Clubs & Organizations

SOA Grant Funding FY23 Quick Reference Sheet

It is highly recommended that all event/activity requests or organization development requests are planned as soon as possible. Allocations are made on a first-come-first-serve basis. For example, you can request funding for Winter or Spring term in Fall.

Some details to consider:

• Open and closed event/activity requests are submitted via an Activity Plan/Report (in the green link box on the club home dashboard). 

• Organization development requests are submitted via the Equipment, Supplies & Department Payment Form (in the green link box on the club home dashboard).

• All requests are initially reviewed by an SOA Peer Educator. Peer Educators are students first and may not be available to review funding requests during Finals week.

• Requests received 13 or fewer days in advance of the event/activity date or purchase date will NOT be reviewed.

• If time does not allow for the request to be fully processed and the funds to be released to the student/student organization in advance of the event/activity or purchase date the request will be bounced back.

The following standards have been established to ensure all funded activities meet or exceed processes, policies, regulations, and laws required by SOA as well as by the University and governmental agencies. All SOA Grant Funded activities must:

• RSO must have an active club index within the University’s accounting structure and may not have a negative fund balance.
• All SOA Grant Funded activities must:
  • Be reported/requested through the student organization database (Ideal-Logic) within the appropriate timeline (see Submission Timeline above).
  • Provide detailed information with all costs fully identified in the budget submission. This includes a cost demonstration for all purchases, detailed with items and costs, pre-contract offers that identify all of the costs associated with performers or speakers (performance/rider), etc.
    • Cost demonstration can be a copy of an email, invoice, quote, or screenshot of a website as long as it includes expense description and per-unit cost. All of these items need to be uploaded with the budget request.
  • Uphold the OSU Community Non-Discrimination Policy.
  • Be in alignment with OSU and RSO missions, while actively supporting community-building and belonging for OSU students.

These are the most common categories of requests. This is not an exhaustive list. While there are some categories that have a limit, we will consider all requests. Please check the "SOA Funding Cannot Be Used For" section for items that cannot be funded.

• Labor Fees
• Equipment Rental
• Performance & Speaker Fees
• Marketing
• Supplies
• Food
• Decorations
• Member professional development
• Conference/Competition Fees
• Travel
• Lodging

• Payroll or payment to student organization members for leadership, service, etc.
• Hosting of activities for the primary purpose of fundraising for the organization or philanthropy for a non-profit agency.
• Hosting of activities for the primary purpose of raising awareness of or recruiting volunteers for a non-profit agency.
• Direct allocation of funds for philanthropic purposes - i.e. donating money or physical items (including food) to someone/something.
• Purchase of items for resale purposes.
• For events/activities hosted at establishments whose primary focus is on the service of alcohol (wineries, distilleries, breweries, etc.)
• Events/activities hosted on the OSU campus that include any access to alcohol. 
• Promoting or opposing any political committee or any initiative, referendum, or recall petition, measure, or candidate. Political educational activities representing multiple viewpoints are fundable.
• Religious service activities.
• Personal membership dues.
• International Travel.
• Rental, maintenance or upkeep of a facility.
• On-going, subscription payments.
• Any activity in which academic credit is an option for participants and/or billed through a student account.
• Youth engagement or outreach.

Equipment and supplies for club operations, travel and recruitment activities, meetings and other recurring activities (more than once per term), and any event "closed" to the public.

Allocation - Up to $2,000 annually (July 2022- June 2023)

• Closed Events/Activities, held within 10 miles of campus, can be held weeks 1-10 or during academic breaks. 
  • Closed Events/Activities held away from campus (more than 10 miles) are limited to $1,000 and funding cannot go towards food. 
• Recurring events/activities can be funded up to one term at a time and new requests must be submitted for each term.
• It is recommended that clubs wait until funding requests are approved before making purchases. 
  • Since funding is not guaranteed, purchases made in advance of funding approval risk not being fundable or fully fundable.
• Funding request for equipment & supplies will only be considered if submitted no more than 20 days after purchase and must include an itemized receipt, showing date of purchase.

Expenses With Limitations

Food - packaged foods or catering

• Breakfast (between 8am and 12pm) - $15 per anticipated participant
• Lunch (between 12pm-5pm) - $15 per anticipated participant
• Dinner (between 5pm-10pm) - $30 per participant 

Gas - Gas expense when utilizing a personal vehicle up to $.25 per mile.

• NOTE: a map of the trip route will need to be submitted for cost demonstration and a processed Payment Request to reimburse the driver with a gas receipt will be needed for reconciliation. 

Supplies - requests can be for operating supplies, minor equipment, decorations, costumes, banners, shipping, insurance, national dues, etc. Cannot exceed $1000 annually. 

Swag/Apparel - Allocation for the purchase of name tags or organization clothing/uniform for the purpose of visibility and promotion of your organization. Requests cannot exceed $1,000 annually. 

• The student organization roster in Ideal-Logic will be used to determine the number of student members eligible & a list of intended recipients must be included with request.
• SOA will fund up to two requests for clothing/badges per academic year.

Travel - Expenses related to org travel, including conferences and competitions, like vehicle transportation, flights & lodging. Food is not eligible for funding.

Expenses Without Limitations

Accessibility Accommodations - Any costs associated with providing accessible access to open events/activities. Does not count towards the allocation limits.

Special Events/Activities occur no more than once per academic term, and must be open to all OSU students.  Activities must occur during weeks 1-10 of the term (Fall, Winter, Spring only) to ensure that students have access to participating.

Allocation Limits*  

• Anticipated Attendance 49 and below can be funded up to $999 per event.
• Anticipated Attendance 50 and above:
  • Events with 1 RSO can be funded up to $2,000
  • Events with 2-3 RSOs collaborating can be funded up to $2,500
  • Events with 4-5 RSOs collaborating can be funded up to $5,500
  • Each additional club (6+) collaborating can increase funding $500/club up to $10,000 total for the event.

• It is recommended that clubs wait until funding requests are approved before making purchases for events. 
  • Since funding is not guaranteed, purchases made in advance of funding approval risk not being fundable or fully fundable.
• Open events/Activities that contain a series of connected events - conferences, symposiums or similar - will be considered one event for funding purposes.
• Open Events primarily geared towards Non-OSU Students (less than half of the anticipated participants are OSU Students) can only be funded at $15 per anticipated participant (i.e. Club hosting a regional or national conference).
• “Open meetings, recruitment activities and recurring activities are considered Organizational Development activities and are not eligible for open event funding.

Promotion and Advertising Requirement: Because these events are funded with student fees, the primary target audience is OSU students; promotion to OSU students is required for all SOA Grant funded activities. By submitting an SOA Grant for an open event, you agree that the Club or SOA will publish the event on the OSU Events Calendar with the Clubs & Organizations tags and post the event on SOA managed Facebook and Instagram pages.

Expenses With Limitations

Apparel - Costumes or event-specific apparel for event staff.  Any apparel requests besides costumes require a list of intended recipients be submitted as part of the cost demonstration. Apparel intended for general participants is considered a prize and subject the prize funding limits noted below. Requests for one event cannot exceed $500.

Food - Up to $10 per anticipated participant.

Gas - Gas expense when utilizing a personal vehicle up to $.25 per mile. A map of the trip route will need to be submitted for cost demonstration and a processed Payment Request to reimburse the driver with a gas receipt will be needed for reconciliation.

Marketing/Promotion - This can include purchasing ads on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, paying for graphic design work, printing costs, etc. 

• Events with less than 499 anticipated participants can request up to $500
• Events with 500 or more anticipated participants can request up to $800

Prizes/Incentives -  A drawing for attendance or participation incentive. Open events are limited to no more than $50 per item. Requests for one event cannot exceed $250. 

• The purchase prizes/incentives can only be used for OSU students. 
  • NOTE: any items for non-OSU students need to be paid for by the club or another funding source. 
• It will be required to document who received each item and their ONID email or number.
• Gift cards cannot exceed $50 per card.

Shipping - Expedited shipping rates will only be covered up to $100. 

Swag -  Small items to give to every participant (pen, notepad, etc). Requests for one event cannot exceed $500

Expenses Without Limitations

Accessibility Accommodations - Any costs associated with providing accessible access to open events/activities. Does not count towards the allocation limits but must be requested in advance in alignment with submission deadlines.

SOA Signature Events are events/activities with a dedicated SOA Grant budget. Events are considered SOA Signature Events when the club has applied and proven the event to be consistent (has occurred for at least 2 consecutive academic years) and that the event furthers Oregon State University’s Core Value of Diversity. To apply to have an SOA Signature Event budget for your club, please email us at [email protected]. 

Currently, as of July 2022, these organizations plan and execute SOA Signature Events:

• African Student Association (African Night)
• Asian Pacific American Student Union (APASU Presents, APASU Culture Shock, APASU Cultural Bites)
• Cambodian Student Association (Khmer Night)
• Hui O Hawai’i (Ho’ike)
• Hmong (Hmong Night)
• Indian Student Association (Dandiya Night, Diwali, India Night)
• Isang Bansang Pilipino (Pilipino Cultural Night)
• Japanese Student Association (Japan Night)
• PERMIAS (Indonesian Night)
• Rainbow Continuum (Fall and Spring Drag Show)
• Taiwanese Student Association (Taiwanese Night)
• Vietnamese Student Association (Vietnamese Night)

SOA will consider providing additional funding for any request you have previously received funding for when there are unforeseen expenses discovered post allocation. Requests need to be submitted within 30 days of the activity & no later than May 31st, 2023. To submit a Budget Shortfall request, please write to us at [email protected]. 

SOA Grant Suspension means RSO is ineligible for more SOA Grant funding.

SOA Grant Review means RSO is limited to one unreconciled request at a time through the duration of the fiscal year. 

• Failure to complete the Post Activity Report, including budget reconciliation, within 20 days of the event will result in the club being placed on SOA Grant Suspension until the Post Activity Report has been completed and the club will be placed on SOA Grant Review through at least the duration of the fiscal year.
• Failure to complete the Budget Reconciliation for an Equipment & Supplies request within 20 days of award disbursement will result in the club being placed on SOA Grant Suspension until the Reconciliation has been completed and the club will be placed on SOA Grant Review through at least the duration of the fiscal year.

• Failure to return unspent funds within 10 days of confirmation of completed reconciliation will result in the club being placed on SOA Grant Suspension until the funds have been returned and the club will be placed on SOA Grant Review through at least the duration of the fiscal year. 
• A club with a deficit balance in their RSO Fund Index is automatically on SOA Grant Suspension until their negative balance is reconciled.