FREE Gala Program Template
Master gala program template timelines with our intuitive gala Gantt chart template.
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Why use our Gala Program Template instead of Excel or Google Sheets?
Get started with our Gala Program Template in seconds while skipping the hassle involved with Excel or Google Sheets.
Build Gantt charts in minutes, not hours.
No project management experience? No problem. Tom's Planner offers a user-friendly, drag-and-drop interface that's intuitive and easy to learn. Creating Gantt charts is a breeze, saving you time and effort. Compare that to the time-consuming, frustrating, manual formatting-intensive process of building a Gantt chart in Excel or Google Sheets.
Move at the pace of modern business with no learning curve or Googling formulas.
Good luck figuring out how to make a Gantt chart work in Excel or Google Sheets. Excel’s user manual weighs in at a hefty 500+ pages. It takes just five minutes with Tom’s Planner to start planning your first real project plan.
Headache-free collaboration and sharing.
Tom's Planner offers powerful options for sharing and collaborating on Gantt charts, including public links, PDF exports, and team access with customizable permission levels. It’s never been easier to communicate or ensure everyone’s on the same page. Compare that to Excel, where sharing and collaboration mean jumping through hoop after hoop and dealing with confusion and chaos.
How to use Tom’s Planner’s gala program template to build and share your gala program.
Getting your project off the ground is as easy as 1-2-3.
Step #1
Click the 'start with template’ button to open the Gala Program Template.
Step #2
Register for a free account and watch a short video on using Tom’s Planner. The account is free forever, with no strings attached.
Step #3
You’re all set to use the Gantt chart template. Need additional help? Our AI assistant can create a custom Gantt chart Gala Program Template based on your project description.
What Is a Gala Event Schedule?
A gala event schedule is a detailed timeline outlining the flow of your event, from the arrival of guests to the
final closing remarks. A schedule helps make sure that every moment of the event runs smoothly and on time.
For example, a well-organized gala event schedule might include the check-in process, dinner service, speeches,
auctions, and entertainment. By planning each segment, you’ll create a seamless experience for your attendees while
avoiding last-minute chaos.
A Gantt Chart Makes a Great Gala Planning Template
You can use quite a few tools to create a fundraising gala event program. For instance, Word might seem
like a
logical choice if you just need to create a basic checklist. Excel or Google Sheets might seem like the better option
for a more detailed gala event planner. The truth is that none of these are particularly well-suited to creating an
effective, flexible gala dinner gala program template.
Instead, use a Gantt chart. Why go this route
with your gala event program example? It’s really about making sure you have the planning capabilities to pull off the
event. Regardless of your gala’s scale or purpose, a Gantt chart like Tom’s Planner’s free template makes a flexible,
detailed, highly visual gala event planner.
When to Use a Gala Program Template
A gala planning checklist is essential for staying organized and making sure every detail is accounted for. Here are a few critical times you’ll need to rely on a gala program template:
Securing the Venue:
The right venue is essential to your gala’s success. Of course, there’s no way to guarantee that your first choice will be available. Use a fundraising gala event program to help you select venues and narrow down your choices before locking one in.
Planning the Guest List:
Use your planning a fundraising gala checklist to organize your guests. This should include guests in multiple categories, from previous donors to those who’ve just reached to learn more about your organization or cause.
Booking Entertainment:
Entertainment will be a major part of your event. Use a nonprofit gala template to track bands, speakers, and other entertainment-related elements so that you can hit the ground running when the big day arrives.
From securing the venue to finalizing the guest list, your planning a gala event checklist helps you set priorities for tasks, manage deadlines, and delegate responsibilities to team members, managers, and others.
A planning a fundraising gala checklist reduces the stress involved with planning. It also reduces the risk that you’ll overlook critical elements, like planning for AV setup, handling catering logistics, or dealing with donor recognition.
Who Should Use a Gala Program Template?
Knowing the value of a gala program template is one thing. Understanding who should use that gala agenda is another. Who needs to use one?
Event Planners:
Event planners working with clients to plan galas should use a template that makes it easy to streamline the planning and event creation process.
Nonprofits:
Nonprofits can use a gala itinerary to plan out charitable events, manage guest lists, and even track fundraising goals.
Corporations:
Galas aren’t limited to charities and nonprofits. Corporations can use a gala event planner create a strategy, help team members track their responsibilities, and more.
These are just some of the people and organizations who can benefit from using a gala dinner planner ike Tom’s Planner’s offering.
Start with templateTop Three Pitfalls to Avoid When Planning a Gala
- Lack of Adequate Planning
When galas don’t move the needle and fail to deliver on their goal (often, raising a specific dollar amount in funding), it’s usually because of a lack of planning. A lack of planning can lead to budget overruns, booking the wrong venue, failing to book the right entertainment, not inviting key guests, and plenty of other major mistakes.
Solution:Take the time required to plan the entire gala, from venue selection to budget and leave nothing to chance. Use a gala event planning checklist to keep everything straight.
- Not Having Backup Plans
When it comes to gala planning, Murphy’s Law bears out. Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. And if you don’t have contingency plans, those problems can quickly derail the entire event.
Solution:Create contingency plans for everything conceivable. Have multiple venues lined up, know what you’ll do if your speakers cancel, or your entertainment suddenly can’t make it. Make contingency planning a key part of your overall strategy.
- Not Following Up After the Event
What’s the key to creating successful gala events that move the needle with attendees and your organization’s stakeholders? Post-gala follow-up. This is where you get access to important details that help inform future event planning. It’s also a powerful tool for maintaining relationships.
Solution:Make post-gala follow-up a priority. Get information about anything and everything, from the venue to the entertainment to the programming. Learn what moved the needle with donors and what didn’t so you can fine-tune your plans for the next event.
By avoiding these three pitfalls, it’s possible to create a gala that achieves your key goals and makes for an enjoyable experience for everyone involved.
What Does a Gala Dinner Program Template Include?
Our gala timeline template includes all the tools you need to stay organized:
- Gantt Chart
A visual timeline to track tasks and deadlines.
- Cost Estimation
Budget planning for every element of your gala.
- Portfolio
Store and manage all your event documents in one place.
- Example Projects
Reference past successful gala events for inspiration.
- Resource Links
Quick access to vendors, venues, and other essential contacts.
Four tips on how to make sure you reach your deadlines
Ready to plan your gala? Make sure to follow these tips to help set it up for success.
Set Clear Deadlines
Establish deadlines early on in your planning for key tasks, like securing the venue, booking entertainment, and finalizing the menu. Without accurate planning and hard deadlines, it’s easy for your gala to go off track.
Delegate Tasks
Assign responsibilities to your team to avoid burnout and make sure every detail is handled correctly. Plan who will be responsible for what, what deadlines apply to different tasks, and define what resources each team/team member will need.
Leave Extra Time for Delays
Build a buffer into your gala event schedule for unexpected changes or delays. Unexpected things happen. Make sure you can roll with things as the situation evolves.
Update the Timeline Frequently
Keep the gala planning timeline up to date to reflect changes and maintain alignment among your team members.
Gantt charts in Tom's Planner vs in Excel
| Excel | Tom's Planner | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | License required | Free version available |
| Learning curve | Hours | Minutes |
| Create your first Gantt chart | Hours | Minutes |
| Making an update in your chart | Several minutes | Seconds (drag & drop) |
| Sharing charts with others | At some point you will save and email a file titled: version_4_def_usethisversion_reallyfinal.xlsx | Online, one source of truth, always up to date, with no confusion |
| Look & Feel | Messy | Clean, polished and professional |
| Dependencies | 
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| Filtering | 
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| Zoom in/out |
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| Automatic Legend |
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| AI-assist |
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Let our AI assist do the work for you |
| Export to image or pdf | Requires workarounds to export | One mouse click |
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