Although other groups, like Harvard Student Agencies, also sold Valentine's Day merchandise, Prior says the extra advertising, the BRYE staff's committed initiative and the offer of "free delivery" made the difference.

BRYE needs this project to be successful to maintain itself.

With costs ranging from transportation to activities with "little siblings," Prior notes that "this is the fundraiser that keeps our group going."

Phillips Brooks House Association (PBHA) helps BRYE financially as well, contributing money and offering van usage to their cause.

Grant Me a Grant

Another approach to fundraising is pursuing grants offered by various philanthropic groups on campus.

Hillary K. Snow '97, producer of "Princess Di: A Fairy Tale" (an original musical by Joel Derfner '95) says mounting a dramatic performance requires heavy grant searching.

Theatrical groups need to pursue various channels in order to be financially solvent.

The regular route for dramatic productions is to apply for grants offered by the Undergraduate Council, the Institute of Politics (if your show is political), the Radcliffe Union of Students (if your show deals with women's issues) and the Office for the Arts.

Student groups may be frustrated with the grant process, as different organizations have different deadlines, and most groups do not provide money up front, but rather reimburse their selected recipients.

In addition, some donors do not make their decisions until after the money is needed.

With disjointed guidelines among the various organizations, producers like Snow end up in a bind.

"You may not find out about your U.C. grant until after spring break," Snow says. "And if your show is in March or even April, you'd have to spend money without knowing how much you really have."

Stephen Weinberg, chair of the U.C. Finance Committee, says that a group needs to know how much they're going to spend ahead of time as well as their definitive goals.

"You will be competing in a very competitive market for members and funds, and you need to know what you're offering," Weinberg says in an e-mail.