Faculty Symposium Planning Guide: Managing the Finances
| A Faculty Symposium is one of the most effective ways to gather together Christian faculty on your campus, and the event often pays dividends far beyond its immediate impact. This Planning Guide will help you hold a symposium on your campus. Use the directory to the Guide on the right to navigate to the section you need. |
Registration fees generally cover the majority of the cost for hosting a local symposium. Calculate the reasonable number of attendees. Divide the total cost by the number of projected attendees. Be conservative in your estimate. If you have an attendance history, use the average. If you do not have a history, begin compiling one now.
Budget estimates should be completed six months in advance. Use the Budget Planning Worksheet in our Resources and Samples library to get started. We recommend that you build your budget and monitor expenses in a spreadsheet.
If your registration system is run through the Faculty Ministry national office, you will receive regular PayPal updates from InterVarsity’s Financial Services informing you of registration revenue.
Answers to Frequently Asked Budget Questions
- Speaker honorariums typically range from $150 to $200 for plenary speakers, none for workshop leaders.
- You should cover costs for each plenary speaker’s travel, room, and board. (We do not recommend covering family costs as this often exceeds a local event budget.)
- Local financial support may be necessary if you have a large budget.
One final way to help you manage your finance: Consider applying for a Faculty Symposium Grant, available through InterVarsity Faculty Ministry. These grants can cover up to $500 of your symposium costs.
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