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Club Funding Use Guidelines

Student Funding Overview

Student and club funding comes from a percentage (approximately 18%) of the comprehensive fee all Monmouth students pay every semester.  SGA in turn uses this money to fund the annual funding of clubs, special event funding (SEF) for students and clubs, sport club funding (SCF) for the University’s club sports and travel funding (TFR) for students and student groups that are not eligible to receive annual funding from SGA. In an effort to help students, clubs and their advisors, the following guidelines highlight how annual, SEF, SCF and TFR may be used. Students, clubs, and their advisors are encouraged to review the following guidelines before they plan a program or trip off-campus.

Funding eligibility:

Groups that discriminate because of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, and/or political persuasion will not receive any funding. Annual funding will only be available to student clubs that do not require its members to pay any kind of fee or dues in order to participate as part of the club or club sport.

Prohibited expenditures/reimbursements:

  • Activities/events/programs that do not directly benefit Monmouth University students.
  • Enrollment in academic courses, academic requirements, graduate assistantships, lab fees, academic related travel, required in-class activities, internships, co-operative learning experiences, or any other expense related to a student’s academic experience at Monmouth University.
  • Alcoholic beverages.
  • The use of annual funding, SEF, SCF or TFR to pay for the recognition/initiation/dues of members as part of a club or a Greek letter chapter or honor society.
  • The creation of scholarships, grants, donations or fundraisers using annual funding, SEF, SCF or TFR. Money collected through donations and fundraisers is exempt.
  • Entertainment that is not open to the entire student body.
  • Automobile rental other than through approved travel reimbursement.
  • The purchase of finished products or elements used to create items sold again as part of a fundraising activity. Students may use their own money to pay for such items (i.e. goods created for a bake sale).
  • Use of student funding to upgrade/modify/renovate a campus space/facility/office.
  • Utilizing student funds to issue cash prizes.
  • Annual and SEF/SCF/TFR funds used to benefit former students.
  • Monmouth University does not reimburse students or clubs the cost of tax related to purchases or expenditures.

Annual Funding, SEF, SCF and TFR Polices:

  1. Clubs may purchase promotional clothing (i.e. t-shirts) to market an event or the club. Students and clubs must collect two or more quotes from different vendors before the Office of Student Engagement will consider processing an order.  SGA shall provide financial support for clothing items not to exceed $10 per t-shirt and not to exceed $30 per article of outerwear (long sleeve shirt, jackets, sweatpants, sweatshirts, etc.). Clothing expenses that are above the limits noted are the responsibility of the student(s) or advisor(s). Students/clubs are discouraged from (may also be prohibited) attempting to purchase clothing items during the last month of the spring semester by OSE and/or SGA.
  2. Students and clubs can use funding to purchase awards, plaques, or certificates that are within reason. Students/clubs may not use funds to make donations on behalf of the club. *OSE/ SGA requests that the student/club find the most cost effective way in recognizing a person or people since such items can be expensive.
  3. All leftover annual club funding at the end of the academic year will return to the SGA reserve account for future reallocation.
  4. Clubs that receive annual funding may not contribute more than $3,000 from their annual budget to support wages for federal work study/student help. The Office of Student Engagement must approve all federal work student and student help requests for clubs/groups.
  5. Students and clubs must submit all receipts for reimbursement within (2) two weeks following the date of the program, off-campus trip or activity. Failure to do so will result in the denial of a reimbursement
  6. The use of annual, SEF/SCF/TFR funding begins on the first day of fall classes and ends on the last day of spring classes. Students and clubs should not attempt to pay for or schedule programs, trips or activities that take place outside that timeframe. OSA/SGA recognizes that certain groups operate on a year-round schedule and need to access to their annual funding after the end of the academic year.

Food and Meals

  • Students and clubs must use Gourmet Dining Services when they plan to serve food at an on-campus event. Any exception to this rule must receive prior written (i.e. email) approval from the Director of Gourmet Dining Services.
  • Students and clubs are limited to purchasing meals/food on-campus no more than (3) three times per semester for group meetings/functions/programs.
  • Students and clubs will be reimbursed for meals/food that has been purchased up to $55.00 per day per person:Breakfast no more than $15.00,Lunch/Brunch no more than $15.00, and Dinner no more than $25.00

This would include food/meals that occur on-campus, at a restaurant, and during off-campus travel to a conference or competition. Students and advisors must submit an itemized receipt(s) from the business for reimbursement. Meal/food expenses that are above the limits noted are the responsibility of the student(s) or advisor(s).

Off-Campus Travel

  • The Office of Student Engagement must approve all trips no less than 45 days before the intended trip. Failure to comply with this requirement will result in a voided request for travel.
  • The use of student funding for off-campus travel must directly relate to the mission/purpose of the group (i.e. attending a local, regional, or national conference/competition)
  • Students and clubs may not use student funding to purchase tickets or gain admission to events or other activities off campus, such as (but not limited too) amusement parks, concerts, theatrical shows, golf outings, movies or sporting events or
    for the group’s personal use or pleasure. However, programs and events that are open and marketed to the entire Monmouth University community may use student funds to purchase tickets or gain admission to such events.

Policies Only Applicable to SEF/SCF/TFR

  1. Clubs that receive an annual budget are not eligible to apply for SEF/SCF/TFR. Clubs without an annual budget may apply for SEF/SCF/TFR (2) two times within the course of one academic year. The use of SEF funding is limited to students and groups that intend to hold a one-time only on-campus program/event.
  2. SGA will allocate individual SEF in amounts up to $3,000 for programs and events that take place on-campus.
  3. Expenses above the SEF/SCF allocation are the responsibility of the student/club/sport club.
  4. Monmouth University sport clubs may apply for SCF funding up to (1) one time per semester in an amount not to exceed $3,000 per request.
  5. Sport Club Funding (SCF) may only be used to cover the following expenses: (1) cost of renting a bus or van, (2) competition registration fees, (3) practice facility rental fee, (4) hotel fees, (5) cost of food during travel (pursuant to policy #3 of Funding Policies above) and (6) non-personal team equipment (i.e. balls and goals).
  6. Travel Funding Request (TFR) is for students and groups that do not receive an annual budget.  TFR is matching grant program that requires applicants to show proof of funds raised toward an intended trip. TFR awards are limited to $3,000 per request.

Recommendations

  • Students and clubs must use their student funding in a responsible and cost efficient manner.
  • Clubs should actively work with their advisor/coach to process payments and reimbursements in a timely manner. You should take no more than (2) two weeks to process this information after the event or off-campus trip or activity.
  • All on-campus events and off-campus trips hosted by students and clubs MUST receive prior approval from the Office of Student Engagement. To schedule a meeting to discuss an intended trip off-campus call 732-571-3586.
  • If any student, club or their advisor/coach has a question regarding the way it intends to use any student funding it has received, they should speak to the SGA Budget Committee before it commits any resources to a proposed activity/expense.
  • Failure to follow these guidelines may affect a student/club’s ability to apply for student funding in the future.

**OSA/SGA reserves the right to review student/club expenses when a concern regarding annual funding, SEF/SCF/TFR arises

STUDENTS, CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS ARE ALWAYS ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT OSE/SGA WHEN THEY HAVE A FUNDING QUESTION.

For more information call OSE at 732-571-3586, SGA at 732-571-3484 or send email to sgabudgets@monmouth.edu for budget-related questions or sgaeventfunding@monmouth.edu for SEF/SCF/TRF related questions.