Preparing for UNGA week...

Hi Everyone, 

A few folks reached out to me asking for suggestions on making the most of UNGA. I’m no expert but I’ve learnt a few things along the way as I’ve been to Skoll (three times) and UNGA (only once). Hence, thought I’d share my approach to these events in case it helps others.

Before you read further, please take the pressure off yourself in case you’re feeling any. Before my first Skoll, I was slightly (very?) intimidated by the amount of prep that donors were putting into the event. Meetings were set up months in advance and I felt like I’d be letting my org down if I didn’t display the same frenetic urgency in preparing, setting up meetings, so on. 

But, when I finally got myself there, I realized it's just an event and a bunch of meetings – whether it’s UNGA or Skoll. And there are just other human beings there (Heads of States are also human beings) that are possibly as overwhelmed and intimidated as you might be. So, anytime you are freaking out that you aren’t sure if you’ve done enough to prep, just remember that nothing is ever enough. My main advice is to go there RESTED because it does tend to get busy. When you’re there, even if you don’t have a ton of meetings, listen to what is happening around you and events that others might be going to so that you can sign up. Be fully present when you are there and find people that can be your support system when you need some downtime from the networking. 

My approach for meetings/events: 

• I try to set up at least 7-10 meetings with donors or pipeline donors so that I am having meaningful conversations and not flitting from one place to the next. Schedules get packed early on, so I reach out quite well in advance. If you haven’t already for UNGA, it’ll be good to check ASAP with your donors and potential donors on whether they are attending and set up some time. 

• Ask your partners and donors and Board members for suggestions of other folks to meet. Donor partners can be the best connectors. I sometimes hesitate to ask because I don’t want to seem like a pain or come across as needy but I’ve realized that was all in my head. Many donors are happy to make connections – not enough people ask them to. 

• There are many prescheduled events already set up. UNICEF, Teach for All, others, have events. Tap into the networks you are part of to get the posters/event details. Many people share google spreadsheets with event listings and you can just land up to most of these events, or can register in advance to book a spot.  

• I treat each event as an opportunity – either to meet new people or learn something new or talk/share more about our work. Hence, try to go to things where you might be genuinely interested as I find myself naturally contributing more in those spaces.

• Have a clear idea of why you are meeting each person and do some homework into their background, experience and why you want to connect to make sure it’s a good use of time on both sides. 

• I’ve also realized there’s a certain ‘event maturity’ with these things. In my first time attending Skoll, it was a lot to take in so I just with in with energy and persevered through the days to get as much as I could out of all the events. My second year was much more relaxed and easy – I had the same number of meetings but it seemed a lot less stressful, perhaps because I had gotten my bearings on the space in Year 1. By Year 3, I was packing jeans for meetings 😊  

Practical logistics tips (this is probably more important than the above!): 

• Wear comfortable shoes. You will likely have to walk a lot so dress your feet accordingly. 

• Make sure you put in the event location on your meeting spreadsheet and check walking distance between your meetings so that you can be efficient with your time. Allow for adequate walking/travel time between meetings so that you’re not running to get somewhere or run late! 

• Take public transport or walk during UNGA week. I once made the mistake of calling a cab to get from one meeting to another. Big mistake. With so many Heads of State in NYC, it gets super jammed on the roads with VIP traffic movement. 

• Get enough sleep. Cannot stress this enough. 

• Pace yourself. Don’t schedule everything for day 1 and run out of energy. 

• Carry layers for NYC weather.  

• Hotel rates shoot through the roof at this time so, hopefully, you’ve made your hotel bookings already. If not, might be worth considering room sharing with someone to save on accommodation costs. 

Overall, for those that are going, it’s a really special thing to be in NY in person when there are so many parallel things happening. So, I would just say be yourself and be present to make the most of your time there. Fundraising isn’t a zero-sum game and I do think there is enough money to go around…and, even if you don’t have many meetings, it’s OK. Just get to know people and build relationships.  

All the best with all the meetings, the discussions and hope that it is a productive time for you. For those that aren’t going, like me, don’t feel FOMO. There’s enough to do in India as well!

Kruti