The following is a simple checklist to navigate the event planning process. Be familiar with CU鈥檚 funding, fundraising and spending policies first.

Remember:听We听can help determine the financial scope of your event and provide听university requirements or purchasing procedures.听

Budget

  • Create your funding request:听Log onto听听to complete the funding request form.
  • Obtain funding:听Campus and student fee funding sources must approve budgets for events fully before you can start spending money. The Center for Student Involvement听returns unspent dollars to campus funding sources. Even if fully through the approval process, don鈥檛 spend money until you talk to us!
  • Contact CSI Finance before making any commitments or agreements with performers, speakers听or service providers as there are strict guidelines that the university must follow when making such payments.

Schedule

Guest travel and hospitality

  • 础颈谤濒颈苍别听谤别蝉别谤惫补迟颈辞苍蝉:听Must be made through the Center for Student Involvement if utilizing funding from on-campus sources.
  • 尝辞诲驳颈苍驳:听Choose the hotel that will be easiest to transport guest(s) to and from.
  • Ground transportation:听Consider if this is necessary.
  • Guest meals:听Determine whether or not you will need to provide meals. Remember, many hotels provide a free continental breakfast and if meals are included with air travel, you don鈥檛 need to provide them.
  • 搁别肠别辫迟颈辞苍蝉:听These are considered to be 鈥渙fficial functions鈥� by the state.

Advertising

  • Become familiar with the听campus posting regulations.
  • Research听advertising costs.
  • Allow plenty of lead-time to design the ads and posters and know the deadlines for ad placement.
  • Acknowledge sponsors听in your advertising and include funding source logos on the ads and posters as required.
  • Posters and publications paid for with state funds and exceeding $500 in cost must be taken to university Printing and Copying Services听(UPCS), Stadium room 180, gate 11 for evaluation and bidding.
  • Talk to the Center for Student Involvement before听placing ads so we can issue the proper purchasing paperwork.

Equipment and supplies

Determine听equipment and supplies听needed for the event:

  • Audio visual equipment:听Are operators needed? Does the facility provide this equipment or do you need to rent it? Must听operators be paid?听
  • Long-distance calls:听Do you need a听long-distance calling card听for event coordination purposes?

Food

  • No food or consumable items may be brought into the UMC听unless explicit exception is provided by the UMC director.
  • If you are scheduling your event in a campus facility other than the UMC, be sure to听confirm that food is allowed听in the facility.
  • If you are planning to have food, contact CU Events Planning & Catering for assistance.

Ticket sales

  • Appoint a ticket manager听from your group.
  • Meet with a member of the Center for Student Involvement finance staff听regarding ticketing and cashbox procedures.
  • Determine听admission price.
  • Determine ticket printing cost.
  • Determine the date听tickets will go on sale.
  • Make door-sale arrangements.
  • What are the facility requirements听regarding security, set-up and cash boxes?听Confirm cashbox arrangements with the Center for Student Involvement听no later than one week before the event.

Other sales

  • Determine听items to be sold, such as t-shirts, posters, tapes, programs and/or books. Book sales in the UMC require approval from the CU Book Store and the Center for Student Involvement.
  • Determine听how you will pay for the items.
  • Licensing for your items听may be required. Literature regarding the licensing program is available at the Center for Student Involvement, or call the CU Licensing office at 303-492-6414.听
  • Sales tax听applies to all sales听unless your group can prove that it paid sales tax when purchasing the items. Independent student groups may not use the CU tax identification number or tax-exempt status.听
  • See the Center for Student Involvement to fill out a vendor contract or to arrange for groups-own sales.
  • Determine听who will do the selling.

Vendors or sponsors

  • Sponsor contracts are required听for any outside vendor participating in a student group per the CUUF policy. Please email csifinance@colorado.edu for further information and to begin this process.
  • After the student group completes their portion of the sponsor contract, the vendor must list the items being donated, distributed or sold, and then听complete and sign the contract and present a minimum听payment of $47 made out to the听University of Colorado at least 48 hours prior to the event.听
  • Student groups should see the Center for Student Involvement regarding negotiating a higher fee from the vendor. Vendors who have donated items with a value in excess of $35 to the student group听are only required听to pay $12.