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Funding Guidelines

The goal of GSC funding is to encourage social life on campus, to improve the lives and work of graduate students, to increase the visibility of the GSC, and to ensure that the special needs of graduate students will be addressed. The fairness and openness to all graduate student groups are the duties of the GSC Funding Board.

Funding is never guaranteed until the Funding Board meets and votes on the application. Special considerations are not given to events that have occurred in the past. Funding Board application cycles are often highly competitive–Funding Board will make every attempt to give each student group as much funding as possible, but many events will be partially funded or not funded at all depending on the cycle.

The GSC Funding Board is described in the GSC Bylaws, Article II, Section C, Part 3.

The Allocations Board is composed of the GSC Treasurer, ASA Treasurer, the GSC President, one GSC Activities Committee Chair, one ASA Graduate Member-At-Large, and one Graduate Student Member-at-Large appointed by the Council.

The Appeals Board is composed of the GSC Treasurer, GSC Vice President, and one ASA Member-at-Large.

Eligibility

Steps to Receive Funding

Alcohol Policy

Funding Allocation Meetings

Requirements and Considerations

Eligibility

What is Funded

  1. Events
  2. Medium Events
  3. Capital Expenses

Steps to Receive Funding

  1. Receive ASA recognition as a >50% graduate group before the funding application deadline.
  2. Apply for funding from GSC before the posted deadline on the GSC Funding Board homepage
  3. If requested to by the Funding Board, come to the Allocation Meeting to answer questions about your requests. Contact gsc-treasurer[at]mit[dot]edu immediately if your group wishes to reschedule the Allocation Meeting with the Funding Board or waive the right to appear at the Allocation Meeting.
  4. Publicize the event at least two weeks in advance using the MIT’s Events Calendar and/or posters. Here is the link to add events.
    • Be sure to include GSC Funding Board (group code 2800) as a co-sponsor on the Events Calendar. (View currently posted events).
    • Use the Funding Board logo (black or white) on all advertisements.
    • Note that paper posters are not required and should be used with the knowledge that they generate low awareness and large amounts of waste.
  5. Submit both the electronic and hard copy components of each reimbursement request before 5pm on the funding cycle deadline, as set by the GSC treasurer:
    • Student groups are encouraged to use the online SAPweb Request for Payment (RFP) service. Please reference the funding period (Summer/Fall Round 1, for example), event title, and event details in the reimbursement form.
    • Submit the scanned receipts, scanned proof of payment, and an electronic print-out of the MIT calendar listing as attachment. Accepted formats include pdf, jpg, png, gif or bmp.
    • Please fill in the ‘cost object’ with your group’s funding account number, and use G/L account 420344 for event expenses, and G/L account 421588 for capital expenses.
    • Please choose the treasurer or other financial signatories of your group as the recipient for approval.
    • The original itemized receipts, a print-out of the MIT Events Calendar listing, and proof of payment (remember, MIT is tax exempt) should be sent to the Student Activies Office (W20-549).
  6. Comply with the Institute and GSC Alcohol Policies.
    Failure to comply with MIT policies and/or GSC Funding Board Guidelines could lead to citations and/or warnings from the GSC Funding Board regarding the GSC funding related issues, and/or a failure on the part of the GSC to provide funding and/or reimbursement.

In order to help graduate student groups coordinate and run events smoothly and follow MIT policies and GSC Funding Guidelines, members of the GSC Executive Committee will visit GSC-funded events from time to time.

GSC Funding Board Alcohol Policy

GSC Funding Board funds cannot be used to buy alcohol. However, alcohol may be present at a Funding Board sponsored event if other funding sources are used to purchase the alcohol and the event fully complies with all MIT Alcohol Policies, including the additional restrictions which apply to student groups.

Funding Allocation Meetings

Funding allocation meetings are usually held in the week after the funding application deadlines. The exact dates and schedules of funding application deadlines and funding allocation meetings will be posted on the Funding Board web page and will be distributed by email through the GSC funding mailing list. New requests for funding may or may not be accepted in the Appeals meeting depending upon funds available.

Requirements and Considerations

I. Small and Medium Events

  • Must be open to all MIT graduate students
  • Must be of general interest to Graduate Students
  • Must charge all MIT students, whether they are the members or non-members of the student group, the same entrance fee if greater than half the total funds are from the GSC
  • Must be advertised campus wide with the GSC name (or logo in the case of posters), which should not be less than 5% of the paper used for advertising
  • Event must be posted on the Events Calendar at least 14 days before the event and include GSC Funding Board as a sponsor, and NOT the Graduate Student Council.
  • Advertising must include all relevant information in English
  • Only original itemized receipts will be reimbursed. A credit card receipt without itemization is not sufficient. Sales tax will not be reimbursed. Contact the GSC office or gsc-treasurer[at]mit[dot]edu for details
  • Events demonstrating forethought and preparation are given higher consideration
  • Event that meets graduate student needs are given high consideration
  • The size of a student group, and the history of an organization’s activities and use of funding awards, will be considered when allocating funding.
  • Funding will only be awarded for specific events. Funding awards may include certain restrictions or prerequisites for reimbursement. Funding allocations not used during the period for which it was awarded is lost and goes back into the pool to fund groups for the next term.
  • The Funding Board will not fund speaker fees/honoraria, speaker travel expenses, speaker gifts, or prizes.
  • Only ASA recognized groups with the status of “MIT funded” may submit applications to the Funding Board.
  • Only student groups which are at least 50% comprised of graduate students may submit applications to the Funding Board.
  • For each funding cycle, student groups are allowed to apply for funding for up to three small events (less than $800 AND fewer than 120 attendees each) and one medium event (greater than $800 or more than 120 attendees).
  • Venue/space rental and set-up funding requests are very rarely approved; use on-campus CAC spaces available at no cost to student groups.
  • High priority is given to events held on campus in spaces that are easily accessible by the MIT graduate community. The reasoning for this preference stems from the Funding Board’s desire to enrich and expand the scope of student life on campus and allow for graduate students to be exposed to as many new ideas as possible.
  • Funding for food will be as follows:
    • Desserts or snacks only– $4 per person
    • Meal with self-prepared or catered/delivered food – $7 per person
    • Meal with cultural food integral to the cultural aspect of the event– $10 per person

II. Capital Expenses

  • Items that will be reused for many events are given high consideration
  • Items that will help student groups meets their goals are considered
  • Items that will stay with the student groups are given high consideration
  • Well budgeted items will receive higher consideration
  • All capital expenses must follow the Institute policies and guidelines on capital purchases