Facility Use Approval Process

The Foothills Unitarian Church employs a structured approval process for the use of its facilities to ensure that all events align with our community values and logistical capacities. This process varies slightly depending on the origin of the request but is designed to be straightforward and efficient.

Foothills Events Approval ProcessConsiderations and Entities

Approval Considerations

~~Approval~~ ~~Considerations~~

Internal vs. External

Internal - Foothills Internal Events
External - Rentals

Authorized vs Non-Authorized

Authorized - Approved by correct approval entity
Non-Authorized - Not approved by right approval entity

Regular vs "Church Wide"

Regular - Events that don't need promotion "Church Wide" - events that require or desire promotion

Space Availability

Space Available - Space is open & staff have capacity to manage event Space Not-Available - Either space is not available or staff don't have capacity to manage event

Approval Entities

Role

Facilities Approval Group

Determine capacity to hold event (space availability and staff capacity) Allocate and assign room and resources Communicate with space user Coordinates facility access

~~Internal~~

Staff vs.Lead External

Initiator of Event or Direct Approver

~~Authorized~~

Shared vsMinistry Non-AuthorizedCovenant

Approval of Group Existence (for Regular Meetings) Approval of Church Wide Events as part of yearly plan

~~Regular~~

Group vs Church WideLeaders

Approval of Regular

~~Space~~Meeting ~~Availability~~(of

approved group)
Creators of SMC

Event Request Sources

Staff Events: Staff members can submit events directly onto the calendar. These requests are routed to an appropriate approval group based on the specifics of the request.
Lay Members: Lay members request space through their groups using the Regular Group Meeting Space Request Form (Admin Link). This process ensures that recurring or one-time group events are accommodated within our church's schedule.
Events with Promotion: Both lay members and staff can use the Event with Promotion Form (Admin Link) for events requiring promotional efforts.
Rental Partners: Specific forms are available for our rental partners, tailored to their unique needs and the terms of our partnership agreements.
Public Rental Inquiries: The general public interested in renting our facilities can use the Public Rental Form. This ensures that all external requests are centralized and processed efficiently.

Rental Approval

Queue for Approval: Event requests submitted via forms are placed in a queue awaiting review by an authorized member of the relevant approval group. This ensures a systematic review of each request based on its nature and the church's capacity to host the event.
Review and Approval: An authorized approver assesses the event request for alignment with church values, availability of space, and logistical feasibility. The approver has the authority to approve or deny the request based on these criteria.
Notification: Once a decision is made, an automatic notification is sent to the event requestor. This notification can be customized at the time of approval to include specific messages or instructions.
Automation for Forms: For requests made through the Regular Group Meeting Space Request Form and the Event with Promotion Form, an automation is triggered, sending a templated email to the requestor once the form is filled out. This email outlines the next steps, providing clear guidance on what the requestor can expect following approval. Once it is approved, another automated email can be send. c.f Template Emails.

Next Steps Post-Approval

Following approval, the event requestor will receive detailed information on how to proceed, including:

Any necessary preparation or coordination with church staff
Instructions for accessing and utilizing church resources
Guidelines for promoting the event, if applicable