A benefit budget should begin with the recipient's consent, preferred public wording, payment method, and any privacy limits. Then publish the calculation before tickets go on sale: expected door income, a cap on room and required staffing costs, agreed artist guarantees or explicit donations of labor, payment processing fees, and the remainder going to the recipient. Do not advertise all proceeds if ordinary show expenses will be deducted. Keep cash and digital totals on one settlement sheet, have two people count, and transfer funds promptly through the method the recipient chose. Afterward, post attendance, gross income, itemized costs, and final amount transferred without exposing the recipient's private information. If sales exceed the goal, decide in advance where extra funds go. What details help a community trust the budget without turning someone's need into promotional content?
Open thread / Ren Kovac
Building a Transparent Mutual-Aid Benefit Budget
A clear benefit-show budget that states the recipient, costs, artist consent, payment path, and final amount raised.
Include donated goods at their actual cash cost to the event, which may be zero, rather than inflating expenses with retail value. If a vendor donates printing or gear rental, credit them only if the recipient is comfortable with it. The benefit should not become an advertising invoice.
Set a deadline for the public settlement and name who is responsible before the show. I use separate payment links for tickets and extra donations so fees and refund obligations stay legible. Artists should actively confirm donated guarantees; bookers should never volunteer someone else's labor.