PRIMARY INDUSTRIES EDUCATION FOUNDATION AUSTRALIA (PIEFA)

Discover how Cvent’s integrated solutions helped PIEFA streamline their national food and fibre education conference.

PIEFA Conference 2025 event with a man giving a speech on the stage.
∼40%

Event Costs Saved

91%

of Registrants Checked In

70%

App Adoption Rate

∼100

Leads Collected via App

BACKGROUND

The Primary Industries Education Foundation Australia (PIEFA) is a not-for-profit organisation formed through a collaboration between the Australian Government, primary industries, and the education sector. PIEFA is run by a small team of just five full-time staff, and their mission is to engage Australian schools and communities through education of food and fibre production and careers.

Their flagship event is the national PIEFA Conference, a biennial gathering that brings together teachers, industry professionals, and government representatives. As Dianne Murray, Communications and Business Manager at PIEFA, explains, "PIEFA Conference is an opportunity for PIEFA and other leaders in the food and fibre education space to showcase recent projects, classroom resources, and build relationships. These face-to-face events are incredibly valuable for teachers and other stakeholders to connect and discover ways to enhance their education programs”. Historically, the conference was managed by a professional conference organiser (PCO), a practice that proved costly and introduced numerous inefficiencies.

Group of people sitting at the PIEFA event watching a video displayed in front of them.

GOALS

For the 2025 conference, PIEFA decided to manage everything themselves, moving away from their reliance on a PCO. This decision was driven by the need to cut costs and gain more control. In previous years, the PCO served as a time-consuming middleman, leaving PIEFA’s team with limited access to real-time data and a constant need to relay information back and forth. This lack of direct control over a high-stakes event, coupled with the significant expense of a PCO, was a major pain point. With Dianne as the primary person managing the event end-to-end, a solution was needed to save money, simplify logistics, and deliver a more engaging, professional experience for delegates and sponsors alike. 

A bunch of people visiting the booths setup at PIEFA event

APPROACH

To overcome these challenges, PIEFA chose a range of Cvent solutions to act as a comprehensive replacement for their PCO. "We wanted a one-stop shop solution to manage everything from promoting the event to publishing speaker bios, managing registrations, as well as the extras, like the gala dinner, the optional Field Trip, and the breakout sessions," Dianne states. "And we found that Cvent covered all of that quite well, meaning we no longer needed a third party to handle the conference management. Between myself and Cvent, we found we could do it all."

PIEFA used a suite of Cvent products, including the event registration software, the Attendee Hub app, and the OnArrival Basic check-in solutions. They also utilised the Speaker Resource Center to handle abstract collection and collate speaker information after vetting. 

Recognising their own limited technical expertise, PIEFA also secured a professional services package from Cvent. The Cvent team built out all the solutions, setting up the event website, registration, and configuring the mobile app. "We had 30 hours of event build services, which the Client Services team supported us with, and I will say that if I didn't have that, it wouldn't have been as smooth sailing as it was," Dianne notes. This dedicated support was crucial, as it allowed her to focus on content and strategy rather than technical logistics. "The support from Cvent from day one was fantastic! From the very beginning, it was very easy, with constant communication all the way through," she says, further adding, "Their response time was great, and they often went above and beyond. For example, I would say, I've prepared some survey questions, and I would share the questions. And then before I knew it, they'd already be uploaded into the system, so I didn't even need to do that side of it.”

Cvent’s tools streamlined every aspect of PIEFA’s event management—handling registrations, sponsors, sessions, social events, field trips, and promotions in one system.

A women presenting at PIEFA event with audience watching

RESULTS

The transition to Cvent was a resounding success, leading to significant financial and operational benefits for PIEFA.

Cost and Time Efficiency

By switching to Cvent, PIEFA saved roughly 40% of its event costs – a huge win for the non-profit. PIEFA also wanted the app to replace their printed programmes, which saved money and accommodated last-minute changes that a physical programme couldn’t handle. While the total time commitment remained comparable, the team gained complete control, which allowed for real-time adjustments and eliminated communication bottlenecks. As Dianne explains, “I could now answer questions from board members or other stakeholders about registration numbers in real-time – it provided me with more control and visibility.”

 

Attendance and Revenue Goals Met

PIEFA successfully registered 167 attendees. Their goal was to launch registration well in advance of the event, and with Cvent, they were able to go live 180 days ahead of the conference date. A total 152 attendees checked in at the event, of which 117 downloaded the app, achieving an impressive 70% app adoption rate. The event also generated revenue from sponsorships, field trips, and the gala dinner.

Enhanced Attendee and Sponsor Engagement

The mobile app was a major hit with attendees and sponsors. It provided real-time updates and served as a powerful tool for sponsors, who collected close to 100 valuable leads using the in-app "Contact Us" option. Additionally, PIEFA implemented DKIM across the entire account, resulting in a high email open rate of 58%. Delegates noted how seamless registration and app communication made the event experience more engaging and professional. Teachers, in particular, valued the easy access to session information and speaker bios, while sponsors benefited from improved visibility and lead generation.

LOOKING FORWARD

The success of the PIEFA Conference 2025 has solidified Cvent as an essential partner for the organisation. Their experience with Cvent proved that a small team can successfully manage a national event, as long as they have the right technology and support. The Cvent platform's ability to provide a cost-effective, full-service solution has empowered PIEFA to continue delivering high-quality events and will undoubtedly play a key role in their future conference planning.

PRODUCTS USED

PIEFA Case Study

GOALS

  • Reduce costs by managing the event in-house.
  • Gain direct access to real-time data.
  • Eliminate delays caused by third-party coordination.
  • Deliver a smoother, more professional experience for attendees and sponsors.

APPROACH

  • Managed registrations, sessions, social events, and speaker info via Cvent tools.
  • Leveraged Cvent’s Professional Services for setup and support.
  • Focused on strategy while Cvent handled technical logistics.

RESULTS

  • Saved roughly 40% of event costs
  • 91% of registrants checked in
  • 70% app adoption rate
  • Approx. 100 leads collected via app

PRODUCTS USED

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