House Party Toolkit

Host an OPEN fundraiser to build power, spread awareness, and help grow the movement to normalize non-monogamy!

Welcome!

Ready to make a real impact for non-monogamy rights and acceptance? Hosting an OPEN house party is a fun, easy, and effective way to bring together your family, friends, and community to eat, drink, connect, and contribute.

This guide provides step-by-step instructions and resources to help make your event a success!

Getting Started

A House Party is an opportunity to bring together your friends and community to learn about OPEN’s work and raise funds to support the movement to normalize non-monogamy. Whether it's a cozy living room gathering, a picnic in the park, or a brunch at your favorite café, your event can help raise awareness, build power, and create a lasting impact.

Ready to get started? Reach out to us at info@open-love.org! We can help you plan and will send some event materials your way.

What’s in the Toolkit?

FAQ to help you start brainstorming

Essential Party Planning Checklist

Sample party agenda

Template remarks and invite & thank you emails

Printable event materials

FAQs

Q: What kind of party should I host?

A: That’s totally up to you! You know what would be most fun for your friends. Are they more sit down dinner folks or more for backyard barbeque? Tea party, park playdate, or even a game night? Some people like to host house parties as part of another celebration such as a birthday or anniversary. It doesn’t have to be fancy – light refreshments are great, the less work you take on as a party planner, the more you can focus on the mission of your event.

Q: I don’t know OPEN’s work inside and out. Can I still host?

A: Absolutely! Use the resources in this toolkit to get familiar, or simply share them directly with your friends and family. Some people choose to focus on one or two of OPEN’s programs that really speak to them and share just that information. Remember: the best way to be an ambassador is to share how your own experiences connect to our mission and what inspired you to support our work.

Q: What’s the best way to promote my event?

A: If you choose to send your invite through an online platform there will likely be some built-in features that make it easy to remind and communicate with your guests. Take advantage of social media to spread the word, and ask each guest to bring a friend or two along. Expand your list even further by co-hosting with a friend or colleague – bonus points if you don’t have overlapping social circles.

Q: How should my guests and I make our donations?

A: We’ve made it simple for you to collect donations from your guests using one (or more) of these options:

  1. Ask your guests to donate online at open-love.org/donate. They can donate before or after the event, or even during the party on their phone. Guests you invited that cannot make it the party can make a donation online as well.

  2. Collect donations in cash or via an app like Venmo or CashApp during your event and then donate online after the event. With this option, your guests will not receive a donation receipt.

  3. For folks who bring their checkbooks or would like to use their debit/credit card, use the donation envelope provided by OPEN for them to complete. To make it easy for your guests, collect the envelopes and checks and mail them to OPEN at 1518 Madera Ct., El Cerrito, CA 94530. Please make sure to make checks out to “Organization for Polyamory and Ethical Nonmonogamy,” not “OPEN” (our bank doesn’t like that!).

Q: Can OPEN speak at my event?

A: Schedule allowing, we’d love to make a virtual appearance at your event! We can help you with the technical details to call in by voice or video.

Q: Will guests receive tax receipts for their donations?

A: For gifts made to OPEN, we always send an acknowledgement and tax receipt. If you collect contributions from your guests in cash and donate to OPEN, you will receive a tax receipt but the individual donors will not.

Party Planning Checklist

6 to 8 weeks out

  • Decide on your location, date and time. If you can’t have the party at your home, consider local businesses or community centers that might be willing to host. Be sure to consider possible accessibility needs of your guests!

  • Set a fundraising goal. People will be more motivated to donate during your party if the finish line is in sight and they can help you cross it. We can help you set a goal and suggest a focus for their gifts to go toward, such as our legislative advocacy work or community programs like our free Peer Support circles.

  • Email info@open-love.org with the date, location, and a few details about your event. Also provide your shipping address so we can mail you some supplies for your event!

  • Create your invite list – not everyone will be able to make it (and not everyone who RSVP’s will show up!) so don’t be afraid to invite over your preferred amount.

  • Send your invites out. Email, Facebook, e-vite, or old fashioned mailed invites all work great. Go with what’s easiest for you and your guests.

3 weeks out

  • Plan your menu and create your shopping list. You are welcome to hire caterers if you prefer but a super basic set up with fruit, cheese and crackers works just as well.

  • Follow up with anyone who hasn’t responded yet. A quick phone call or text to check in is a nice touch. If it turns out they can’t make it, ask if they’d be willing to donate anyway and send them a link to OPEN’s donation page: www.open-love.org/donate.

  • You should receive your packet of supplies from OPEN! This includes donation envelopes, stickers, and promotional materials.

1 week out

  • Do the shopping for any food, drinks, serving wear, and décor you may need.

  • Send an update to your confirmed guests on where to park, and how to find you if you are meeting up at a park or restaurant.

Party time!

  • Prepare your space, food, and drinks, don’t forget to make space for people to mingle and sit.

  • Help us collect your guests’ information. Ask them to put their name, address, and email on the sign in sheet. This will allow them to receive email updates to stay connected with us.

  • Guests can write checks, use cash or credit card by filling out the donation envelopes or by clicking the DONATE button at www.open-love.org.

Post Party

  • Send a personalized thank you to your guests.

  • Let us know how it went! Email us at info@open-love.org with any information you learned from your guests, your total amount raised and all the exciting details. We want to celebrate with you!

  • If you received cash donations, donate the value of what you collected online at www.open-love.org. Send checks, envelopes and credit card payments to Organization for Polyamory and Ethical Non-monogamy, 1518 Madera Ct., El Cerrito, CA 94530.

Sample Party Agenda

6:00 – 6:30pm

Greet your guests and ask them to sign in using the sign in sheet provided in this packet. Give your guests time to socialize over snacks or drinks.

6:30 – 6:40pm

Welcome your guests and remind them that the evening’s event is a fundraiser for OPEN and mission to advance rights and acceptance for non-monogamous families and relationships. Let them know you’ll be sharing more in a bit, and encourage them to mingle and have some fun!

6:40 – 7:15pm

Mingle, eat, drink, and be merry! This is a great time for an icebreaker, quick games, conversation prompts, and so on.

7:15 – 7:45pm

Grab your guests’ attention and share with them your reason for hosting an event to raise money/awareness for OPEN. A personal story about your connection to our mission of non-monogamy rights and acceptance is a really effective way to get started.

If a member of OPEN’s team will be joining for a virtual appearance, you can introduce them for their remarks.

Finally, ask your guests to donate. Pass out donation forms and pens. You might also put out a laptop with OPEN’s donate page pulled up. Make sure guests know that donating is not required but that it’s very much appreciated.

7:45 – anytime

Enjoy an evening of fun and connection, knowing that you’re helping to build the movement for non-monogamy rights and acceptance, and create a more loving and inclusive world!

Template Communications

Email Invitation

Subject: You’re invited to a house party in support of OPEN

Dear [name],

I'm hosting a house party to support OPEN (Organization for Polyamory and Ethical Non-monogamy) on [Date] at [Time], and I’d love for you to be there! OPEN is a grassroots advocacy nonprofit working to advance rights and acceptance for non-monogamous individuals and families.

Join us for an evening of great conversation, refreshments, and the opportunity to learn more about this important cause. We'll have a brief presentation about OPEN's mission and how you can support their work.

When: [Date and Time]
Where: [Your Address]
RSVP: [Your contact info or RSVP method]

You’ll have the opportunity to contribute to OPEN at the party by making a check, cash, or online donation. If you can’t make it, you can contribute now at https://www.open-love.org/donate.

I hope you can make it!
[Your Name]

Event Remarks

Welcome, everyone, and thank you for coming to support OPEN. I'm passionate about OPEN's mission because [personal reason]. OPEN is at the forefront of a growing movement to advance rights and acceptance for non-monogamous individuals and families.

Did you know that 1 in 20 Americans are currently in a consensually non-monogamous relationship? Yet, there are no explicit legal protections for this community. OPEN is working to change that through advocacy, education, and community building.

OPEN’s work focuses on three core strategies:

  • Supporting non-monogamous communities and individuals through educational resources and spaces like our free, twice-monthly peer support circles.

  • Promoting visibility and acceptance of non-monogamous families, relationships, and communities through media and education, as well as programs like the global Week of Visibility for Non-monogamy.

  • Building grassroots movement power to advance legal protections and remove systemic barriers. This includes legislative advocacy to pass non-discrimination protections, and our Open Workplaces Initiative to advance inclusion and acceptance for non-monogamous professionals in the workplace.

Your support tonight will help OPEN [specific goal or project]. I invite you to donate generously. Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a difference. You can donate by [explain donation methods].

Thank You Email

Subject: Thank you for supporting OPEN

Dear [name],

Thank you for attending my house party in support of OPEN. Your presence and generosity made the evening a success. Together, we raised [Amount] to support OPEN's crucial work in advancing rights and acceptance for non-monogamous individuals and families.

If you'd like to stay involved:

  • Follow OPEN on social media: www.open-love.org/hello

  • Sign up for their newsletter: www.open-love.org/join

  • Consider becoming a monthly donor: www.open-love.org/donate

Thank you again for your support!

Best,
[Your Name]

Event Materials

Click to download printable versions of these core event resources. Need help? Email us at info@open-love.org to receive these by mail.

QR Codes

These QR codes will let people quickly contribute or sign up for our email list. We suggest placing a few of these in strategic places around your event, like by the snack table.

Email Signup Sheet

Collect emails from folks who attend your party so you can follow up! Then, send those signups our way so we can stay in touch, too.