Business Volunteers Maryland

doing good. better.

Northrop Grumman Kit Hub

Plan and order supplies for your employee volunteer events with Business Volunteers Maryland. 
Follow the process below to request kits, plan your event, and deliver a meaningful experience for your team.

The Kit Ordering Process


Step 1

Submit Northrop Grumman Internal Event Request Form and Receive Approval 

4-6 Weeks before Event

Before submitting request to Northrop Grumman, it may be helpful to review steps 2 and 3 to understand your budget and other key event details. 

 


Step 2

Review Kit Options using Kit Menu
Kit Menu

Browse available kits using the KIT MENU. 

Each kit contains 7-15 items plus a personalized activity. 
Personalized activities include: writing a personal note, decorating a kit bag, adding a note inside a book or another creative effort. 

Personalized activities are designed to slow down employees (kits can go FAST!), provide some budget relief, and generate a nice human touch to each kit.  Kits can be ordered without the personalized activity. 


Step 3

Finalize your Event Run of Show 

PLEASE REVIEW BEFORE DETERMINING NUMBER OF KITS TO ORDER!

Kit building projects are a fun, engaging service activity that allows for team-building amongst colleagues at a location you desire. However, ensuring that the event runs smoothly, volunteers stay busy, and everyone understands the why behind the event and kit recipient is critical for a successful project.  Also-  Kit projects go FAST!  To save time and budget, while having a meaningful experience, here is a recommended Run of Show and related timing. 

1-2 Hour Event Set Up
  • Leave yourself the time and people power to get the assembly line in order before your event begins.
  • Do you have enough tables and ensure a smooth flow (will your table have two sides of volunteers or one?). Stock extra items to replenish your assembly line under the table or nearby. 
  • Where will volunteers sit or stand for the personalized activity? Have ample space and materials spread out for any decorating component. Provide examples of messaging or completed decorations at the table. 
  • Where will your empty boxes and recycling go?
  • Where will your completed kits go?

Budget saving/slow down tip: Have volunteers set up the assembly line as a part of their service activity!

Event Opening – Estimated 20-30 Minutes
  • Guests enter and find seats. 
  • Welcome remarks from company representative(s).
  • Build in time to understand the cause area being supported and/or nonprofit recipient of the kit. Can a representative from your nonprofit speak to your audience? Can you show a video of the work of the nonprofit?
  • Talk about the project itself. Demonstrate a successful kit build. Model what one completed kit looks like.
  • Have an icebreaker. Love them or hate them, icebreakers get people smiling and release fun energy at any event.  
  • Take a team photo! Gathering people at another time won’t be as easy.
The Kit-Building Activity (See Kit Planning Simulator below)
  • Play music! A great playlist will make for a festive room
  • Have volunteers neatly package completed kits for post event distribution. 
  • Have a designated person emcee and navigate the pace of the room and the employees 
  • Assign volunteers to replenish items running low (don’t open boxes in advance), take down boxes, collect trash.
  • Carefully time yourself. At your half-way point you should be half-way through your supplies.
    • Moving too quickly? Encourage more detailed personalized activity. Ask volunteers to take items to the recycling and trash dumpster.
    • Moving too slowly? Pre-open supply boxes and encourage volunteers to move more quickly. You can always remove or lessen the personalized activity.
Event Closing – Estimated 10-30 Minutes
  • Have volunteers clean up. Leave the room the way you found it.
  • Count your kits to know your impact!
  • Closing remarks. Celebrate how many kits you completed. Thank your volunteers and share your impact. Consider having the nonprofit giving closing remarks and appreciation.
  • Prepare and move items for transport. Volunteers can neatly pack them into boxes, load kits into a car, move them to a delivery dock, and more to get them ready for the move.
    • Understand how your kits will get to their destination:  Will the nonprofit pick them up? Will volunteers drive them in their cars? Will your company deliver them?


Step 4

 Kit Planning Simulator

These factors will inform how many kits you should consider ordering and roughly what the budget would be. This is a bit of art and science and is only an estimate.  To complete the Kit Simulator consider the following:

  • The Max Number of Volunteers.
    • Kits can go fast, so better to plan for max number of people. You can always adjust based on the other factors. 
  • Length of Kit-Building Activity
    • Use Run of Show Tips (see Step 3)  to understand just how much time you will be engaging volunteers while kit-building
    • For an hour event with an opening and closing, you may only have 30 minutes or 45 minutes that volunteers will be actively assembling kits. 
  • Desired Kit from Kit Menu (see Step 2) and the Estimated Cost per kit.
    • Each Kit contains 7-15 items, PLUS a personalized activity, such as writing a card or decorating a bag.
    • If your company is NOT interested in having a personalized element with your kit- please contact our team. Please note your number of kits and budget will likely double or triple.
  • Event Atmosphere: Consider the atmosphere, and select accordingly.
    • A small team of 20 having lunch and doing a kit build will be much slower than a group of 20 gathered with a shared goal of completing a certain. 
    • We estimate that in a social environment a volunteer will complete approximately 15 kits per hour, standard environment 25, and a fast-paced closer to 35 kits per hour. 

Firm budget but flexible on kit and project duration?  Firm project duration but flexible on budget? Play around with the simulator to see what is best for your event. 


Step 5

Order Your Kits!

Submit your Kit Order

3 Weeks Before Event

To complete the Kit Order Form make sure you know the following: 

  1. Date of Event (At least 2 weeks ahead of form submission)
  2. Kit Selection  (from Kit Menu, Step 2)
  3. Number of Desired Kits (from Run of Show, Step 3 and Kit Simulator, Step 4) 
  4. Approximate Cost of Selection (from Kit Calculator, Step 4). 
  5. Shipping Details (You will need a large secure space ready to hold your materials. There will be many boxes being shipped!)

The order form will give you the option to order “extras” such as scissors, tape, boxes, trash bags and more. 


Step 6

Confirmation of Order and Shipping Details
  • Business Volunteers will review and order supplies based on the form details
  • Business Volunteers will request approval from Volunteerism Lead before ordering. 
  • Upon approval, Business Volunteers will order supplies and provide tracking and shipping details to the Requester via email. 
  • Northrop Grumman Representative will update the internal ERG/Volunteer Event Request Form and Point of Contact/Site Lead with detail


Step 7

Track and Inventory Supply Delivery
  • Make sure your front desk staff or related team members are aware of your delivery and aligned on where the boxes will be held. There will be a LOT of boxes arriving! 
  • Using the Order Tracking Number and Shipping Details provided to you, make sure that arrival is on track and items match your order.
  •  Pro-Tip: Labeling boxes with a sharpie when they arrive will help you from having to read small labels repeatedly. 

Thanks for ordering with Business Volunteers.
Have a wonderful event!