Event Operations Manual
Software for Club Treasurers

Typical Event Costs

see also Financing the Event: Categories of Event Income

Events costs will depend on the scale and type of event. Not all the categories stated in the tables below will apply to every event. Event costs will include direct and indirect costs.

Direct Costs

Direct costs are those costs that are easy to identify and measure as belonging to the event. The cost of trophies and medals is a typical example.

Categories of Event Costs (Direct)
Travel and Accommodation Costs associated with officials needed to run the event may have to be borne by the event organisers. Event participants are generally responsible for their own travel and accommodation costs. In minor or local events travel and accommodation costs are unlikely.
Trophies, Awards The cost of medals, trophies and other awards requires detailed knowledge about the number of competitors, the categories of divisions of the competition and the format of the competition.
Salaries Cost of salaries directly attributable to the event e.g. event manager, event staff
Telephones The cost of telephones can only be directly attributed to the event, if the phone is dedicated to a person who works on the event full-time. Otherwise the phone(s) would be treated as an indirect cost.
Stationery Special event stationery may be printed
Medical Fees Events require persons with at least First Aid training to be in attendance. Larger events may also warrant the employment of a doctor and physiotherapists.
Venue Hire A critically important aspect of the budget. Information about the probable cost of the venue needs to be obtained as early as possible. Beware that there some hidden costs such as security and supervision costs, and heating and lighting costs.
Insurance Additional insurance can be taken out to cover risks of injury and/or financial losses associated with events.
Printing Event programmes, posters, fliers and other promotional documents may need to be printed - especially where quality and colour is required.
Promotion Expenditure on promotion may be considerable where a significant proportion of the event revenue is likely to be earned through spectators. Promotion covers items such as advertising, giveaways, costs associated with promotional events and sponsors' signage.
Equipment Hire Includes equipment directly used by participants in the event and also any equipment used by the event management staff including sound systems, computers, mobile phones, two way radios, etc.
Transport Includes costs of transporting equipment and hire of buses.
Volunteers Event volunteers will likely need training and some costs may be incurred in this regard. Other volunteer costs might include food and clothing.

Indirect Costs

Indirect costs are costs that cannot be directly attributed to the event. The staging of the event increases these types of costs but the increase cannot be measured accurately. Instead, the amount of indirect cost attributable to the event is estimated.

Categories of Event Costs (Indirect)
Salaries Cost of salaries of organisation staff that assist with the event. This indirect cost could be allocated on the basis of how much time organisation staff spend on the event.
Office Expenses Office expenses include cost of phones, photocopiers, computers, printers, postage, stationery and office rent that cannot be directly costed to the event. An estimate has to be made of what proportion of these costs are charged to the event as indirect costs.
Facility Maintenance Some proportion of the cost of facility maintenance should be allocated to the event
Electricity In most cases the amount of electricity used by an event can only be estimated and therefore an indirect cost.

Copyright and Disclaimer | About the author Leo Isaac | Email Webmaster