Club Funding Application Guide
Approved on June 10, 2014 by the EngSoc Finance Committee
Questions regarding this application can be directed to
VP Finance – Mehran Hydary at vpfinance@skule.ca
1. Introduction
The goal of the Engineering Society (EngSoc) is to provide useful services and representation for
undergraduate engineering students. We recognize that the members of the Society have very
diverse interests and it would be impossible for the Society itself to run events to appeal to the
interests of every member. We believe that the best way for the Society to fill that gap is to fund
student clubs which provide opportunities for students to pursue those diverse interests. All clubs
affiliated with EngSoc are eligible to apply for funding. For information on affiliation, please
contact the Vice-President Student Life (vpstudentlife@g.skule.ca).
This document provides information regarding the Affiliated Club funding process, including how
to apply and how clubs are evaluated.
Please note that Affiliated Club Funding does not cover expenses incurred for attending conferences
or competitions. EngSoc funds these activities at the discretion of the Finance Committee through
the Miscellaneous Conferences funding process.
2. Application Guidelines
2.1 Scope
Affiliated Club funding shall have up to three rounds of applications:
1. Summer round: Applications, due June 24th
2. Fall round: Deadline TBD (End of September)
3. Winter round: Deadline TBD (Middle of January)
Funding will be granted until April 30, 2015. Each club may only apply to one round of funding
unless suggested to do otherwise by the Finance Committee. Clubs may apply for additional
funding if unexpected costs, out of club’s control, are incurred.
Applications must be sent to the Finance Committee secretary (finance.secretary@skule.ca) by the
deadline for the funding round. Applications should:
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Explain the purpose of the club
Detail the methods used to achieve the purpose
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Describe how funding will support the club’s activities
Describe how the funding will be spent
2.2 Application Requirements
All clubs shall electronically submit a complete application and send a representative to an
interview with the Finance Committee. If any club fails to complete either of these steps, their
application will be rejected.
Each application must include:
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Names and contact information for the club executive.
A one to two page letter describing the club. The letter should describe the club’s purpose,
membership (number of active members and number of engineering students), its events
and activities, and the benefits the club provides to its members and to the engineering
community at large. (This letter can be based on your Club Affiliation Application
responses).
A complete budget. The budget must describe all sources of revenue (as well as indicate
how much of that revenue is secured), and all expenses, and shall have comments where
necessary to allow the Finance Committee to understand the purpose of each line item. The
budget must be in .xls or similar format (spreadsheet).
Actual financial records from the previous year, also in a spreadsheet. This requirement will
only be waived for new clubs.
Any additional documents the club believes would help the Finance Committee make an
informed decision. In the past, these documents have included sponsorship packages,
quotes for large-budget items, and event calendars.
Within a week following the deadline, the Secretary will send an email to all clubs which sent in
applications for funding, contacting them for an interview.
Aside from mere completeness, all applications must meet the standards listed below:
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Professional Application
 Detailed yet concise explanations
 Accurate and up-to-date information
 Detailed budgets
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Professional Interview
 Show up on time
 Structured
2.3 What We Don’t Fund
Typically, EngSoc does not fund the following:
• Requests for the purpose of making direct donations (e.g. taking the money received and
donating it in another form such as food or clothing)
• Requests from organizations whose operations do not appear sustainable (e.g. if the club’s
expenses consistently exceed its revenue)
• Requests with an incomplete or otherwise unsatisfactory application
• Requests from organizations which are not Affiliated Clubs
• Requests from EngSoc levy groups
• Requests which contain numerous questionable expenses such as excessive food, luxury items,
or items restricted by EngSoc/University policy
3. Recommendation Process
3.1 Finance Committee
All applications will be reviewed by the Finance Committee, which consists of:
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EngSoc Vice-President Finance
EngSoc Vice-President Student Life
A Director of Student Levies
A Director of Student Funding
A Secretary
Two members of the EngSoc Board of Directors
The Finance Committee will be evaluating each club based on the application and the interview,
and then make a recommendation to be approved by the Engineering Society Board of Directors.
3.2. Club Categories
Clubs are broken down into seven categories, to assist the Finance Committee in comparing clubs
which have similar purposes. These categories are:
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Design / Competition Teams– apply engineering principles and techniques to design a product
for a competition or showcase
Musical and Fine Arts – showcase artistic ability through media such as music and visual art.
Professional Development– University of Toronto chapters of a professional industry
association for an engineering discipline or field
Societal/Community/Charity Clubs Clubs – help students develop their engineering skills and
knowledge outside of classrooms.
Non-Engineering-Related Interest Clubs – Help students with their personal, social, or
academic development through activities not related to engineering
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Hobby / Interest Clubs – Collaborate on a leisure activity or improve a specific skill
Cultural Clubs – Showcase and celebrate cultures and ethnicities
Athletics Clubs – Sporting activities to build on team-building and athletic skills
3.3. Evaluation Criteria
Clubs are evaluated on objective and subjective criteria such as the following. The following criteria
will be used to evaluate both the club and the events it hosts. Historical data is expected to be
provided where available.
• Active membership size (not the number of members on a mailing list)
• Schedule of events, including descriptions and approximate dates
• Expected number of attendees at scheduled events
• Cost per scheduled event
• Impact of club’s activities
• Improvement of EngSoc, Faculty, and University reputation
• Value to members and to the Engineering Society membership at large
• Awards received and competitions attended (only applies to clubs that compete)
3.4. Appeals
If any club feels that the Finance Committee funding recommendation was unfair, the club may
appeal the recommendation. Appeals will be due two weeks after the Finance Committee sends out
the recommendations for a given round. If appeals are submitted, the Finance Committee will hold a
meeting where clubs which have submitted appeals may present their case.
3.5. Board of Directors Approval
The Finance Committee issues club funding recommendations to the Engineering Society Board of
Directors, which votes on the final amounts. Club executives will be notified of the time and place
of the Board of Directors meeting where this decision takes place. If you wish to attend, please
RSVP to the Finance Committee Secretary (finance.secretary@skule.ca).
4. Cheque Requisition Process
After Board of Directors approval, the amount allocated to the club can be retrieved through a
cheque requisition process. In other words, club funding is on a reimbursement basis – you spend
the money, then EngSoc reimburses you against your allocated funding, for the expenses you
described to the Finance Committee in your application and interview.
The process is as follows:
1. Fill out a cheque requisition form. The form can be found in the EngSoc office (SF B740) or on
www.skule.ca
2. Complete the form and have it signed by the president of the club (in the “Committee Chair”
signature area)
3. Attach the original purchase receipts (no photocopied or debit receipts)
4. Submit the document to Rhonda, the Engineering Society Business Manager, in the EngSoc
office.
Rhonda will email you once your cheque is available for pick-up. Please note that you will not be
reimbursed any items that violate the Affiliated Club Funding Policy or that were not in the budget
at the time of approval.