“FREE” MONEY
GUIDE TO STUDENT GOVERNMENT MONETARY
ALLOCATIONS
INTRODUCTION
• Money is free, but there are strings attached.
• Thus the quotations
• $50,000 available to student organizations this year
• $50,000 available to club sports this year
• Student organization funding by student
government is administered through a process.
• Application
• Documentation
• Committee hearing
EXAMPLES
• Greeks (every instance in past 14 months):
• Delta Tau Delta: Health Summit catering
• Delta Tau Delta: Miss Greek venue (Pease)
• Alpha Kappa Alpha: Scholarship banquet – 2 years
• Non Greeks
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AMP!: TV show props & equipment, Art Jam Live
Latino Student Association: Caesar Chavez Day
Diversity Council: Around the World in One Night
African Student Association: First Annual Cultural Show
PRINCIPLES
• Serve a significant number of students;
• Promote an educational purpose, which is defined as the facilitation of the exchange of
information relating to the group’s mission that promotes student learning, development, and/or
skill acquisition;
• Seek alternative sources of funding;
• Do not propose events that conflict with other events planned for the same date and time;
• Involve collaboration with other groups;
• Demonstrate rigorous planning to promote and manage the event;
• Provide evidence that goods and services requested will be purchased at or below market rate.
PROHIBITIONS
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Events not open to all currently enrolled students at Eastern Michigan University;
Events that do not take place on campus, except competitions;
Travel or hotel-related expenses,
Office equipment or supplies;
Donations;
Avoidable interest fees;
Events where alcohol is supplied, served, or consumed by participants;
Events where any federal, state, or local law, or University policy, is expected to be violated;
Any damages that occur during an event;
Deposit on equipment or facilities;
Prizes, gifts, or awards;
Activities advocating in favor of or against any candidates or ballot initiatives in violation of
state or federal campaign finance laws;
Events that have already occurred; except for those during the months May through
September;
Events that provide any payment, good, or service to members of the organization for services
provided;
Events that charge students an entry fee;
T-shirts or non-essential clothing items.
STIPULATIONS
• No single organization shall, in a single request, receive more than 9% of the total line item
budget from which funds will be drawn. ($4500)
• An allocation request will not be reviewed if more than one student organization has submitted
a request for the same event.
• A maximum of $1,000 may be approved for food/catering per request.
• Up to 50% of total speakers’ fee may be covered by Student Government, with Student
Government contributing up to a maximum of $1,000 per speaker.
• Before a club sports allocation may be considered or approved, the entire request must be
approved by the University administrator overseeing clubs sports.
• If an event or program is funded by Student Government, all advertising by the sponsoring
organization for the event or program must contain the phrase “Supported by Student
Government” or the most current Student Government logo.
ALLOCATION PROCESS
• Step 1: Application
• Available on SG website
• Step 2: Documentation
• Signature page
• Accessible via link at end of application
• Invoices/Expense documentation
• Required for each expense
• Program budget
• Must show all associated costs, and whether they are funded
internally (org) or externally (SG and/or other sponsors)
• Governing Documents
• To verify non-discrimination clause
• Step 3: Committee hearing
• All requests must be approved by the Business &Finance
Committee.
TIMELINE
• Total process time: two weeks to a month
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Deadline – application and materials due
Week one – verification of materials
Week two – committee review
Committee meeting – request is approved
• Transfer request sent to accounting or Event Planning Office
• EPO – funding is immediate (Catering/Student
Center equipment)
• Everything else – one to two weeks
• Plan accordingly
• Committee schedule and deadlines on handout
THE COMMITTEE HEARING
• Not as intimidating as it sounds. I “promise”.
• Format – committee meeting with Robert’s rules
• Screening questions
• Based on the allocation principles- tests the alignment
between event and funding priorities
• Used at committee’s discretion
• You may get all or none
• Depth of questioning depending on pre-meeting
communication e.g. clarity of budget and supporting
documentation.
SCREENING QUESTIONS
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Serve a significant number of students:
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How many members does your organization have, how many will be served?
How many non-members will be served?
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What student learning and development will be facilitated?
What skills will students acquire?
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What has your organization done to raise funds?
What does your organization charge the membership to support this event/program?
What University departments, businesses, and community organizations have been contacted by your organization for
support and/or sponsorship?
Promote an educational purpose:
Seek alternative sources of funding:
Are submitted by an organization that has previously demonstrated a responsible use of Student
Government funding:
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Have you ever been asked to return allocated funds to Student Government?
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What events coincide with your organization’s event?
What research have you done to ensure there is no conflict? (Student Org Portal)
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What organizations, student and otherwise, is your organization collaborating with for this event/program?
What partnerships have you sought out?
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When did the planning process for this event start? (Consider the difference in time between when the process started vs.
when the application was received vs. the event date.)
How do you plan to promote this event/program? (Consider whether there will be enough time to get the Student
Government logo on the materials.)
Do not propose events that conflict with other events:
Involve collaboration with other groups:
Demonstrate rigorous planning to promote and manage the event:
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Provide evidence that goods and services requested will be purchased at or below market rate:
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How may estimates did you acquire for these services/products?
Are you receiving any discounts? If no, did you enquire about any? (Student discount)
COMMON CHALLENGES
1. Governing documents do not have adequate
non-discrimination clause
1. Missing signature page download link
1. Applying too late
1. Lack of organizational buy-in
1. Misunderstanding of rules
QUESTIONS?