Student Group Funding Guide Contents Page Obtaining Funding from the GSA... 2 Reimbursement Guidelines... 4 Forms... 7

Transcription

1 Student Group Funding Guide Contents Page Obtaining Funding from the GSA... 2 Reimbursement Guidelines Forms... 7

2 Obtaining Funding from the UAB Graduate Student Association Purpose To further support the mission of the UAB Graduate Student Association through the funding of student group events/activities. Annual Group Funding allows student groups to have maximum flexibility with GSA granted allocations but is subject to a review process upon renewal. Proposals with a focus on professional development are strongly encouraged as a greater proportion of our annual funding is earmarked for these activities. Student groups looking to fund activities/events mid-year who have missed the annual funding allocation or are looking for additional funds are welcome to collaborate with the GSA activities committee to fund their events. Eligibility Any registered student organization (through UAB Student Life) may submit an application for funding. Funding is generally only granted to organizations that are dominantly run by UAB graduate students. More information can be found at: The organization must have an external checking account established in the name of the organization at the time of application. Reimbursements to individuals through this funding program will NOT be made. All requests must be sponsored/co-signed by at least TWO active GSA Senators. Funding Options Working with the GSA Activities Committee A portion of the GSA Activities Committee budget is earmarked for collaborations with external groups. Student groups interested in obtaining funding mid-year should contact the current Activities chair for additional information. Events/activities can be proposed at regularly scheduled committee meetings and approved by the Senate by resolution if necessary. Annual Group Funding Established student groups are eligible to apply for annual budgets to supplement their activities and events. There is no limit to the maximum amount of the request, but groups should be aware that the majority of our available funding is earmarked for professional development purposes. Requests must be submitted to the GSA Treasurer no later than the first day of classes each Fall Semester. Groups funded by this mechanism are able to spend their allocations as they see fit but are subject to providing a full accounting of their expenses when reapplying for funding. Annual Group Funding allocations are 2

3 only good during the UAB fiscal year running from October 1 st of the application year to September 30 th of the following year. Funds from previous years do NOT carry over after September 30 th even if a group has successfully reapplied for a funding allocation. Application Process and Deadlines Applications are available on the GSA website at Annual Group Funding applications for each academic year must be submitted to the GSA Treasurer via no later than the first day of classes for Fall semester. Applications are reviewed by the GSA Budget Committee at a special Annual Student Group Funding meeting. The schedule of the meeting should be announced via to applicants and announced at a GSA Senate meeting prior to the meeting occurring. All enrolled graduate students are welcome to attend these meetings and have voting rights. The budget committee shall make a decision on each application to fund at a given value or deny funding. The decision of the committee then moves on to the GSA Senate where the entire slate of proposed funding recommendations will be voted on at the next scheduled Senate meeting. Renewing Annual Group Funding Renewing Annual Group Funding requires a complete financial snapshot of each student group. Upon applying for renewal, full accounting of ALL expenses and revenue for ALL accounts used to fund your student group and/or sponsored activities must be provided for the past 12 months. This includes money raised and spent that was not provided by the GSA. Please attach to the provided application form in a digital format (PDF preferred). Failure to disclose ALL expenses and funding sources may result in denial of funding. Reimbursement Guidelines Refer to the current Reimbursement Guidelines document on the GSA website as well as the current guidelines for UAB Financial Affairs. Groups are always subject to following the current guidelines for expenditures by UAB Finance. The GSA will not be held liable for any expenditure that UAB will not reimburse. It is highly recommended that student groups contact the current GSA Treasurer as well as the UAB Graduate School Office to confirm that expenditures are allowed PRIOR to making a purchase. 3

4 Reimbursements must include a GSA Reimbursement Form, Poster used for advertising citing financial sponsorship by the GSA, Sign-In Sheet, and Itemized Receipts/Invoices for all expenses. Hard copies must be sent to the UAB Graduate School and a digital copy of the Reimbursement Form must be sent via to the GSA Treasurer. The GSA should also be recognized at each event as a financial sponsor. Depending on the expenditure and method of payment, additional documentation may be required. Please refer to the Reimbursement Guidelines document. Failure to follow the above guidelines may result in denial of reimbursement and/or removal of funding allocation. Reimbursement Guidelines Assume the expense is NOT reimbursable unless the GSA Treasurer or this document says otherwise. If you have questions, ask the GSA Treasurer and/or the Graduate School Office prior to making a purchase. UAB Financial Affairs policies can and do change. The GSA will NOT be responsible for reimbursement when these policies are not followed. Under NO circumstances will an individual be reimbursed. o Student group purchases must be made via invoice, LPOs, or through payment from an account in the name of the student group. NO CONTRACTS Students are not authorized to enter into a contract on behalf of the University. Word of Mouth agreements are allowed. Payment will not occur until after the event/meeting has happened. REGULATIONS TO BE AWARE OF UAB financial affairs policies supersede all guidelines in this summary. It is your responsibility to ensure that your group is complying with UAB financial affairs policies. If you have questions, ask prior to spending funds. The GSA will NOT be responsible for reimbursement if you are not in compliance with State, UAB, and GSA guidelines. Event/Meeting must be held on campus. Meetings held off campus by student groups (rather than student governments) WILL NOT BE REIMBURSED. NO ALCOHOL. 4

5 Food, Drinks, and various supplies (e.g. pens, paper plates, etc.) are generally justifiable expenses that can be reimbursed as long as UAB financial affairs guidelines allow the expense. Individual members of External Groups (not GSA committees or Senators making purchases on behalf of the GSA) will NOT be reimbursed. External groups must either use Invoices, LPOs, or charge to an account in the name of their registered student group. The UAB GSA is included in the University s 501(c)3 non- profit designation. When possible, make sure your purchases are tax- free. We can provide the vendor with the appropriate forms if necessary. METHODS OF PAYMENT Invoicing Businesses are usually amiable to invoicing the University and this is the IDEAL method of payment because it doesn t require upfront payment. LPO s Limited Purchase Orders can be used for local businesses that do not allow for invoicing but only are valid for certain expenditures (ask first). You must physically pick up the form at the Graduate School Office and describe the purchase on the form prior to using it. This form of payment also doesn t require you to provide payment upfront. Cash/Check/Credit Card from Student Group Account Using Cash/Check/Credit is highly discouraged and should be avoided at all cost. If for some reason there are any issues with reimbursement, then your group will get stuck with the bill and not the University. If you absolutely must use Cash/Check/Credit, please make sure you have everything in order and that the expense is allowed. (i.e. CHECK with the Graduate School Office) Contracting In VERY RARE occasions a contract may be needed. If this is the case you need to obtain the full contract from the business and submit it to the Graduate School Office at least a month prior to the event/meeting so that UAB contracts/legal can review the document and approve it. NO individual or group may sign a contract on behalf of the university. After the contract is approved, only then can any associated payment be generated by the University. DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED o Completed GSA Reimbursement Form o Agenda for meeting OR Poster for event with date, time, and place of meeting/event Posters must also indicate funding provided by GSA; and Posters also must contain the following statement: To request special disability related accommodations, 5

6 Please contact [insert your organization s address] o Sign- in list with ALL attendees listed List does not need to be hand- written signatures o Itemized original receipt listing the food, beverages, and supplies purchased o Receipts should include the method of payment o Include documentation to link the receipt to the method of payment (i.e. screenshot of credit card statement, image of credit card with name and last four digits visible) Completed reimbursement forms should be scanned and uploaded directly to the GSA website funding under GSA Event Payment Request. TIMING Reimbursements requests should be prepared immediately following each meeting and event. Payments to vendors generally take about 2-3 weeks to process and any delay on behalf of a student group looks poorly upon the University as well as the GSA. Significant delays in reimbursing will be noted by the Treasurer and will be a factor in obtaining funding in subsequent years. It is extremely important to the University as well as the GSA that we maintain a good working relationship with vendors who are gracious enough to allow for invoicing. Attachments: GSA Student Group Funding Application Form GSA Student Group Funding Reimbursement Form 6