Princeton Undergraduate Student Government

Preparing for the Projects Board Meetings

The best way to prepare for the Projects Board meeting is to be knowledgeable of the event. Many groups will bring in a one-sheet budget (just like the one you filled out on the web) and use that a guideline. You want to be able to tell us why you spent your money in the way your did. For example, if you bought food from Olives, it is pretty self-explanatory. But if you are buying card stock, you want to tell us that you are sending out invitations or making table tents to advertise your event.

If you have any questions about the meetings, don't hesitate to give the chairs or the members of Projects Board a phone call. Most of the members were once people who asked for funding from Projects Board so they know how you feel. (Yes, we know that it is a daunting experience for first-timers, but don't sweat it! Nobody is out to "grill" you on numbers or to dig up inconsequential details.)

The Actual Projects Board Meetings

The Projects Board meetings are held on Thursdays from 4:30 pm - 6:00pm. Your appointment will be in between this time frame. The key for having good meetings is being prepared. If you know the details of your project and budget, all questions directed to you will be easy to answer. The members of the Projects Board are not out to "stump" you on questions. We run on a very tight budget (so does Dean Dunne) and we want to make sure that there is enough money to go around.

Format of "Presentations"

The presentations are actually not "true" presentations - they are more like "discussions."

1. Describe your event.
2. Tell us about the goals/objectives/mission of the event.
3. Go briefly over the budget. If there are changes, please note them now.
4. The Board will ask you questions regarding the budget. If there are discrepancies in the budget, the Board will make suggestions. You can accept the suggestions or decline them. The ultimately goal of this process is to get a reasonable idea of how much your group will need to fund this event.

The Projects Board Closed-Session Deliberations

The deliberations of the Projects Board are closed session because we need to keep the confidentiality of our decisions. The members of the Projects Board will evaluate the merits of your project on the following criteria (in no particular order).

- Size and Diversity of Attendance

- Evidence of Outside Fundraising Efforts

- Size of Current West College Account Balance

- Cost-Effectiveness of Project Budget

- Rest of Semester Costs that cannot be covered by Projects Board Funds

- Quality of Responses Given During the Meeting