A 12-Month Guide to Your Next Annual Conference

Annual Conferences across the United Methodist Church have just concluded, marking a

powerful season of connection, worship, and discernment. But for event planners and conference leadership, the work is far from over—it’s already time to begin preparing for next year.

GCFA’s Travel and Meeting Planning team has supported events across the connection and offers a proven, 12-month guide for planning your next Annual Conference. Whether you’re hosting hundreds or thousands, this step-by-step timeline helps ensure your event is purposeful, peaceful, and well-executed.

12 Months Out: Lay the Foundation

• Set your date and location: Give your team plenty of lead time to secure your preferred venue and avoid scheduling conflicts.

• Send RFPs to venues: Be clear about your needs—space requirements, technology, meal plans, and accessibility.

• Set a preliminary budget: This is your guardrail for all decisions moving forward.

Tip: Use the Pre-Event Checklist as a foundational planning document.

11–10 Months Out: Lock in the Logistics

• Conduct site visits with your top venues.

• Sign your venue contract and begin conversations with vendors.

• Solicit sponsors and partners to help offset costs. (Need ideas? Boosting Ministry Impact with Sponsorships offers inspiration.)

• Develop your event theme and branding to guide visuals and messaging.

9–8 Months Out: Build the Framework

• Establish your planning team and schedule recurring meetings.

• Outline your event program and set a registration timeline.

• Launch your registration site and begin outlining your agenda.

6–4 Months Out: Open the Gates

• Finalize your registration platform and open early bird registration.

• Reserve overflow hotels and confirm your housing block.

• Launch marketing emails and build momentum with “Save the Date” announcements.

• Recruit volunteers and begin creating your Run of Show.

3–1 Months Out: Execute with Confidence

• Send logistical details to your venue, confirm print deadlines, and finalize badges.

• Walk through the agenda with your AV team and venue staff.

• Send “Know Before You Go” emails to prepare your attendees.

Event Week: Be Present, Be Flexible

• Arrive early to check on room sets and food service.

• Monitor the event timeline, care for your volunteers, and troubleshoot as needed.

• Celebrate what God is doing through your gathering.

1 Week to 1 Month After: Wrap Up and Look Ahead

• Send your post-event survey to gather feedback.

• Host a post-conference debrief with staff, volunteers, and venue.

• Settle final invoices and thank your vendors, sponsors, and speakers.

• Send out RFPs for next year—and take a breath. You’ve earned it.

Tip: Don’t forget to use the Post-Event Checklist to guide your wrap-up process.

We’re Here to Help

Looking to see how this works in practice? Read how the Upper New York Annual Conference partnered with GCFA in the case study “A Smarter Way to Plan Church Events.” Their story offers a firsthand look at how strategic support can reduce stress, improve logistics, and bring clarity to complex planning efforts—allowing leaders to focus on the ministry at hand.

If your conference would benefit from professional planning support, GCFA’s Travel and Meeting Planning team can assist with every stage—from venue selection to onsite coordination. We understand the needs of United Methodist events and bring years of denominational experience to your planning table. Click here to request more information about our Travel and Meeting Planning.