Pressure-Test YFL's Private Event Model and Validate Pricing Through Primary Market Research

A market validation of YFL's private and school event model, built through real conversations with potential buyers, not desk research.

We run free family fishing events in Prince George's County, Montgomery County, and DC. We are exploring whether we can also offer private group fishing events at a fee that funds our free programming. Our current hypothesis is that we can charge $40 per person for a private group of 50 people. We want to know whether that price holds, who the likely buyer is, and whether schools represent a separate viable market.

This project requires someone who is comfortable conducting 8 to 12 phone or email interviews with potential buyers. Those buyers include recreation department coordinators in PG County and Montgomery County, school program directors, and corporate team event planners in the DMV. We are not looking for someone to build a prospect list or run a competitive analysis. We are looking for someone who can get on the phone, ask the right questions, and come back with real signal on whether this model works.

What I want to build with this volunteer:

A short interview guide for buyer conversations
8 to 12 completed interviews with real potential buyers
A pricing recommendation based on what buyers actually said
A go or no-go recommendation on the school event model for 2026
A one-page summary of findings we can use in funder and sponsor conversations

The volunteer will be working 2 to 5 hours per week over 4 to 6 weeks.

YFL's community events are free. Every family shows up at no cost. All gear is provided. No barrier to showing up.
Every dollar the paid event model generates goes directly toward keeping those community events free for the families in PG County and DC who cannot afford anything else.

If this model works, it also creates a path for YFL to reach families through schools and corporate team events who would never find us through a community event listing. That expands the mission. A volunteer who helps us validate this model is helping us decide whether to pursue a funding channel that could sustain free events for years.

We have a fully operational free event model running across seven events this season. The volunteer will have access to our event materials, program documentation, and partner relationships to use as context for buyer conversations.

I can provide introductions to contacts at Maryland DNR, CCA Maryland, and the Anacostia Riverfest who can speak to the viability of fee-based programming in this region. I will respond within 24 hours and make myself available for calls whenever the volunteer needs context or backup.