Event Proposal Template: Persuade Prospective Partners With a Great Proposal

Getting clients to pick you comes down to how good you are at selling your vision.

This is what sets you apart from other event organizers in an industry projected to hit $1.3 billion by 2025.

In such a competitive space, great ideas are everywhere. What truly matters? Showing that you're the one who can bring them to life.

An event proposal is where you make that case. It’s a mission statement, a marketing strategy, and a roadmap rolled into a single document. Potential clients and collaborators can use it to check whether your skills and experience align with what they’re going for.

Each event demands a proposal that's strategic, persuasive, and complete. Basically, one that can make the reader say “yes” right away.

It sounds like a demanding task, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right event proposal template, you have a repeatable, customizable sales tool that you can refine and reuse.

How to use your event proposal template

Personalizing a proposal is hard work. This template gives you the freedom to focus on the game plan and plug in specific details that will help you win over your prospects. 

Different uses for an event proposal

Event proposals are typically used for pitching concept ideas to potential clients or stakeholders in response to a client’s request for proposal (RFP). 

But they’re just as valuable for internal pitches. An organized and thorough event proposal makes it tough for decision-makers to turn you down. You can use this event proposal template to convince stakeholders to back a new event or show partners why your unique idea is worth their investment. 

Need funding, sponsorships, or brand collaborations? It works for that, too. Using it can help you create a proposal that clearly explains what’s in it for your collaborators and sponsors.  

No matter who you’re pitching to, an event proposal template ensures you cover both the big picture and the nitty gritty — every time.

What does it include?

An event proposal is your event brief’s more charismatic sister. Both share the same essential details:

• Event overview and concept
• Purpose, goals, and objective
• Team members and roles
• Budget
• Proposed timeline 

But event briefs are meant for you and your team’s eyes only. An event proposal is built for external eyes. So you’re not just explaining details, you’re also selling your vision. It’s meant to be persuasive with sections like:

• Services
• Portfolio
• Sponsorship types
• Event policies 

We’ll dive more into this below.

8 Steps to craft your perfect event proposal with this template

Event proposals cover all aspects of a new event. But with them being so comprehensive, it’s easy to get stuck figuring out what details to include or how to structure them into a solid pitch.

With an event proposal template, your sole focus is to fill in the blanks with the right information. To do that well, let's go over what makes a compelling proposal.

1. Clarify the event vision and scope

Define your hook straight away. Discuss your concept, vision, and main purpose for hosting events. The key here is to bring out what makes your event unique — be it the theme, activities, or engagement tactics — and put it into context. 

Your event concept should also answer the 5 W’s: Who, What, Where, When, and Why. These core details will guide all your decisions, from target attendees to your event’s intended impact.

Take this event from Matinée Social Club called Love Connection [80-10s Vday Party]. It’s a vibrant, nostalgia-fueled dance event designed for millennials who love nightlife but also their sleep. 

From this concept, they established details that make their event enticing:

• Who: Seasoned party people (AKA millennials)
• What: A Valentine’s dance party with music spanning from the 1980s to the 2010s, the perfect soundtrack to reminisce and reconnect with the best music of their youth 
• Where: Hotel Chantelle, a 3-story venue (a spot most of their audience knew very well in their 20s)
• When: February 15, 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM EST— it ends early, perfect for those who want to dance and have fun without ending up late for bed
• Why: To give millennials a fun, nostalgic way to celebrate Valentine’s Day

Now, let’s say you’re organizing an event called Eco and Acoustics Music Festival, and you’re preparing an event proposal to attract sponsors and brand partners.

Your vision and main purpose can look like this:

Your event tells a story. This section should help decision-makers see exactly where your proposal is headed. Use it to sell the experience and set the stage for your proposal.

2. Identify clear goals and objectives

Double down on your vision by clearly defining your objectives. It’ll show you’re working toward a similar goal and share the same definition of success as your prospects.

Align your objectives to their expectations. 

If you're an event planner pitching to a client, show how the event will help their business goals, such as brand awareness or customer engagement. For sponsors or partners, emphasize the exposure and value they’ll gain from your event. 

Details matter here — mention the estimated attendance/reach and the target audience. One sure way to get their buy-in is to convince prospects that you’re getting their name in front of the right people. 

Got an Eventbrite account? Your follower count, if high, could also influence potential partners' decision to say yes. A built-in audience means instant visibility for them. 

In any case, make your goals SMART — Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. 

Don’t make broad claims like “increase brand visibility.” Here’s how you can frame your objectives for your fictional music festival:

The reader might want to add more to the list, but providing foundational goals shows you’re capable of delivering results. 

3. Communicate event details

A clear, well-structured summary proves you’ve thought through every aspect of the event.  You’re not leaving anything to chance. 

Start with the basics:

• Event name
• Date
• Duration
• Venue

When presenting your proposal, you can also explain the proposed locations and dates. For example, the Eco and Acoustics Music Festival will take place in April, which is Earth Month. San Diego is the ideal city for the event since it was named the greenest city in the US for 2024. These details emerged after defining the event vision and scope (you can see how step 1 is really important).

Supplement the overview with a quick event schedule that shows how activities will play out. A timeline makes your proposal feel more tangible. 

Use this template to create an effective timeline.

💡Pro Tip: If your event features unique performances, interactive experiences, or special guests, highlight them. These elements can make all the difference in winning over a client or a partner.

4. Highlight the services and opportunities you offer

How are you going to turn your event concept into a reality? This is your chance to show exactly how you intend to carry it out.

Detail the range of services you offer, like venue selection, vendor management, event design, logistics, and on-site coordination. Describe your approach and the tools you need to complete it. Let’s say one of the activities you’ll be handling at Eco and Acoustics Music Festival is Ticketing and Access Management:

If event marketing and promotion are part of your playbook, carve out a dedicated section for them in your proposal. 

Will you post on socials, partner with influencers, or run targeted ad campaigns? Spell out your approach.

Using a platform like Eventbrite? Explain how they fit into your overall plan. Don’t just mention it — talk about how you’ll use Eventbrite’s marketing tools to automate social media campaigns and amplify your event’s visibility right on the platform. 

Also, sell the advantage. For instance, mention that Eventbrite Ads have seen higher click-through rates than Facebook ads, making them a smarter investment for event promotion.

If you’re pitching a sponsor or a partner, emphasize how you’re positioning the brand and the many ways you intend to engage the event attendees. Outline the different types of sponsorships you offer, and explain their benefits. 

Here are the options for Eco and Acoustics Music Festival:

5. Introduce your team

After showing what your team can do, it’s time to put names to their expertise. Having this in your event proposal template helps build trust. Your prospects will feel more confident, knowing they’re working with seasoned professionals.

Introduce the key team members and explain their responsibilities.

Keep the list concise to avoid overwhelming readers. Include only those whose roles relate to areas that matter most to your client or sponsor. For example:

6. Highlight your expertise 

When communicating your professional knowledge and skills, let your detailed descriptions and ideas do the talking. 

In your event proposal, aim to:

• Align your claim and objectives with measurable metrics. For instance, clients usually want to see the projected return on investments (ROI).
• Demonstrate problem-solving skills by including how you brainstorm, collaborate, and troubleshoot.
• Include any relevant credentials like a CMP certification, awards, or training as proof that you are keeping up with industry trends. 
• Showcase similar projects where you delivered exceptional results. Polish them with detailed descriptions, images, and testimonials to prove you can adapt to your prospect’s expectations and needs. 

All these will help them understand the value of your work and the thoughtful planning behind your event strategy, justifying what you are charging or asking for. 

Here’s a screenshot of the portfolio section of Eco and Acoustics’ event proposal:

For Eventbrite users, showing the quality of your events is also a good selling point. As soon as your event is over, we contact your attendees and collect their ratings and feedback on various aspects, like the vibe, venue, and performers (they vary depending on your event category). 

Adding their responses and your overall Eventbrite performance can strengthen your credibility.  

7. Propose a detailed budget estimate

Every event needs a budget. Create a cost estimate for different categories of expenses, like:

• Venue costs: Rental fees, setup/teardown charges, and any additional venue-specific expenses
• Food and beverage: Catering, beverage packages, and service staff
• Marketing: Advertising, social media campaigns, printed materials, and promotional merchandise
• Production and technical: Audio-visual equipment, lighting, staging, and technical support
• Miscellaneous: Permits, insurance, decor, and transportation.

Being upfront about the costs as early as the proposal stage can foster loyalty. Work on getting the figures as accurate as possible. Underbid, and you end up having to cover extra expenses. Provide an inflated quote, and you may lose out on the opportunity.

💡Pro Tip: Provide notes on whether prices are fixed, estimated, or negotiable. Clients and sponsors will appreciate it.

Check out this budget template to make sure you factor all the essentials into your estimate. 

8. Include essential event policies 

Include key event policies at the end of your proposal to define operational details and manage expectations. Sponsors and clients need this level of transparency and professionalism.

Among them are:

• Minimum Guaranteed Headcount: What is the smallest number of attendees needed for the event to proceed?
• Special Offers: Are there any limited-time promotions or exclusive incentives available, and under what conditions?
• Cancellation Policy: What happens if the event is canceled? Are there penalties or refunds?
• Rental and Damage Policies: Who is responsible for any damage to the venue or equipment, and what are the rental conditions?
• Payment Timelines: What are the due dates and accepted payment methods?
• Proposal Validity: Until when is this proposal valid for acceptance?

Then, wrap your event proposal up with a heartfelt thanks. For example:

“Thank you for taking the time to review our proposal. If you have any questions or are ready to give us the green light, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Please find our contact information below. We look forward to the experience of creating this event with you.”

Adding your contact information at the end serves as a clear call to action — a cherry on top.

Get them to say 'Yes!'

Give your prospects every bit of info they need to say yes — every time. Download our template to make this happen. 

Once they give you the green light, you’ll need a tool to make your event successful.

Eventbrite makes it easy to sell tickets and manage attendees. With powerful built-in marketing tools, real-time analytics, and hassle-free payment processing, we take the stress out of your event planning.