Good news first: you probably don't need much money to run a great meetup. Many of the best groups in the world meet in a café corner, a library room or a friend's co-working space, and spend almost nothing. This guide covers what meetups usually cost, how to keep costs down, where support can come from when you need it, and how to handle money in a way that keeps everyone's trust.
What a meetup really costs#
A typical small meetup might involve:
- Venue: often free if attendees order food and drinks, or if a library or co-working space hosts you.
- Printing: leaflets, posters and name badges. You can print a few at home from the resource library for very little.
- Snacks: optional. Many groups skip this or ask people to bring something to share.
- Materials: stickers or a table banner, if you want them. The starter pack bundles these at roughly what they cost to make.
For most groups, that adds up to a small amount each month, sometimes nothing at all.
Venue sponsorship#
The easiest form of support is a free space. Many places are happy to host a regular, friendly group in return for the visit:
- Cafés and bars on quiet nights welcome a group that orders food and drinks.
- Libraries and community centres often have free rooms for community groups.
- Co-working spaces and tech companies may host in return for a mention.
- Universities can offer rooms through a student society.
- Places that accept ZEC, which you can find on ZecMap (terbuka di tab baru), may be especially happy to host.
A simple ask:
"Hi, I organise a small monthly meetup about privacy technology and digital cash. We're usually 8 to 15 people. Could we use your back room on the first Thursday evening each month? Our members would order food and drinks, and we'd thank you in our posts and on our group page."
See Choosing a venue and Talking to venues for more scripts.
Zcash Community Grants#
Zcash Community Grants (terbuka di tab baru) is a community-run program that funds projects that help the Zcash ecosystem. Event sponsorship is one of the things it supports. Rules and amounts change over time, so always check the current guidelines on the grants website and the Zcash community forum (terbuka di tab baru) before you apply.
How applying usually works#
- Read the current guidelines on the grants site and the ZCG GitHub (terbuka di tab baru).
- Open an application as a GitHub issue, following the template there.
- Post on the forum so the community can see your request and ask questions.
- Answer questions openly and patiently.
- Report back after your event with what happened and how the money was spent.
Tips for a good request#
- Keep it small and specific. "Venue hire and printing for six monthly meetups" is better than "funding for our community".
- Show a simple budget. List each cost, with a short note on why it's needed.
- Show your track record. Use your meetup reports. You can export your group's history from the dashboard. See Reporting and why it matters.
- Explain the benefit. How many people will you reach? How many first-timers? What will they learn?
- Say how you'll report back. Promise a short summary with numbers and photos (with consent).
Connect with your regional community#
Many regions and language groups already have active Zcash communities. They may have materials in your language, speakers to share, or experience with grant applications. Some can apply for support on behalf of several local groups at once. Look for your region in the directory or ask on the forum (terbuka di tab baru). Working together is almost always better than starting from scratch.
Be transparent about money#
Trust is everything for a meetup, especially one about money and privacy. If your group handles any funds at all, be open about it.
What not to accept#
Some offers come with strings attached. Politely say no to:
- Sponsors who want to promote a token, trading service or "opportunity" at your meetup.
- Payment in exchange for speaking slots or promotion to your members.
- Anything that requires you to share attendee details.
Our code of conduct bans financial promotion and soliciting at meetups, and that includes from sponsors. Keeping your meetup free of sales pitches is what makes people feel safe coming back.