Student Government Association | Grants (2024)

The Bureau of Finance allocates grants on a first-come, first-served basis. Non-travel and travel grant applications will be accepted up until four weeks prior to the event, project, or travel.

However, grants funds are limited, therefore does not guarantee funds are available. Student organizations are encouraged to apply earlier than the deadline to allow for maximum funding opportunities.

SGA grants cannot be used for the following: gas, food per diem, alcohol, medications and vaccines, guests, advisors, or coach living arrangements, gas or food during travel. SGA grants CANNOT be used for reimbursem*nts. If you are traveling, this grant cannot be used for rental cars, only WVU bus transportation. SGA grants CAN be used for registration fees, lodging, prepaid food, event catering, advertising, marketing, org supplies, and honorarium.

*To accommodate for the new school year, grant applications (except those including honorariums) will be accepted two (2) weeks prior to the event, project, or travel.

***Any non-travel grant with honorarium which includes entertainment, artist, and speaker fee will need to be submitted eight weeks prior to the event or project.

See past grants provided by SGA here.

Applying For a Grant

The application timelineprovided below allows for a thorough process for our student organizations and university processes and procedure. Please note the different deadlines for non-travel grants vs. travel grants. The Bureau of Finance (BOF) of SGA strives to provide resources to all student organizations at West Virginia University. Grant applications submitted beyond the designated deadline will not be reviewed by the BOF of SGA.

  1. Fill Out the Grant Application

    Your grant request must be submitted at least four weeks prior to your event. If you are requesting funding for a honorarium for a speaker, you must submit your request at least eight weeks prior to the event.

    Complete A Grant Application

    Check Your Email

    After submitting your application, the Bureau of Finance (BoF) will contact you via email to invite you to a meeting.

  2. Attend a BoF Meeting

    This meeting gives you the opportunity to meet one-on-one with a member of the Bureau of Finance. The BoF member will ask you questions specific to your grant application. Be sure to bring any invoices or other information you think may be helpful.

    Grant Voting Process

    After discussion by the BoF, the grant will be voted on by the SGA Assembly during weekly meetings.

  3. Acquire Grant Funding

    Once your grant has been passed by the SGA Assembly, you will need to sign the Grant Award Form from the Office of Student Engagement & Leadership within one week. SEL will not be completing the final transaction, you will not be receiving a check or cash from them.

Application Deadlines

Non-Travel and Travel Grant Application Timeline

*No Honorarium, Artist Fees, Entertainment, or Speaker Fees*

Event/Project to Occur On/After Deadline to Submit Grant Application
April 3, 2024 March 6, 2024
April 10, 2024 March 13, 2024
April 17, 2024 March 20, 2024
April 24, 2024 March 27, 2024

Non-Travel and Travel Grant Application Timeline

*Honorarium, Artist Fees, Entertainment, or Speaker Fees*

Event/Project to Occur On/After Deadline to Submit Grant Application
April 3, 2024 February 7, 2024
April 10, 2024 February 14, 2024
April 17, 2024 February 21, 2024
April 24, 2024 February 28, 2024

Grant Rules and Restrictions

All student organizations that are recognized by Student Engagement & Leadership are eligible to receive a grant from SGA EXCEPT for Departmental organizations and members of the Club Sports Federation.

The Bureau of Finance can fund various events for your student organization. We can fund any event hosted by your organization that is open to the entire university, equipment expenses, certain travel expenses for conferences/ tournaments your student organization may be participating in, or events hosted in collaboration with another organization. We CANNOT fund events that are not open to the entire university. Two grants cannot fund the same event.

As per our Bylaws, the maximum amount that can be awarded to an organization is determined by our external budget. For non-travel expenses, an organization can receive a maximum of 2.0% of SGA’s allocated external budget for the academic year. A grant for travel expenses cannot exceed 1.25% of SGA’s allocated external budget for the academic year. Multi-organizational grants may not exceed more than 2.5% of SGA’s allocated external budget and require unanimous consent by the Bureau of Finance. As per our Bylaws, we MUST pay for line items. You will NOT receive a lump sum. For this reason, we will only pay for line items, and your grant may be less than the maximum amount that could be awarded for your organization.

As stated previously, we can only pay for line items. However, there are several restrictions.

  • We cannot offer reimbursem*nts. If you have already paid for a certain item, the grant cannot reimburse you or your organization. We cannot offer reimbursem*nts. If you have already paid for a certain item, the grant cannot reimburse you or your organization.

  • All event catering is subject to Federal per diem rates

    • Breakfast: $9

    • Lunch: $18

    • Dinner: $29

  • Guest speakers must be added to WVU payroll; therefore, a grant application requesting money to cover such fees must be submitted 8 weeks in advance.

  • We CANNOT cover the expenses of rental cars, buses, vans. Only WVU Charter buses are acceptable.

  • All clothing items must be approved by WVU merchandising. See the Merchandising tab for more information.

  • The Bureau of Finance can only cover expenses for students, no advisors/ coaches. For example, we cannot cover the cost of their ticket or hotel room if travelling with them.

  • The following cannot be funded by an SGA grant:

    • Gas

    • Vaccines

    • Medications

    • Alcohol

    • Third-party Lodging (AirBnB, Hotels.com)

    • Third-party Ticketing (Kayak, Orbitz)

    • Gift Cards

    • Tailgates

Grants are on a first come, first serve basis. Filling out this application does not guarantee a grant. Grant applications must be submitted at least FOUR weeks prior to the event being funded. Organizations requesting funding for guest fees or honorariums must submit a grant application at least EIGHT weeks prior to the event.

A student organization can apply for multiple grants throughout the academic year. You can apply for as many grants (as deemed necessary) until you have reached your cap. An organization will not be allowed to receive more than 2.0% of SGA’s allocated external budget. Please note, an organization can only receive no more than 1.25% of SGA’s allocated external budget for travel grants.

The Bureau of Finance cannot fund events or travel that will not be in the academic calendar year. Any grants requesting money after the last day of finals or before the first day of classes cannot be approved.

For approved grants providing funding for an event on campus, the pop up sign saying “Funded by SGA” must be signed out from the SEL office, displayed during the event, and returned in the next business day after event completion.

Grant Allocation Examples

Below are examples of funding granted to student organizations by SGA.

This grant was provided for expenses to cover the registration fee for the students going to the conference and pay the hotel for the 4 nights.
American Institute of Chemical Engineers: 06-2023
Item Quantity Cost
Registration 13 Members $,1500.00
Total Allocated Funds $,1500.00
This grant was provided for expenses to cover the cost of Art & Crafts supplies for various meetings throughout the Fall semester.
Clear the Stress Club: 09-2023
Item Quantity Cost
Supplies 8 items $122.41
Total Allocated Funds $122.41
Student Government Association | Grants (2024)

FAQs

Why are you interested in joining the student government association? ›

As a member of SGA, you have the opportunity to build social skills. If you join a student organization, your communication skills will improve by interacting with a wide variety of people. You will learn to balance education, organizational work and focus on your goals.

Why is student government association important? ›

The Student Government Association (SGA) is designed to foster leadership skills, encourage school spirit, and teach democratic principles among students. As a student-run organization that represents the entire student body, SGA allows students to express concerns and take a stand on important issues.

How to answer why do you want to join this club? ›

6 reasons why YOU should join a club or society
  1. You'll meet new people and forge new friendships. ...
  2. You'll make some cracking memories. ...
  3. You might learn a new skill. ...
  4. You'll build upon your transferable skills. ...
  5. You'll grow your network. ...
  6. You'll get more out of your University experience.
Jun 30, 2023

How to answer interview questions for student council? ›

Be prepared to talk about why you want to be a member of the student council and what you would like to achieve as a member. This could include any ideas you have that you think would be good for other students. You should also explain why you are an ideal student council member.

Does student government look good for college? ›

Being a member of your school's Student Council can definitely be a positive addition to your college applications. It demonstrates your interest in getting involved and contributing to your school community, as well as showcasing your leadership and teamwork abilities.

What do you think the role of a student government member is? ›

Student government is a group of students that are charged with managing a wide range of events, activities, programs, policies and initiatives around school. Some members are elected by the student body, and others may be appointed by the elected officials to help with specific tasks or areas of interest.

What is the purpose of the students Association? ›

Student organizations and associations serve as fertile grounds for forging meaningful connections. They offer a platform where individuals with shared interests can converge. This networking opportunity holds immense potential, especially for those students aspiring to cultivate robust professional networks.

Why do you want to join a student organization? ›

The Benefits of Joining Clubs in College
  1. Joining a Club Can Allow You to Make New Friends. ...
  2. School Clubs Can Build Your Social Support Network. ...
  3. Clubs in College May Lower Your Stress Levels. ...
  4. Improve Your Interpersonal and Communication Skills in School Clubs. ...
  5. School Clubs Can Expand Your Professional Networking Opportunities.

Why do you want to join the association? ›

Making connections is critical, and joining associations give countless opportunities to connect on a local and sometimes even global level. For most people, creating professional relationships is important, and joining a group allows you to have a sense of security and trust.

Why are people interested in student council? ›

The purpose of the student council is to give students an opportunity to develop leadership by organizing and carrying out school activities and service projects. In addition to planning events that contribute to school spirit and community welfare, the student council is the voice of the student body.

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