We are all, first and foremost, humans. Being grateful and showing this can inspire a cycle of generosity. We show this through gifts of appreciation as well as our time and attention.

GIFTS OF APPRECIATION

We always want to make sure that all of our makers (creatives) feel appreciated from the moment they arrive so we set up their workstations in advance with all the supplies they will need, as well as a gift. When the nonprofits join us later in the day, we offer them a similar token. In many instances these gifts were shirts in colors and sizes of their choosing, sometimes sponsors would offer additional vouchers and prizes, such as free access to key software.

Many organizers have created goodie bags with shirts, stickers, and other items with the makers' names on them. Some organizers will leave gifts without the goodie bags to reduce waste. This might include a folded shirt and card with the maker’s name on it.

Providing a wide variety of food options has been the best way to everyone's heart on a long, make-a-thon day. Makers might crave grab-and-go items to continue working, as well as foods and drinks that satisfy their cravings and give them energy. Of course, products that are suited to food allergies and other restrictions (which we always ask about in the applications and/or RSVP forms) are important to account for during the event. We've included some pro tips for food at a make-a-thon in the resources to the left.

TIME AND ATTENTION

As organizers of a make-a-thon, we always want to get to know each individual, which is why we are involved in every step of the process from reviewing applications to attending nonprofit interviews; from conducting planning meetings to sitting in on the nonprofit check-ins. We want to know each person's name, what drives their passion, and how we can be the best support possible to them.

FOLLOW UP

After each make-a-thon, you have an opportunity to continue many valuable relationships that you made during the process. One way we have maintained these relationships is through "thank you" messages which include everything from a simple email to full gift packages.

At the event, makers are asked to share their completed files with the nonprofit by the end of the make-a-thon so nonprofits can hit the ground running and makers are not on the hook permanently. In our "thank you" messages, we check with the nonprofits to make sure they have everything they need. If not, we then check in with the team to find out how to get the appropriate files to share. This has been fairly seamless with a little additional attention on our end.

It is always really exciting to see the work completed at a make-a-thon out in the wild, and important to our mission that the projects created at an event are utilized by the nonprofit. We like to follow up with nonprofits after a few months to see how the work is being used, the impact it is having, and what we can do to be helpful if there are any issues.

NAVIGATING IMPERFECTIONS

At the 2018 New York City Make-a-Thon, we had a nonprofit miss their midday check-in and we were unable to contact them during the day. This was the one and only time this occurred, but instead of panicking, we stepped in to work with the maker team to give feedback, pump them up, and ensure that they still had an enjoyable experience. We ended up building strong relationships with those makers and one of them became a site leader for the 2019 New York City Make-a-Thon and eventually a corporate sponsor for the event. We believe this additional time, attention, and respect enhanced the experience regardless of the nonprofit's engagement.