RC Programming

• Programming SOPs
• RC Closing Checklist
• Programming Restrictions
• Best practices for screenings and projected-amplified presentations
• Block Party
• Block Maps
• Block Party Update + Running Task List 5/14/26
• 6/7 Rentals + Programming Mtg Agenda

Programming SOPs

Ridgewood Commons Programming SOPs

Booking an event:

• Log into Ridgewood Commons Gmail, navigate to programming responses sheet in Drive

  • In the responses sheet, scroll to the bottom of the sheet, finding the first blank cell in the “Response Sent” column. 

  • Read the event details, noting date and time, space needs, and structure (ticket or donation based?)

    • Are any event details in direct conflict with Programming Restrictions?

  • Copy the event organizer’s email address in the “Email” column

• Open Ridgewood Commons Google calendar

  • Navigate to the requested date and time

    • Is the timeslot free for booking? Great! 

      • Put a hold on the calendar with the event name and booking time to hold the slot while you work out details with the organizer

      • Ex HOLD Knitting Group 3-5pm, Shea booking

    • Are there other events happening in the space at the same time, or overlapping?

      • Reach out to the organizer(s) of the event(s) / group(s) and ask about their capacity to share the space with the pending booking

      • The basement can be used as an alternate meeting space on a case by case basis 

      • If either of the above options isn’t doable, make a note of  alternate dates and times available for the event. 

      • Sometimes we can’t accommodate a request, and that’s ok! There are other neighborhood spaces with reasonable rental rates we can refer organizers to:

        • Supermoon $15/hr 15-25ppl depending on event (onderdonk and woodbine) 

        • Ridgewood Presbyterian Church - sliding scale, reach out directly, say Vanessa referred you

• Open Ridgewood Commons Gmail 

  • Write the event organizer

    • If no conflict exists with their requested date and time, let them know we can accommodate the event and that a hold is on the calendar. 

    • If other groups are meeting and can share with the requesting group, outline any space / noise restrictions necessary to sharing with the other group(s). Include alternate meeting dates and / or spaces in case the requesting group would not like to share. 

    • Ask the following questions:

      • What are your start and end times, including set up and breakdown?

      • will you be needing the use of our projector and screen?

      • will you need to use our soundsystem and/ or microphone?

      • will you be playing music? if so, what is the noise level? (see Programming Restrictions)

      • Is this event recurring?

        • If yes, is this group willing to move days or cancel if a rental booking needs this date (we try to avoid this but rentals do help pay the bills)?

      • Is this event free or will you be charging for attendance? 

        • If free, programming policy is for a donation ask to be made at some point during the event. Donation jars are upstairs for cash, we also have QR codes for WithFriends and Patreon. We do not and will not have Venmo but if organizers want to use their personal venmos to receive donations and pass to RC via check or wire transfer, they can. 

          • Cash donations should be placed in a white envelope, sealed, labeled with event name, date, and total of contents (ex Craft Night 2/17 $125) and placed in the dropbox.

          • Envelopes and pens are in the orange cabinet under the computer, the blue dropbox is mounted to the wall to the right of the computer station

        • If charging a ticket price but open to the public, request a percentage of the ticket sales be donated to RC (10% seems fair). 

        • If charging a ticket price and wants to be private- this is a rental. Refer to the rentals team to proceed.

      • Do you want us to promote on our socials?

        • If yes, have the organizer send a flyer with copy to promotions@ridgewoodcommons.nyc at least one week before their scheduled event

          • Email title should read “FLYER: Event Name + Event Date”

          • If event is recurring, clarify whether the organizer would like to use the same flyer for all iterations of the event or if they would like to submit a new flyer and copy with each occurrence (would follow flyer protocol each time)

    • Pass the RC closing checklist to the event organizer and get confirmation of their willingness to adhere to our closing policies

• Navigate back to RC calendar 

  • Finalize event booking with:

    • start and end times including set up and break down

    • Any privacy requests (group willing to share space, do not advertise on socials, etc)

    • Event description for weekly calendar listing 

    • Your name as booking POC/ bottomliner

Day of Event:

Event bottom liners are responsible for making sure RC policy is followed. 

Please do not give out the keycode to the space to organizers- you or a stand-in if you're unavailable should be present to let in the event organizers, make sure they have what they need for set up, and make sure they understand RC's expectations and policies for community events (see RC closing checklist and RC programming restrictions). 

Best Practices:

• Sometimes it takes a week (or longer) to complete a booking end to end- pace yourself!

• You can create a label for your communications to help keep track. 

• Don’t open emails you don’t plan on answering- this is a shared inbox so be mindful you aren't accidentally disrupting the comms of other programming team members.

  • If you do open an email you can’t/ won’t be answering, please label as unread so someone else on the team knows to respond. 

• Develop a cadence- check emails AND programming responses every other day or at whatever pace works for you. The important thing is to make it a habit. 

• Ask for help if you need it!

  •  If you don’t know an answer or need more info please ask! We’re all here to help. It’s ok to take a break or step back if you need to- you got this!

RC Closing Checklist

RIDGEWOOD COMMONS: HOW TO CLOSE AFTER YOUR EVENT

Try to leave the space nicer than you found it. This often means taking care of dishes, sweeping, or disposing of trash that you or your guests may not have personally left. This will be a benefit to the entire community and appreciated by all.

■ Please wash and dry all dishes, utensils, pots, and pans that are in the sink, and put them away on kitchen shelves.

■ Please leave no uncovered food or garbage. Put all edible and perishable items either in a refrigerator or a sealed plastic container. This will help keep rodents and flies away.

■ If a garbage or recycling container is more than 3/4 full, take the bag out and place it near the trash and recycling bins near the entrance. Replace the bag from supply on chrome "cleaning nook" shelving, with the brooms/mops.

■Wipe down all surfaces, counters, and tables, using a cleaning spray and wash cloth.

■ Please return the couches, tables and chairs to their normally designated locations (see schematic and pics below).

■ Please sweep or vacuum used areas.

■ There’s a lost and found in a blue bin in the library area to drop any miscellaneous items you find.

■ Before leaving, make sure to turn off the lights, projector, fans, and air conditioner (beige remote). Pull up the projector screens. 

■ Make sure the front door is locked, with the left door’s top latch engaged (can test by trying to open the door when outside). Make sure the key is safely inside the lockbox.

For events/ rentals please communicate via text or email at the end of the event to confirm the space is adequately reset to the above expectations, and communicate any changes or concerns, providing photos if necessary.

Reset Layout:

Outside Garbage

Remotes

 

Programming Restrictions

RC maximum capacity:

RC electrical capacity:

• 120V only, no 220V electricity
• Circuits still need to be mapped and rated, but basically there are 2-3 15 amp circuits., some outlets are not grounded.

NO open flames

NO amplified live music (acoustic ok by approval)

NO unauthorized use of heavy machinery (woodshop, elevator)

NO unauthorized use of the gym (bathroom access ok) 

NO graffiti/ vandalism

Best practices for screenings and projected-amplified presentations

Video

https://wiki.commons.nyc/books/rc-facilities-homepage/page/equipment-documentation

There are two projectors in the space:

• Epson 4k projector facing kitchen area/main pull-down screen
• BenQ 1080 projector facing a smaller pull-down screen on one long wall

The main projector is best for movies, presentations focused on projected content, and use of the PA system.

For 1/2 full events, white tables can be moved towards street side, or 2 can be stacked on each other.

For full events, all three white tables can be stacked on hatch.

Chair counts and placement in images are not to-scale.

The side projector is more suitable for more participatory presentations or meetings. Chairs arranged in arcs seem to work well for audience interaction.

Aside from moving the entire PA setup, we don't have a good solution for amplified audio in this layout.

Using the PA without moving it tends to not work well for this layout.

Audio

Amplified audio is provided via a powered mixer PA system.

This takes inputs from:

• PC via long 1/8" -> dual RCA cord, often taped down or covered with the carpet to avoid trips.
• Bluetooth audio via unit on top of PA
• Microphone input via XLR cables

Hacks

Because HDMI plugs can be extremely quirky, for more reliable video connections:

• Use an HDMI -> USB C adapter when possible.
• Tape down HDMI cable to whatever surface laptop is on.
• Create a zoom/jitsi meeting
  • Join on the space PC
  • Join on 2nd machine, brought by presenter
  • Presenter can screenshare via meeting to the space PC, allowing presenter to move around room or have access to presentation/slide controls.

Block Party

Block Maps

Click for full size images

With 10' grid marks

Block Party Update + Running Task List 5/14/26

Meeting w Father Mike + Dani

• High level takeaways:
  • Community board
    • not likely to approve on Woodward
    • St Johns is probs not viable bc it's a residential street and not technically our "block" 
    • Papa M has connections w the community board and will do what he can to push it through 
    • get signatures for both streets and apply for St John if Woodward denied to shore up our odds
  • Permits
    • the more we apply for, the more eyes will be on us and the less likely we are to be approved
      • keep it simple with just block party permit, inflatables permit, and noise permit (NYPD)
      • use the space to our advantage by running permit req. events inside. this includes:
        • raffle
        • bar 
        • food (could have some food outside but might get us in trouble w DOH)
        • RC merch 
        • food ticket sales (if food outside) 
    • since we're no longer applying for vending and game of chance permits, I changed our application back to block party from block festival to minimize visibility and increase our chances of approval 
      • time limit now 9 hours 
        • setup 10a
        • start 1130a
        • end 6p
        • breakdown 7p
      • signatures required
      • lead time of submission = 60 days (block festival = 90 days) 
      • will need attendees to purchase tickets to buy food to avoid being fined (only if food outside)
  • Action Items:
    • Submit block party application- DONE 
    • Notify Papa M of submission and pass event ID 945684- DONE 
    • collect signatures from neighbors- do this asap!
      • ask businesses on the block to participate by offering fun "block party" deals, may incentivize signatures 
    • Finalize proposed budget and pass to finance for approval- in process
    • apply for NYPD noise permit- Status update Zibby? (can probably be done upon BP permit approval)
    • fill out grant application for additional funds, include in budget proposal 
      
    • build street layout 
    • build RC layout 
    • design food ticketing system (if applicable)
  • Upon Permit Approval AIs:
    • book bouncy house + dunk tank 
    • upload inflatables permit to portal 
    • design flyer
    • contact vendors:
      • mercado caracol
      • Maricela
      • Salty Lunchlady 
      • Iddy's 
      • flowers?
      • Does CSA want to table? 
      • facepainting- RC volunteers?
      • Donation asks:
        • beer, cider, NA drinks, spiked seltzer
        • raffle prize submissions 

6/7 Rentals + Programming Mtg Agenda

Block party updates 
Storage and electrical guidance for Mercado 
Reiterate kitchen closing standards to all groups / recurring programming

ask Caroline (pantry?) to join programming?