The Ask

Tides Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing social justice and equity, supports changemakers and social ventures.

In February 2024, Tides hosted its first in-person all-staff retreat since 2020 at the Golden Gate Club in San Francisco. With over 80% of attendees joining the organization after the pandemic, the retreat aimed to foster connection among employees and align them with Tides’ mission and vision.

Tides approached Kennedy Events with several challenges:

• Strengthening Connections: Building relationships within a largely remote workforce.

• Managing Ambiguity: Navigating a complex and evolving event structure.

• Ensuring Operational Excellence: Coordinating a multi-day event across multiple venues while accommodating both in-person and virtual participants.

The primary goals for the retreat were to:

• Unite employees through meaningful programming and a shared purpose.

• Create an inspiring, inclusive, and seamless hybrid experience.

• Maintain brand cohesion and logistical precision despite a concurrent organizational rebrand.

The Answer

Kennedy Events collaborated with Tides to deliver an engaging and impactful retreat, focusing on three core areas:

Strategic Content Development

• Designed programming that emphasized Tides’ mission and Living Impact Goal, shifting the focus from internal processes to external impact.

• Facilitated a mix of main-stage sessions, interactive workshops, and team-building activities to encourage collaboration and alignment.

Meticulous Event Management

• Oversaw logistics for five venues, including event spaces, lodging, and office transformations for breakout sessions.

• Seamlessly integrated virtual participation, ensuring inclusivity with live streaming, interactive Q&A, and curated swag for remote attendees.

Brand Alignment and Operational Excellence

• Navigated complex challenges related to Tides’ organizational rebrand, delivering a cohesive visual identity across all event elements.

• Coordinated a large-scale volunteer activity that assembled 2,700 hygiene kits for Glide Memorial Church, reinforcing the organization’s commitment to community impact.

THE RESULT

The Tides All-Staff Retreat exceeded expectations, achieving its objectives and leaving a lasting impact on attendees:

• Enhanced Team Connection: Employees reported feeling recharged, inspired, and more connected to colleagues and Tides’ mission.

• Seamless Hybrid Experience: Virtual attendees praised the high production quality and inclusive design, highlighting thoughtful touches like meal credits and swag deliveries.

• Operational Success: Kennedy Events delivered the event under budget, saving Tides over $92,000 while expertly managing transportation, venue coordination, and logistics.

Key Outcomes:

• Volunteer Impact: Assembled 2,700 hygiene kits for community distribution.

• Budget Efficiency: Delivered the event $92K under the original $742K budget.

• Positive Feedback: Attendees celebrated the smooth execution and meaningful programming, with the CEO stating, “This isn’t a relationship anymore. This is a partnership! You’re with us for a long time.”