Break-even calculator for your fundraising dinner, party or quiz

How to read the result

• Break-even is the attendance at which all your costs are covered. If it is above what you realistically expect, adjust the fixed costs or the ticket price, not your expectation.
• Minimum ticket price is the average price you need to break even at the expected attendance, taking the bar into account.
• Per extra visitor is what one more visitor brings in net. That number decides whether an extra poster or a last-minute push is worth it.
• The three scenarios show how much room you have. A party that only makes a profit with 20% more people than expected is a party with a problem.

Where the reference values come from

The suggested amounts per type are rounded real-world figures for an average Flemish association: a parish or municipal hall, a local DJ, basic insurance and a modest promotion budget. They are there to get a first picture quickly. Replace them with your own quotes as soon as you have them, and calculate music rights with the rate simulator at unisono.be. For permits, noise limits, insurance and everything that is not about money, ikorganiseer.be from the Flemish youth federations is the reference.

Three mistakes the tool makes visible

1. Forgetting the bar. At a €18 dinner with a €7 plate the margin looks thin, until you see that drinks bring in as much per visitor as the food. Estimate bar revenue realistically, not optimistically: an average over all visitors, including the one who has a single cola.
2. Mixing up advance and door sales. A party with 50% sold in advance at €6 and 50% at the door at €8 brings in €7 on average. Calculate with that average, not with the door price.
3. Underestimating percentage ticketing fees. A 5% commission on an €18 ticket is €0.90 per ticket. On 250 diners that is €225, often more than the hall rent. Enter your platform's rates and compare: the tool calculates the same way for every system.

Frequently asked questions

How many visitors do I need to break even on my party?

Divide your fixed costs (hall, DJ, music rights, insurance, security, promotion) by what one visitor brings in net: the average ticket price plus the bar margin, minus the costs per visitor. The tool does that automatically and also shows what happens with 20% fewer or more people.

What ticket price should I ask for a fundraising dinner?

Start from the cost of one plate plus your fixed costs divided by the expected number of diners, and add the margin you want to keep. Count bar revenue separately: at most dinners a large part of the profit comes from the bar, not the food.

Should I include my ticketing platform's fees?

Yes, if you sell in advance online. Every platform charges a commission, a fixed fee per ticket, a payment fee or a combination. The tool has separate fields for those, so you can compare two systems fairly. If you only sell at the door or by bank transfer, leave those fields at zero.

How much do music rights (Unisono) cost for a party in Belgium?

That depends on the floor area of the venue, the entry price and whether a DJ or live band plays. Since 2020 the equitable remuneration is invoiced together with SABAM through Unisono. Calculate the exact amount with the rate simulator at unisono.be and enter it under fixed costs.

May I put this calculator on my youth service's or association's website?

Yes. The tool is free to use, link to and embed, without an account or registration. A ready-made embed code is at the bottom of this page.