RSO Funding

To qualify for GSA funding, your RSO must be registered through the Office of Student Engagement (RSOs must be active for 8 weeks before applying for funding) and have completed RSO Orientation. Additionally, a representative from your RSO must attend GSA General Assembly meetings during the academic year. RSOs are allowed one absence per semester (Fall and Spring). RSOs with more than one absence in a semester will be ineligible for funding for the remainder of the academic year. 

Complete the RSO Funding Application on ExperienceWMU. Your request must be submitted by the submission deadline of the GFAC meeting in which you want your application to be considered for funding. The RSO must also send a graduate student representative to the GFAC meeting to answer questions and provide additional information. 

RSOs are considered graduate student RSOs if at least 50% of the members are graduate students. If the RSO membership is less than 50% graduate students, it is considered a mixed RSO. 

Graduate student RSOs can receive up to $750 for operational expenses and $5,000 for events each academic year. Mixed RSOs can receive up to $500 for operational expenses and $3,000 for events. 

You can apply multiple times throughout the year, until you have reached the caps listed above. This applies to the funds you have been allocated, not what you have spent (for example, if you ask for $5,000 for an event and it is approved, but the event only ends up costing $4,000, you still can't come back and apply for more because you've already been allocated the full amount you are allowed to request.) 

Operational funding can be used to offset the costs of running the RSO. This can include things like office supplies, branded clothing or “swag”, advertising, or food or beverages for RSO meetings (although funding for food and beverages cannot exceed 50% of the total operational funds you request). The funding can also be used for regularly occurring activities—for example, if your RSO does a trash pick-up every month, the funding could be used for trashbags, gloves, etc. 

Event funding can be used to offset the costs of planning, organizing, and putting on an event. This can include things like hiring a speaker or a DJ, room and equipment rental, promotional products (eg. flyers, buying an ad), decorations, or giveaways for event attendees. Event funding can also be used to purchase food and beverages for the event, but the amount spent on food and beverages cannot exceed 50% of the total amount requested. Any publications or materials created to promote the event (radio, newspapers, flyers, social media, etc.) must contain the words “Student Assessment Fee Funded” or “SAF Funded”. This phrase must also appear in the event description on ExperienceWMU. The GSA Logo must be included as well. Please submit drafts of these documents to @email for approval before publication. 

Events put on with GSA funding have to be accessible to all graduate students, not just those in your RSO. Events should be posted on ExperienceWMU in such a way that they are able to be viewed by all students. Within 30 days after the event, please submit a summary report to the @email. In the report, please include 1.) the number of attendees from your RSO 2.) the number of attendees from outside your RSO 3.) how the event was advertised 4.) a general summary of how the event went and 5.) a summary of actual expenses. 

Funds cannot be used for the benefit of individuals or private corporations, charitable organizations or programs, financing political candidates or campaigns, religious purposes (e.g. worship, devotional exercises, or proselytizing), or fundraising purposes.

No, GSA funds cannot be used for purchases that occurred before the funding application was approved. Wait until after application approval before you make purchases. 

GSA can make purchases for you. After your funding application is approved, you will receive information explaining how to submit purchase requests. You are also welcome to pay for things yourselves and be reimbursed. 

Receipts for operational expenses must be submitted within 90 days of funding approval. For event funding, you have 30 days after the event occurs to submit receipts for reimbursement. 

During the week between the application deadline and the review meeting, the GSA Vice President will review your application to make sure it is complete and to recommend changes if the application is unlikely to be approved.