetables at participating vendors—giving them the opportunity to immediately apply what they’ve learned.

We had a strong turnout thanks to close coordination with our referral partners. We made sure they understood the program and how to refer participants. Early planning, consistent communication, and a clear structure each week contributed to the program's success. Participants were engaged and offered consistently positive feedback.

A big part of what made the series effective was creating a welcoming, judgment-free space. Small touches—like remembering participants’ names and encouraging open discussion—helped build trust and comfort.

We learned from previous sessions to establish class norms and a weekly agenda during the first session, including suggestions from participants. Reviewing this at the start of each class helped keep things on track and made space for questions without running over.

One of the key things we have learned with executing these classes is the importance of early preparation—especially securing funding, coordinating with partners, and ensuring alignment with host sites. When those pieces are in place, the rest flows much more smoothly.

One event that stands out to me as being really well executed was an apple thinning meeting held in an orchard. The goal was to be out in the field demonstrating different thinning techniques in a hands-on way. However, just before the event began, we had to pivot due to sudden inclement weather. Fortunately, we had planned for this. We had a backup location ready—the barn—and had set up a projector there just in case. As soon as we made the call to move, we used a combination of email, group texts, and people stationed in the parking lot to quickly redirect attendees. The presenters were already prepped to adapt their talks for either location, which made the transition smooth.

What went well was having a clear backup plan in place and making sure everyone be reached quickly and clearly. My pro tip is to always expect the unexpected, especially when working in outdoor or field-based settings. Have a plan B that’s fully thought out, and make sure your team knows the drill ahead of time.

The best event that I attended was the Farmers Market Pros Conference in San Diego; this was in Feb of 2020, so the 'before times', however, I felt that every part of the event was well planned and there was no 'down time' that was without a focus, and each attendee felt that they could be participatory. I felt that what made it successful, was that the organizers knew their audience. They WERE farmers market managers and vendors, and 'spoke the language'. We all had the chance to join a FB group before the event, to share who we were and what we were excited to learn about. All speakers were relevant and engaging. They truly lived the mission of what makes farmers markets great, by having local food options available for meal times (usually local food stands or trucks); vendors you could shop with during breaks or after the event; and they chose a venue that was stunning to be at (right on the ocean). They hold this event in the same place each year, which some may say gets monotonous, but I felt it lent itself to better organization. The organizers knew the venue and the area well, and could provide specific recommendations of markets to visit, or restaurants/tourist spaces. What I found to be the most important when organizing an event from this experience, was to truly live the values of the work you are trying to present or learn about. Make attendees feel special for coming.

For the NY Soil Health Program, the most common programs we put on are soil health field days. Our best soil health field days occur when we have:
-Passionate organizing teams with individuals from different organizations (especially those with local perspectives: CCE, SWCD, industry folks, and farmers)
-Teams where each organizer takes on a different piece of the puzzle
-Coffee and Tops Donuts ;)
-Effective promotion of the event. We always run ads for the Plain Sect community
-Programs that are on-farm typically tend to be more engaging and interesting
-Great food, we have used Mooney’s BBQ for our Rodman Lott Soil Health Event each year and it is very popular. Spending big on food! I value that more than trying to get expensive speakers from out of state.
-Debrief soon after the event so you can take notes on things to improve for the future