WILL Event Planning Guide Normal

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Written and Designed by Arlene Barrow

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TABLE OF CONTENTS:
THE BASICS:
ABOUT WILL..............................................3
CO-LEADERS..............................................4
PROJECT PLANNING 101............................ 5-6
PROJECT MANAGEMENT:
MEDIA CAMPAIGNS.................................9-10
CHALKING...........................................11-12
TABLING.............................................13-14
FUNDRAISING......................................15-16
BIG EVENTS........................................ 17-21
THE NITTY GRITTY:
RENTING SPACE....................................22-23
FUNDING............................................23-25
CASH BOXES........................................25-26
TICKETS.................................................26
FOOD.....................................................27
HOUSEKEEPING........................................27
SET-UP...................................................27
CONTRACTS........................................27-28
SECURITY............................................... 28
CONTACTS & RESOURCES:
RESOURCES............................................ 29
IMPORTANT CONTACTS.......................... 30-31

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ABOUT WILL
WILL is a student-led feminist activism group at
UMBC that seeks to offer students a knowledge base about
gender and its relation to other differences such as race,
class, and sexuality, as well as practical leadership skills
that will improve their academic and professional
accomplishments. WILL members plan and execute events
of all types relating to current day women’s issues and are
encouraged to take on leadership roles in whatever capacity
they can, including developing, planning and leading their
own projects.
OUR GOALS:
•To encourage critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, and
to provide active learning opportunities that empower
women as leaders, professionals, and engaged citizens
during and after college.
•To promote the self-esteem and self-confidence of its
members.
•To provide opportunities in and out of the classroom for
women to explore career and life choices.
•To promote support networks for women students in
fields where they have historically been under-represented.
•To foster a deeper understanding of women’s diverse roles
and contributions to society.
•To increase awareness of obstacles women have faced and
are facing, and to foster individual and collective strategies
to address these issues.
•To cultivate skills for living and working with people of
diverse backgrounds and opinions.

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THE CO-LEADERS
Because we are an organization that seeks to be both
intentional about our structure and equitable in our
distribution of power, WILL is structured so as to have co-
leaders and general members. The co-leaders of WILL are a
body of students who want to take a more active role in the
leadership of the group. Co-leaders have many duties
including keeping track of the budget, meeting with
advisors, sending out emails to members and other
organizations, up-keeping our social media profiles,
managing annual WILL projects, and leading group
meetings. Elections for co-leaders begin in May and the
term of a co-leader lasts from between the summer
following the election through the next election (which is at
the end of the following spring semester). The great thing
about WILL’s structure is that we can have as many co-
leaders as we want, and co-leaders can customize their role
within the group. While Student Life stipulates that we
must elect a president, vice president, treasurer, and
secretary, we really only elect people to these roles in order
to meet these requirements—for the most part, those who
we elect take an active role in all of the work that WILL
does.

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PROJECT PLANNING 101
Getting involved doesn’t have to be a big to-do. WILL
members are encouraged to plan events of all sizes.
Whether you want to do a project as small as a button
campaign or as large as a panel discussion, we are here for
you!
WILL FAQ:
DO WILL PROJECTS HAVE TO BE ABOUT WOMEN?
WILL members can take on any projects that relate
to current women’s issues! WILL is very flexible about the
projects that members can take on; however, know that
students will be asked how their project relates to the goals
of their organization when requesting funding for larger
events.
WHAT KINDS OF PROJECTS CAN WILL DO?
When it comes to the various types of events and
projects that WILL members can put on, the sky’s the limit!
In the past, WILL members have created poster campaigns,
organized chalking events, tabled about issues, put on bake
sales, put on shows, hosted interactive events, and brought
speakers to campus (and there are step-by-step instructions
for how to go about planning these different kinds of
projects in the following pages).
I HAVE AN IDEA FOR A PROJECT. HOW DO I GET
STARTED?
The first thing you’ll want to do is talk to one of the
WILL co-leaders. Though you can just email one of us, we
HIGHLY encourage you to bring up your idea at the next
WILL meeting; this will allow other members to help you
brainstorm about the most effective way to carry out your
idea, and will hopefully get other members interested
enough in your project that they want to help out!

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WILL THE CO-LEADERS TAKE CHARGE OF MY PROJECT
IDEA ONCE I’VE PROPOSED IT?
No, no, and no! WILL is all about creating an
environment where students feel empowered to take on
leadership positions; if the co-leaders just planned
everything, it would defeat much of the purpose of this
organization. Plus we’re busy planning our own projects,
and we don’t usually have time to take on someone else’s.
That being said, we are happy to answer any questions that
you may have and to guide you through the process of
project management.
I’VE NEVER PUT ON A PROJECT/ORGANIZED AN EVENT
BEFORE; I’M WORRIED I’LL BE OUT OF MY DEPTH
Don’t worry; most of your co-leaders didn’t have any
experience with event planning before they joined WILL
either! You’re not expected to know how to do everything
when you’re just getting started. This guide is intended to
give potential project-leaders a starting point, and your co-
leaders are always happy to help you figure out how to get
your actual project off the ground.

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PROJECT MANAGMENT
As boring as project-management may sound, in
reality it is anything but. Taking on a project means taking
action and making an impact both on campus and in the
larger community. WILL is here to offer you a platform for
your activist passion, and we’ve put together a list of some
of the projects that WILL members have put on in the past
to help you get that ball rolling. This list really just begins
to scratch the surface, but hopefully it will help you start to
brainstorm about your own potential projects!
WILL can get behind just about any kind of project,
but in the past, WILL members have...
•Made informational posters about little-known women
leaders in science.
•Led sticker campaigns providing information about unsafe
feminine hygiene products.
•Organized bus trips to see movies and other off-campus
events.
•Written zines on sex, street harassment, and important
feminist leaders.
•Helped host feminist-themed “Craftivism” events.

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•Led anti-street harassment chalkings at UMBC.
•Put on bake sales to raise awareness about the wage gap
and fundraise for nonprofit organizations.
•Brought speakers to campus.
•Organized “love your body” themed events on campus.
•Designed and distributed consent-themed printable
Valentine’s Day cards.
•Hosted women’s health expos on campus.
•Organized panel discussions on the prison industrial
complex.
•Put on large-scale shows like the Vagina Monologues.
•Hosted workshops on salary negotiations and activism.
•Attended national conferences on feminist activism and
leadership.
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This list could go on and on, but hopefully you get the
picture. In the following sections, we’ll be breaking down
some different kinds of projects that you might want to
take on, from the least stressful to the most involved. So
without further ado, here are your step-by-step instructions
on how to undertake…

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1. MEDIA CAMPAIGNS
1. Bring up your idea at a WILL meeting
It’s important to brainstorm with other people about
your idea to make sure that you’re planning the smartest
and most effective event possible to tackle your particular
issue. WILL meetings are the perfect place to get feedback
from your fellow members and from your co-leaders.
2. Make a timeline
Once you feel good about your project, it’s always a
good idea to make a timeline; with all the stress of the
school semester, projects can sometimes end up falling by
the wayside. A timeline will ensure that you stay on track
and don’t end up missing important deadlines or have to
scramble to finish your project at the very last minute.
3. Design your campaign
Whether you are writing a zine, creating a poster
series, or putting together a media campaign online, you
are either going to have to design your project yourself or
collaborate with someone who will design it for you.
Remember that you want your campaign to grab people’s
attention, and you definitely don’t want to lose that
attention once you’ve got it. So keep your message short
and to the point, and make sure that your images aren’t
overwhelming the information that you’re presenting. If
you’re not up for designing your campaign yourself, the
talented team of student designers over at commonvision is
available free to student organizations to help them design
marketing materials, so you can always hit them up.
4. Secure funding
The only costs typically associated with these
projects are the costs of printing, so unless you want to
print tons of huge glossy posters, WILL can probably cover
the costs without you having to go to the SGA finance
board. Just make sure to put together a budget of all the
costs associated with your project and get it approved by

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WILL before you start your campaign, because it would be a
real shame to discover at the last minute that we do not
have the funds to cover your project.
5. Post it!
You want to make sure to get the word out about
your project, so post it online, around campus, or wherever
you see fit! But if you’re posting anything on campus, be
aware that UMBC has some weird policies about this.
The UMBC Posting Policy In Brief:
In the Commons, you can put flyers on the tables
under the flag, but not on the surfboard shaped tables near
the CIC desk. You’re also not allowed to post anything
directly on those four pillars in the Commons that are
always covered in flyers; if you want to post something
there, you’ll have to ask someone at the CIC to do it for you.
If you want to post anything in ResLife, you’ll have to
submit it to the Residential Life Office, where they will
(hopefully) approve and stamp your flyer. On Academic
Row, you’re allowed to post items on any fixture that is
designed to hold ads, as long as you don’t cover up anyone
else’s flyer as you do so. A few boards do require special
permission, but these are typically those that are located
near administrative, academic, or student organization
offices. You are not permitted to post anything in any
classrooms, and you also must take down any posted
material within two days of the advertised event. I know
these rules seem arbitrary, but please make sure to abide by
them, since you could be fined if you don’t comply.
Did You Know...
SGA will print up to 1000 black and white flyers for each
student organization for free! If you think this could be
useful for you and your project, ask one of the co-leaders if
we’ve used up our allotted free printing yet. If we’ve got
enough pages for you, they’ll just have to request the copier
access code for you from the Student Life Ambassador in
Commons 2B11, and then you can print to your heart’s
content!

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2. CHALKING
As always, the first step to starting a new project is
to bring up your idea at a WILL meeting so you can
brainstorm and get feedback from your fellow members.
2. Make a timeline
Make a list of everything that you have to do for your
project and when you hope (or have to) get each item done
by. This will help you stay on track and ensure that you
don’t end up missing important deadlines.
3. Register your event with EPCS
All chalking must be registered through Event
Planning and Conference Services’ (EPCS) 25Live system at
least 7 days before the event (it’s possible to get registered
in less time, but only if there are no other chalking requests
ahead of you, so you should give it a week to be safe). See
pages 22 and 23 for detailed instructions about how to use
the 25Live system to reserve space for your event.
4. Getting ready
You don’t need many resources for a chalking
event—you really just need, you know, chalk. The most
difficult aspect of these kinds of projects is generally just
getting people to show up. So it’s important to spread the
message about your event early—WILL will promote your
event on its facebook page and you can contact the
women’s center and the myUMBC spotlight coordinators to
try to get the word out about your event. You might also
think about posting flyers about the event around campus
(see p. 12 for UMBC’s posting policy). Word of mouth is also
very effective for getting people involved, so make sure to
ask your friends and classmates to come out!

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5. Make sure to follow the rules and regulations
UMBC is kind of strict about where you can chalk, so
make sure to follow the rules. Chalking at UMBC is
permitted only on the sidewalk (not including the stairs)
that extends between the Social Sciences and Academic IV
Buildings to the sidewalk between the Biological Sciences
and Chemistry Buildings at UMBC. You can only chalk on
the sidewalk itself, and not on any vertical surfaces (like
pillars or stairs) or on the bricks.
Did You Know...
The sidewalk near the pond by the library is the designated
“alternate viewpoint area” on campus where students can
chalk responses to registered messages. So if someone
chalks a message that really gets your goat, grab some
chalk and some friends and go voice your opinion!

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3. TABLING
2. Make a timeline
3. Reserve your space
If your event requires a space, even if it’s just a
table, you’re going to have to reserve it with Event
Planning and Conference Services’ 25Live system (see
pages 22 and 23 for instructions on how to do this). Space
gets snatched up early on in the semester, so you’ll want to
do this as early as possible to make sure that you’re able to
reserve your ideal spot.
*Note: if you’re tabling at an event that is being put
on by another organization, then you won’t generally be
responsible for reserving this space. Just make sure that
you are in communication with the leaders of the larger
event to ensure that you get the space that you need.
4. Think about partnering with other student
organizations
One table tends to look pretty lonely at these kinds
of events, so it’s always a good idea to reach out to other
like-minded organizations that might be interested in
running their own table. Think about whether there are
other student organizations on campus that might also be
interested in your subject; coming at your issue from
multiple perspectives helps to add depth to your event and
to keep it lively and interesting. It also means that you
won’t be the one doing all of the work! And this can make
the planning process feel much more manageable.

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5. Get your table ready
You want your table to grab people’s attention, so
think carefully about how you choose to present your
information. Generally, people put together a tri-fold board
for tabled events, which you would want to be both visually
appealing and to contain information that is relevant to
your issue. While you want to get your message across, you
definitely don’t want to overwhelm viewers, so keep any
writing short and to the point.
But don’t feel beholden to the tri-fold board; you
should feel free to get as creative as you want with your
table’s design. Think about making your own signs or
banners or even painting the tablecloth itself—the goal is
to make it visually appealing, and you can do that in any
way you choose. It’s always a good idea to have flyers or
pamphlets that you can hand out to people who want to
learn more about your subject, too, and you should think
about having games or interactive activities at your table to
help generate interest in your issue and really get people
involved.
Did You Know...
The Student Event Board (SEB) has popcorn, sno-cone, and
cotton candy machines that student organizations are able
to rent out for events! So if you want to add a little pizzazz
to your next tabling experience, why not try giving out
some free snacks to people who play an educational game or
answer a question correctly?

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4. FUNDRAISING
2. Make a timeline
3. Reserve your space
Even if you’re just using one table for your
fundraiser, you’re going to have to request a space for your
event through the EPCS’s 25Live system (see pages 22 and
23 for detailed instructions on how to do so). You are also
going to have to submit a Reservation Form for
Sales/Solicitation to EPCS two weeks before the event takes
place, and you must receive a signed confirmation from
EPCS before the event can even be advertised.
4. Get a cash-box
You’ll also have to get a cash box for any funds that
you raise at your event. See pages 25 and 26 for detailed
instructions on how to do so.
5. Prepare for your event: selling items
You’ll need to decide what kind of items you are
using to raise money, as well as how you’re obtaining them.
Most items will need to be approved either by the
University Bookstore or food service contractors. Items
that do NOT require such approval are:
•Bake sale items, such as cookies, muffins,
brownies, cakes, or other home-baked goods.
•Other food items including candied apples, snow
cones, packaged cotton candy, gummy bear bulk
sales, and popcorn.
•Personal services like face painting, cookie grams,

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and flowers.
•Bulk fund-raising items, such as Krispy Kreme (by
the dozen) and pizza fund-raising kits.
•Items purchased through the UMBC Bookstore/OTC,
including candy, clothing, and paraphernalia.
6. Prepare for your event: Raffle
If you’re doing a raffle, your student organization
must obtain a Baltimore County Gaming and Gathering
Permit (which costs $10 and can be purchased at the
Baltimore County Office at 111 W. Chesapeake Avenue in
Towson) and be registered with the office of Student Life at
UMBC. Copies of the permit must then be submitted to the
EPCS office before the event. After the event, the name(s)
of the raffle winners must be posted in a conspicuous place
on campus and winners should be paid by check. If you use
cash, you MUST obtain a receipt stating the winner’s name,
address, and social security number for tax purposes. You
can also use crafts or art made by UMBC students, faculty,
or staff in a raffle, but they must be approved by the
Director of the Commons or their designee.
7. Prepare for your event: Public speaking
If your event is featuring public speaking or if you
are distributing literature then you’ll have to register in
advance with the Event Planning Office in Commons 335
(you can register up to 5 working days in advance). Public
speaking is limited to the University Center Plaza,
amphitheater, and the Commons terrace, and cannot utilize
amplified sound. Distribution of any literature at such an
event is limited to designated sidewalk space.
8. Dealing with cash:
After the event, you will have to IMMEDIATELY
deposit the money you have raised, either to the Business
Services Center, or to one of the campus drop safes. See
pages 25 and 26 for detailed instructions on how to deal
with these funds and ensure that they get to the charity or
nonprofit organization that they were raised for.

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5. BIG EVENTS
Big events may be some of the most daunting
projects, but they are also some of the most rewarding.
Nothing can compare to the feeling of successfully putting
on a panel discussion on a topic you care about, or of
knowing that you were able to bring a speaker that you
admire to campus. And while these projects may take a lot
of work, if you just take them one step at a time, they
become far more manageable. Even so, these events are a
lot for one person to take on for a semester, so we’d
suggest teaming up with other like-minded WILL members
to help share the load.
brainstorm and get feedback from your fellow members!
2. Make a timeline
3. Consider collaborating with other organizations
Are there other organizations on campus that might
also be interested in tackling your particular issue?
Collaborating with other like-minded student orgs is a great
way to manage the stress of planning a large project, and it
can also help to relieve your organization from the full
responsibility for funding the event if money is a bit tight.
You can reach out to other student orgs directly or contact
SGA’s Student Organization Support (SOS) team to start
brainstorming with other active students on campus.

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4. Request space
See pages 22 and 23 for step-by-step instructions on
how to request a room for your event through EPCS’s
25Live system. It’s never too early to request the space for
your event; rooms get booked up very quickly, so try to
complete this step as early as possible.
5. Secure funding for your project
•Requests for over $3000 must be submitted 60
days before the event, requests for $1000-$3000
must be submitted 30 days before the event, and
requests for under $1000 must be submitted 15 days
before the event.
You must submit the Student Organization Allocation
Request Form (which must be filled out by a WILL co-leader
and confirmed by the treasurer) to SGA by the above dates.
See pages 23-25 for detailed instructions on how to fund
your project. This process is very complex, so please give
yourself plenty of time to make sure that it’s done right.
6. Meet with Event Planning & Conference Services
When organizing large-scale events, students are
required to schedule an appointment with Event Planning &
Conference Services to plan the event and work through the
Event Management Process. Appointments can be made by
phone anytime Monday-Friday between 10 am and 3 pm.
You should be prepared to tell the EPCS rep the name
of your event, what kind of event it is, what time it will
start and end, how much time will be needed for set up and
clean up, what the maximum attendance will be, whether
you plan to advertise the event on/off campus, if you will
need special set up/equipment, if you’re bringing any
performers that are not from campus or that you need to
pay, if you’ll be collecting cash at the event, if there is an
admission fee, if there will be more than one ticket price, if
you will you sell tickets to off-campus guests, whether
you’ve thought about co-sponsorship opportunities, and if
you intend to fund the event through SGA or through
WILL’s carryover funds.

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Whew, I know this sounds like a lot, but it’s not as
bad as it seems; this info will pretty much all be written
down on the Student Event Planning Worksheet that you
filled out before the meeting. At this meeting you’ll really
just be working with the EPCS rep to confirm the details of
your event and to complete the Event Management Form
(which you will have to then get signed by both the WILL
treasurer AND the WILL president and then return to the
EPCS office before the event and funds are confirmed). At
the end of this meeting, the EPCS rep will also schedule
your mandatory SAFE meeting.
7. Initiate any necessary contracts
•Process must be started at least 30 days before the
event.
•Completed contracts must be received by the Office
of Student Life at least 10 business days before the
event.
If anyone is speaking or performing at your event who does
not attend or work at UMBC, then you will need a contract,
and this is a process you will want to start as earlier as
possible. See pages 27 and 28 for a thorough overview of
how to deal with this step.
8. Attend SAFE Meeting
•Must attend at least 30 days before the event.
You must attend a mandatory meeting with the SAFE (Safe
and Fun Events) committee at least 30 days before your
event takes place; this meeting is REQUIRED before your
event can be given a final confirmation. It should only take
about 15 minutes, and it is intended to be the final
checkpoint for the event. You should be prepared to walk
the SAFE Committee step-by-step through the plan and
details of the event. After this meeting has taken place, you
can start planning the promotional materials and marketing
campaign for your event with commonvision.
9. Meet with commonvision
•Must meet at least 30 days before the event.
You can’t begin advertising for the event until all

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confirmations are in place, so make sure not to take this
step until after you have attended the SAFE meeting. This
meeting is important, because this is how you are going to
promote your event and try to ensure maximum
attendance. Commonvision offers several different
marketing packages that you will be able to choose from in
order to promote your event (but remember, marketing
materials are expensive, so make sure to budget for this
cost!). In addition to these promotional options, you may
also want to consider using the myUMBC Spotlight & Event
Listings, facebook, the UMBC Community Bulletin Boards,
tabling, chalking, the Retriever Weekly, or even in-class
announcements to help raise awareness about your event.
Digital signage, banner, and poster reservations must be
submitted to commonvision at least 15 days before the
event.
10. 10-day check-in
•At least 10 days before the event, you should:
Confirm all funding, equipment, security, and food requests
for the event with EPCS. You also want to make sure that
you have sent all printed materials to commonvision for
production and submitted all UMBC Spotlight requests. And
finally, if you are using any outside vendors, you will have
to get an itemized quote for the total cost of your purchases
and submit it to the Student Affairs Business Services
Center so that your vendors can get paid. But make sure to
let your vendors know that it will take 4-6 weeks after the
event before they will receive this payment.
11. The day of:
It’s always smart to create a checklist for the day of
the event. Make sure you’re on top of the decorating,
catering, storage, deliveries, ticketing, and the arrival of
your performers. You’ll also have to get your cash box from
the Student Affairs and Business Services Center in
Commons 334 (see pages 25 and 26 for instructions on how
to obtain and deal with cash boxes for your event).

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12. Enjoy your event!
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the fruits of all your hard
work. After it has taken place, you will have to complete a
post-event evaluation with EPCS by the end of the day
following the event. You will also have to complete the
Financial Post-Event Form and submit it to Student Affairs
Business Services Center by the same date.
*Ok, so I know this has been a lot of steps, but don’t
freak out! This is all stuff that you’ll be going over with the
EPCS rep at your Event Planning Meeting, and they’ll give
you a detailed checklist of everything you have to get done.
They’re there to help you out and keep you on track, so
don’t worry—this isn’t stuff that you’re going to have to
keep in your head all on your own.

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THE NITTY GRITTY
This section will show you how to navigate some of
the more complicated aspects of planning large-scale
events, such as renting space, securing funding from the
SGA finance board, and dealing with food and security for
your program.
1. Requesting Space
Spaces can be booked as early as one semester in
advance (for annual events, spaces can be booked one year
in advance), so competition is fierce! For this reason, you’ll
want to request space as early as possible, however this is
something that only the president, vice president, and two
designated WILL schedulers are able to do. All rooms on
campus are typically free, with the exception of the Game
Room, which charges $50/hour.
To reserve a space, you will have to go through
UMBC’s 25Live system, which can be found here:
https://25live.collegenet.com/umbc. First you will have to
sign in (if you haven’t used the system before, you’ll have to
e-mail schedule@umbc.edu with information on your
organization and position so that they can give you access).
Once you have access to the scheduling system you
should see a tab at the top of the screen called
“EventWizard,” where you can start the reservation
process. It’s important to note that in this system you have
to build your event first by answering basic questions (date,
time, estimated head count, etc) before you can reserve the

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room itself, so make sure you have this information handy
when you’re starting this process.*
If you know where or when the event is taking place,
you can also use the “find available location” function on
the homepage to speed up this process. If you’re still
confused about how to set up your event (and you’re
certainly not alone if you are), the 25Live team has a very
helpful tutorial on how to create an event which can either
be found on their homepage under the 25Live FAQ header
or here: http://screencast.com/t/jlLbriMFzz.
*When you get to the section dealing with event timing,
leave the Setup and Takedown tabs blank, as this is dealt
with by the admins (you just have to indicate whether or
not these services will be required for your event).
**Don’t forget that if your event requires rehearsing, you
will need to book your space for an additional time for that!
2. Funding: the Ins and Outs
Securing funding for your project can be one of the
most daunting aspects of becoming a project leader, but it’s
not as tricky as you might think. There are three ways to
obtain money for a project or event:
1. For smaller projects, you can sometimes use funds
that have already been raised by WILL and are in our
carryover account. You can talk to the WILL
treasurer about whether this option might be
available for you.
2. You can also raise money for your project yourself.
In order to use these funds you will have to then
work with Shawny White at the Student Affairs
Business Center, who will help you make your
purchases.
3. Finally, for large-scale projects, you will need to
request funds from the SGA finance board.
Requesting Funds from the SGA Finance Board:
Note that SGA will not fund anything that isn’t
expressly open to all undergraduate students of UMBC. And
while you’re allowed to charge admission for SGA funded

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events, you can’t use SGA funds to purchase things like
raffle or fundraising items.
The first thing that you will need to do to get funds
from SGA is to submit the Student Organization Allocation
Request Form to the Allocation Request Form Drop Off Box
on the SGA Office Door. This form must be filled out by a
WILL co-leader and confirmed by the WILL treasurer. The
forms are due every Wednesday at noon in order to be
considered for attending the SGA Finance board meeting
the following Tuesday (you will be contacted by SGA if the
form is incomplete and have until Friday at noon to make
any changes to it). However, if you are requesting less than
$500 you do not have to attend a Finance Board meeting,
and can just submit a written description instead.
Remember: the form must be submitted 15 Days
before the event if the cost is less than $1000, 30 Days
before if the cost is between $1000 and $3000, and 60
Days before if the cost is over $3000
Once the Student Organization Allocation Request
Form has been submitted, the SGA treasurer will assign you
a time when you can present your request to the SGA
Finance Board (whose meetings are held every Tuesday
from 5:30-10 pm in the Commons). This meeting will
consist of three parts:
1. The WILL representative(s) will briefly describe
the request and its merits to the Finance Board.
2. A Q&A session will take place regarding the
request.
3. And then members of the Board will deliberate
amongst themselves and vote on the request.
Spending your funds:
After you have been approved for funding and
received a confirmation email from the SGA Finance Board,
you will need to schedule a meeting with Shawny White in
the Student Affairs Business Services Center to actually
spend this money. Before your meeting with Shawny, you
will need to obtain a Request for Expenditure of SGA Funds

25
(RESGAF) form from the Student Affairs Business Services
Center. This form will contain your complete budget—all
your approved expenses must be listed on it along with
supporting documentation for each expected purchase—and
it must be signed by the WILL president or treasurer prior
to your meeting with Shawny.
To spend your funds, you can either work directly
with Shawny, who can purchase items on behalf of WILL,
or you can pay for items that have been approved on the
allocation request form out of pocket and then get
reimbursed by the university. Do note, however, that
reimbursement can take several weeks to process, that you
will not be reimbursed for sales tax, and that a signed and
approved RESGAF must be submitted before making any
purchases. You must keep all receipts and must submit
them for reimbursement within 10 days for petty cash (max
$150) and 30 days for checks. If you are using money that
you raised yourself, rather than SGA funds, you will not
need to fill out a RESGAF form prior to your meeting with
Shawny and can simply set up an appointment with her
immediately.
3. Cash-boxes
For events that involve the sale of anything (whether
it’s for fundraisers or for ticketed programs), you will have
to get a cash box. To do so, submit a cash box request form
from Events & Conference Services. On the day of the
event, you will have to provide a flyer from the event that
includes information on what the raised funds will go
towards, as well as a Request for Expenditure of SGA Funds
(RESGAF) form that has been signed by the WILL president
or treasurer. This form can be obtained from Shawny White
at the Student Affairs Business Services Center. If you are
donating funds to a charity or nonprofit, you will also have
to provide a flyer that specifically names the
charity/nonprofit you are raising money for, as well as the
percentage of funds that will be donated to this
organization, a letter or email from the organization in

26
which they agree to accept the donation (this email has to
include the name of the student organization, the name of a
contact person from the charity/nonprofit, and the date of
the fundraiser). Provided that you bring all of these items,
you can then pick up the cash box from the Student Affairs
and Business Services Center in Commons 334.
Any money raised needs to be deposited immediately
after your event. If you’re depositing it during regular
business hours, the cash bag should be returned to the
Business Services Center. If you are depositing it after
hours, you must deposit it in one of the campus drop safes
(which are behind the CIC and outside the Ballroom). The
day after the event, a rep from WILL must meet with
someone from Business Services to return the cash box,
reconcile the money, and make the deposit, after which you
should receive an invoice from the charity where the money
is being sent. Once the invoice is submitted, the process for
cutting a check can be initiated by Business Services.
4. Tickets
If your event requires tickets, you will have to fill out
the Ticket Sale Request Form during the Event Management
Process. When filling out this form, you will need to
determine exactly how many tickets you want to print, the
capacity of the room that you reserved, whether you will
have one or two ticket prices (note that tickets must be
FREE to UMBC students if your event has received full
funding from SGA). Once your request for funds has been
approved by Student Business Services and SGA, you will
have to take this completed form to commonvision, which
will help you to design and print the tickets for your event.
commonvision will then take the Ticket Request form to the
Campus Information Center (CIC), which will sell your
tickets for you! Commons will provide the ticket sellers,
and the day after the event the WILL treasurer will have to
email SBS at sa_businesscenter@umbc.edu to reconcile the
deposit.

27
5. Food
Having food at an event can be a bit tricky because
you have to think about sanitation and food storage.
Because of this, any event involving food requires prior
approval by EPCS. You are permitted to use any caterer that
you want for events with catering costs up to $4,999. You
will also have to complete the meal pre-approval form for
any food that is purchased off-campus that you want to
reimbursed for. If your costs will be over that amount, you
will have to use one of the approved campus caterers,
which are Linwoods, Main Street Catering, Chartwells,
Glenmore, ROUGE Fine Catering, and Classic Catering.
However you will be required to form a contract (see below)
with your caterer, regardless of the business that you
choose.
6. Housekeeping
If food is served at your event, more than 100 people
are expected to attend, or it is held outside of regular staff
hours (generally any event held between Friday after 3 pm
and Sunday at 11 pm), housekeeping will be automatically
scheduled for it. You will be required to pay for this service,
so make sure to budget for this extra cost.
7. Set-up
Keep in mind that you will have to budget time and
funds for operations and customer set-up. If your event
requires extensive set-up, you will want to talk with a
member of the Commons Operations staff at least one
month before the event; you can schedule an appointment
with them through the EPCS office. The EPCS office
provides light, sound, and stage packages, so make sure to
budget for this service and to select the package that is
right for your event.
8. Contracts
If you are bringing anyone to speak or perform at
your event who is not a UMBC student, faculty, or staff
(regardless of whether or not they are paid) or if you are
securing the services of an agency or company, then you

28
will need a contract. University students and staff involved
in your event typically will not require contracts, unless
they are being paid for their services. Contracts take time
(a contract can’t be initiated if there are less than 30 days
remaining before the event), so make sure to start this
process early! Contracts are a bit tricky, but, essentially,
they serve to clearly outline what is expected of performers
and to legally protect your student group and UMBC. They
are also the first step you need to take in order to get your
performer paid.
The contract request worksheet must be received by
the Office of Student Life no less than 30 days before the
event. Payment will not be issued until at least 45 business
days after the event (so make sure to let your performers
know that it will take some time for them to get paid) and
performers and businesses’ SSN or FIN (federal
identification number) will be needed. Once the online
request form has been submitted, a contract will be
generated and sent to the performer on your behalf. It’s
then up to your performer to return the signed contract by
the date that the Office of Student Life has requested, but
note that if this contract is received less than 10 days
before the event they will not be permitted to perform.
9. Security
Depending on the size and location of your event,
security may be required. Typically if the event takes place
after 11 pm or will be attended by more than 75 people,
you will have to budget for security. If security is deemed
necessary, the Event Planning & Coordinating Services
office will submit the request for security at your meeting
regarding the Event Management Process. Security
requirements are a little complicated at UMBC, and it varies
by the location and size of the event; however typically
some security will be required if you have over 200 people
in the UC Ballroom, over 100 people in a Lecture or Recital
Hall, over 100 people in the Commons, or over 100 people
in Erickson Field or on the Quad.

29
RESOURCES
The Campus Information Center (CIC)
The Commons Main Lobby, 410-455-1000
CommonVision
The Commons 309, commonvision@umbc.edu, 410-
455-1884
Event Planning & Conference Services (EPCS)
The Commons 335, schedule@umbc.edu, 410-455-
3615
Office of Student Life
The Commons 336, studentlife@umbc.edu, 410-
455-3462
Student Affair Business Services Center (SABSC)
The Commons 334, sa_businesscenter@umbc.edu,
410-455-3451
Student Business Services (SBS)
Administration Building Room 302, sbs@umbc.edu,
410-455-2288
The Student Event Board (SEB)
The Commons 2B10, studentevents@umbc.edu,
410-455-3618
Student Government Association (SGA)
The Commons 2B20, sgatreasurer@umbc.edu
UMBC Bookstore
The Commons first floor, bookstore@umbc.edu,
410-455-2665

30
IMPORTANT CONTACTS
Jackie Aliotta: jaliotta@umbc.edu
Events Coordinator for Student Organizations at
Events & Conferences Services. Aliotta works with
organizations to plan large events including caterers,
contracts, performers, and space reservations, so she can
be a really great resource when planning big events.
Sara Leidner: sleidner@umbc.edu
Coordinator of Student Life for Student
Organizations and Involvement. Leidner helps students get
involved on campus, and she works closely with student
organizations at UMBC, so she’s a great person to know on
campus.
Shawny White: saddison@umbc.edu
Accounting Associate at the Student Affairs Business
Center (SABC). You MUST work with Shawny once you have
raised money for a project, even if you have raised the
money on your own, so she is an important person to know.
SGA’s Vice President for Student Organizations:
This role was created in order to support student
organizations, and this person oversees a staff dedicated to
encouraging collaboration between student orgs.
SGA’s Treasurer:
This person manages SGA’s treasurer training and
the allocation request process

31
SGA’s Assistant Director of Collaboration for the Student
Organization Support Team (SOS):
If you want help partnering with other student
organizations, this is the person to contact. The SOS team
is dedicated to providing student orgs with the skills, tools,
opportunities and resources that they need to succeed.
*You can find a list of the SGA’s current student officers at:
http://sga.umbc.edu/
*******************************************
Most of the information in this guide has been taken from
EPCS’s Student Organization Event Planning Handbook, so
if you’re confused about anything you can always find more
information at their website: http://events.umbc.edu.

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