Event planning & coordination support for research & policy organizations

Policy convenings, research symposia, and stakeholder briefings don't run themselves — and the logistical overhead often falls on researchers and analysts who have more pressing work to do. Whether you're organizing a multi-panel academic conference, a Capitol Hill briefing, or a funder roundtable, a Trusty Oak EA handles the coordination so your team stays focused on the work that drives impact. From venue sourcing to post-event follow-up, the operational details get managed without pulling your subject matter experts away from their core responsibilities.

Fractional event planning & coordination support for research and policy organizations

How Trusty Oak handles event planning & coordination for research and policy organizations

A Trusty Oak Executive Assistant or Specialist takes ownership of the end-to-end logistics for your events, working within the tools your organization already uses — Zoom, Eventbrite, Cvent, Calendly, Google Workspace, or Asana, depending on your setup. Day-to-day, that means managing speaker invitations and confirmations, coordinating AV and catering with vendors, building and distributing agendas, tracking RSVPs, and handling attendee communications from save-the-date through post-event survey. For policy-focused events, your EA can also coordinate with Hill staff schedulers, manage press or media lists, and ensure materials like policy briefs or one-pagers are formatted and distributed on time. Your role is to set the strategic direction — who should be in the room, what the agenda priorities are — and your EA executes the operational plan from there. Your dedicated Client Success Manager helps establish a clear delegation workflow during onboarding so nothing falls through the cracks.

What your EA takes off your plate

Before handing off your first event, document the non-negotiables: your organization's approval process for external communications, any compliance requirements around government or funder attendees, and a contact list of vendors or venues you've used before. The most common mistake is waiting too long to bring in support — handing off an event six weeks out gives your EA enough runway to do the job well; handing it off two weeks out means you're both in triage mode.

1

Speaker and Panelist Coordination

Manages outreach, confirmations, bio collection, and AV/tech requirement gathering for researchers, policy experts, and government officials participating in panels or keynotes.

2

Venue and Vendor Sourcing

Researches and vets conference centers, think tank spaces, Hill hearing rooms, or virtual platforms, then handles contracts, deposits, and vendor communication through event day.

3

Attendee Registration and RSVP Management

Sets up and monitors registration in Eventbrite or Cvent, tracks attendance against capacity, sends confirmation and reminder emails, and manages waitlists for high-demand briefings or convenings.

4

Agenda and Materials Preparation

Builds and formats run-of-show documents, distributes policy briefs or research summaries to attendees in advance, and coordinates final review with your team before publication or distribution.

5

Post-Event Follow-Up and Documentation

Sends thank-you notes to speakers and attendees, distributes recordings or summary documents, deploys post-event surveys via SurveyMonkey or Google Forms, and compiles attendance and engagement data for grant reporting or internal review.

Tools our team works with

We adapt to your existing stack — no forced migrations.

Asana
Zoom Events
Google Workspace
Eventbrite
Airtable
Typeform

...and many more!

Trusted by research and policy organizations

Trusty Oak supports research and policy organizations including Clayton Christensen Institute — handling everything from event planning & coordination to broader operational support.

What event planning & coordination support costs for research and policy organizations

Drag the sliders to build a monthly plan that fits your workload.

Executive Assistants
~$35/hour
15 hours $525
Specialists
~$50/hour
10 hours $500
Fractional Executives
~$95/hour
5 hours $475
Your monthly budget
$1,500

Starting at $1,000/month. One-time $300 onboarding fee includes your Strategic Delegation Plan.

Book a Discovery Call

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes — your EA can handle scheduling outreach and logistics coordination with Hill schedulers, agency communications offices, or external stakeholders, following whatever protocols your organization requires. You'll want to brief your EA on any specific communication guidelines or approval chains upfront, which your Client Success Manager will help document during onboarding.
Trusty Oak EAs are experienced with both in-person event logistics and virtual platforms like Zoom Webinar, Hopin, and Microsoft Teams Live Events. If your event calendar includes a mix of formats — a hybrid policy forum one month and a virtual funder briefing the next — your EA can manage both without needing separate support.
Trusty Oak's monthly talent budget starts at $1,000, and any unused hours roll over, so lighter months don't go to waste. If a major conference requires a heavier lift in one month, you can adjust your budget accordingly — your Client Success Manager can help you plan hour allocation around your event calendar.

Let your team focus on the research

Trusty Oak's US-based assistants handle the logistics of your next policy convening, symposium, or stakeholder briefing — from first invite to final follow-up. Start with a $1,000/month plan and a Strategic Delegation Plan built around your event calendar.