501(c)(3) nonprofit · San Francisco Bay Area

Promoting the understanding of Chinese culture.

Since 2018, CBT has presented ZaiGeZaiGu's Spring Festival Galas, singing contests and culture fairs to the public. Volunteers run CBT.

Cast and crew of the 2018 ZaiGeZaiGu Spring Festival Gala on stage
Cast and crew of the 2018 ZaiGeZaiGu Spring Festival Gala.
Group photo of the 2022 ZaiGeZaiGu singing contest cast and volunteers on stage
Performers and volunteers of the 2022 ZaiGeZaiGu singing contest.
Flagship community10+ years

ZaiGeZaiGu 载歌在谷

ZaiGeZaiGu presents Chinese cultural performances and festivals to the Bay Area public. Every year, hundreds of volunteers, performers and crew produce a Spring Festival Gala, a singing contest and culture fairs.

  • 2018Qixi Song Night and Spring Festival Gala
  • 2019Spring Festival Gala at Flint Center, Cupertino
  • 2020Spring Festival Gala at San Jose Center for the Performing Arts
  • 2021Online Spring Festival Gala and Summer Gathering
  • 2022Gala at SJCPA, singing contest at Hammer Theatre, Mid-Autumn Fair
  • 202410th-anniversary Gala at SJCPA, Spring and Fall Culture Fairs, Summer Singing Contest
  • 2025Autumn Fair
Dance performance at the 2022 Spring Festival Gala Craft booth at the 2022 Mid-Autumn Fair
Poster of the SMILE 2024 Qixi Hanfu Fair in Seattle
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SMILE 亚马逊华人协会

Seattle

SMILE holds Chinese cultural events in Seattle, such as a Spring Festival Gala and a Qixi Hanfu Fair.

2024: Spring Festival Gala, Qixi Hanfu Fair

WeChat QR code for the 亚华会SMILE official account

Scan in WeChat to follow 亚华会SMILE.
Latest: 2026 Moonlit Encounter culture fair →

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T-Group Oneness

Personal development · since 2024

A Bay Area group that holds T-Group workshops on communication and self-awareness.

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The toolbox

What we learned running volunteer events.

Every volunteer community runs into the same four problems: money, time, people and handover. Here is what works for us.

01Set the budget before you plan the event

If sponsorship is uncertain, every meeting turns into a budget review. Decide the money first, then size the event to fit.

  • Allocate a fixed budget per event and per line item from past years' numbers.
  • Keep a small reserve. This year's surplus or deficit funds next year, not this one.
  • Protect the small things that keep people coming back, such as thank-you gifts for judges and volunteers.
02Start early and work back from the show date

A short preparation window is the most common reason a show feels rushed. Fix the venue first, then build the timeline backward.

  • Book large venues many months ahead. Venue contracts set your date.
  • Set milestones for sponsorship, auditions, rehearsals, promotion and ticketing.
  • Hold a kickoff meeting for all teams so that every team sees the same timeline.
03Recruit for every team, not only the stage

Volunteers give time because of the community and the experience. When too few people join, team leads end up doing everything.

  • Recruit early and publish a clear list of roles: stage, sound, lighting, design, sponsorship, operations.
  • Write down the scope of each request between teams, for example what the design team must deliver, in what sizes and by when.
  • Pair new volunteers with returning ones.
04Hand over gradually, not all at once

When the whole production team changes every year, each new team relearns the same lessons. Gradual handover keeps the knowledge.

  • Keep part of last year's leads as advisors or co-leads.
  • Train a second person for hard-to-fill roles such as lighting and sound.
  • Hold a short retrospective after each event and store it where the next team will find it.
05Put every agreement in writing

Sponsors, venues and partners all deserve a signed agreement. Written agreements protect volunteers and make the next year easier.

  • Use a template for each type: cash sponsorship, in-kind sponsorship, media partnership, venue rental.
  • Sign electronically and file each agreement in one shared place.
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Join CBT

Volunteer with CBT.

Tell us who you are and what you want to build. A CBT volunteer will reply.