1. Be registered on LakerLink with the required 4 officers and an advisor.
2. Be in good standing (refer to RSO Handbook).
3. President/Financial Officer have completed the Finance Wizard achievement on LakerLink.

1. All requests must be submitted a minimum of *4 weeks in advance before the campus program/event.  *Utilize the “Timeline for Funding Requests” to be aware when the Allocations Committee is not in session (e.g. due to semester breaks) as this also impacts the minimum date to submit a request.
2. For any requests totaling over $2,000, note the additional steps that may impact the approval timeline:
   1. Requests over $2,000: The RSO will receive a preparation email from the student life finance team, to review the details of the request after submission. The organization can request a meeting for additional support. Requests of this amount should be submitted more than 4 weeks before the event.
   2. Requests over $10,000:  Require approval from the General Assembly of Student Senate.  The Allocations Committee will review and vote on the request prior to making a recommendation to the General Assembly. Requests of this amount should be submitted at least 6 weeks before the event.

1. Be open to the whole student body and promoted in that regard, including listed on the LakerLink Events Calendar (www.gvsu.edu/lakerlink) 
   1. Any event funded must utilize the scan-in feature on LakerLink to record attendance at their event. If an event is found to not be utilizing the scan-in feature on LakerLink to record attendance, the organization will be ineligible for funding until after July 1 of the following year.
2. All funded events must include at least one pre-promotional item that would promote the event to the Student Body (poster, LakerHub slide, plugger, flyer, etc.).
   1. The organization must use the funding awarded for the pre-promotional item for their event or the organization will be ineligible for funding until after July 1 of the following year.
3. Must be hosted on the Allendale or Pew GVSU Campus.
4. Not be a reoccurring event, such as a general meeting. Reoccurring is defined as multiple times in one semester. Programming requests should be for events, not meetings of student organization members. Programming requests are for events and should impact a large group of students.
5. Not be a tabling event where the organization is using funding to gather donations or fundraise for another organization.
6. Relate to the mission of the RSO as listed in LakerLink.
7. Not include activities that promote or showcase any specific religious doctrine against any other.
8. Not include activities that promote a political candidate or position on a political referendum (cannot promote “Vote for ____” activities).
9. If a student wishes to appeal a funding decision, they can reach out to [email protected] for appeal instructions. Appeals must be submitted in writing within 5 days of the Allocations Committee meeting.
   1. Organizations are only permitted to appeal once per academic year.
10. *Not charge admission (unless revenue is returned to the SLF or donated to a 501c3 organization)
11. *Not be revenue-generating (unless revenue is returned to the SLF or donated to a 501c3 organization).

• SLF funds can only be used for food purchases for GVSU students. The per diem standard is $16 per GVSU Student, any food funding beyond $16 per GVSU Student is at the discretion of the Allocations Committee with approval by Assistant Director of Student Organizations, Bri Slager. 
• RSOs seeking funding for food at events are required to utilize Classic Fare Catering unless a food waiver (Request for Contract Waiver of Campus Dining Agreement) has been approved by catering.  Food waivers are not given for items able to be prepared by Classic Fare Catering and are not granted for events taking place in dining venues (Kirkhof Center, Kleiner, Connection, Commons & Alumni House). 
• Food Waivers are not required for:
  • Pizza delivery as long as you are not selling the items.
  • Donuts, Brownies or Cookies
  • Prepackaged items purchased at a store which are packaged individually either by the manufacturer or store personnel.
  • Events held within a department for department employees alone, with no outside guests or students.
• On-Campus Catering options
  • Catering can include Kirkhof food options.
  • Catering orders are preferred to be the Student Organization Catering Menu ***Keep in mind there is not a Student Organization Catering Menu for events on the City Campus. 
  • On-Campus Catering Timeline:
    • Minimum ordering deadlines to avoid charges: Order by 12pm Monday for the following Monday, Order by 12pm Tuesday for the following Tuesday, Order by 12pm Wednesday for the following Wednesday, Order by 12pm Thursday for the following Thursday, Order by 12pm Friday for the following Friday, Saturday, or Sunday**Please note that Saturday and Sunday are not standard business days.
• Food for general RSO meetings and tabling events are ineligible for funding. General RSO meetings are not defined as events as they are reoccurring. 
• Table cloths must be rented through Laker Food Co. and not purchased from outside vendors. They are $8 per table cloth and supporting documentation would be an order confirmation in the form of an email from [email protected].

• Supplies are any item that is not purchased through GVSU,, decorations. These supplies must be necessary for the event to exist and not already purchased by the OSL. 
  • Organizations can only request a maximum of 10 supply line items in the funding request. 
  • Supplies include dance floor and game rentals from GVSU Event Services
• Items must be listed individually for supplies within the LakerLink funding system
  • You must provide supporting documentation that shows the name of the item, price of the item, and the vendor.
  • Items to be purchased online, must include a link (Amazon, product specific sites, etc.) in the description of the item.
• All supplies purchased are property of the Office of Student Life and must be stored in the Student Organization Cages downstairs. 
  • Items will be available for other organizations to utilize with written permission from the organization listed on the item.
  • All items stored in the Student Organization cages must have the organization's name either on the item or on the box the item is stored in.

• Pizza funding is available and does not require a food waiver from Laker Food Co. 
  • GVSU prefers student organizations utilize Jet’s, but an organization can request any local pizza. ***The City Campus does require student organizations to utilize Jet's in Standale for pizza.
  • Any events on the City (Pew/Downtown) Campus have a stipulation by Conference & Event Planning that organizations must use Jet’s.
  • Supporting documentation in a funding request for pizza must be a cart built on the pizza company’s website with a 20% tip. Plates and napkins are available from most pizza places for free (Jet’s specifically).
• Off-Campus non-pizza Catering is allowed as a funded expense accompanied with a Laker Food Co. Food Waiver approval. 
  • Food waivers are not given for items able to be prepared by Classic Fare Catering and are not granted for events taking place in dining venues (Kirkhof Center, Kleiner, Connection, Commons & Alumni House). 
  • The approved food waiver email must be forwarded to [email protected] before the funding presentation. If not, funding cannot be awarded for off-campus catering. 

Any fees, such as credit card or rush orders will be the responsibility of the organization and will not be paid by the Student Senate Allocations Committee.

• RSOs must utilize the Promotions Office for any printed materials, videography, or photography that they wish to be funded; approval is subject to deadlines for design and print.
• All funded events must include at least one pre-promotional item that would promote the event to the Student Body (poster, LakerHub slide, plugger, flyer, etc.)
  • Photography and videography does not count for the mandatory pre-promotional item as that is a post event marketing tool.
• Banners and yard signs are ineligible.
  • Event banners are eligible if purchasing a Promotional Package.
• Funds can be provided for photographers and videographers; if approved, RSOs must use the staff photographer through the Promotions Office.
  • This DOES NOT count as your pre-promotional item.
  • We do not fund photo/video for off-campus events, as we do not provide any funding for off-campus events due to liability.

• Quotes/documentation from the vendor must be uploaded with your request. Do not submit contracts in funding requests, blank contracts will be sent out after funding is awarded. 
  • Do not confirm dates or amounts with the vendor until approval. Students are not authorized to sign contracts on behalf of GVSU, only authorized signers are able to sign contracts. OSL Staff are authorized signers and should be assisting with contracts for RSO's. 
  • Quotes should be emails from the vendor outlining the cost, email, name, and services being provided.
• RSOs must work with Student Life to process the contract and secure payment. 
  • After funding is awarded, organizations must submit completed and signed contracts within two weeks of an event. It is preferred to submit the contract prior to the event.
  • If completed contracts are not submitted within two weeks of the event, the funding will not be awarded and the contract will not be signed.
• No speaker gift/honoraria can be included if a speaker is paid through a contract. 
  • Speaker Gifts cannot be purchased for GVSU students, staff, or faculty. 
• Inflatable contracts/quotes must include staffing by the company (not volunteers or representatives from the RSO) for the duration of the event, due to campus risk management procedures. 
  • Per the RSO Handbook, Large Inflatables are not permitted. Exceptions can only be made through a consensus agreement secured from the Assistant Director of Student Organizations, the University Risk Manager, and the AVP Facilities Services of the relevant campus. 
• DJ’s must be from an external vendor. GVSU students are not eligible to receive payment for RSO events.
  • GVSU faculty and staff are also not eligible to receive payments for RSO events.
• We do not fund speaker or guest travel (including airfare, car rental, mileage, gas, lodging, or equipment) and will not book said travel for them. 
  • Speakers may build travel costs into their contractual agreement, but they would not be paid until after their services occurred in a lump sum.

1. Any items purchased or paid for PRIOR to the approval of the funding request (retroactive reimbursement).
2. Arts and craft items, office supplies, or decorations already available through the Office of Student Life. This includes paint supplies and items that could be made with the Creation Station Cricut. 
   1. To borrow supplies from the Office of Student Life, please email [email protected]. Items cannot leave Kirkhof Center and will only be available for pickup the day of the event. Items are only permitted to be borrowed for a maximum of 24 hours.
3. Clothing/accessories that will become personal property of an individual student. This includes clothing, accessories (hats, scarves, gloves, etc.), team equipment (bags, backpacks, water bottles, etc.) or apparel items (including costumes).
4. General RSO or event/promotional “giveaways” (custom magnets, pens, candy/food for tabling etc.)
5. Customized items such as centerpieces with organization logos as those items cannot be used by other organizations.
6. Seed money for fundraising activities or sponsorship money for a RSO to support an event hosted by a campus department or external entity. 
   1. This includes funding for items a group is selling, i.e. baked goods for a bake sale.
7. Items that are to be given away or donated to anyone and includes food for non-GVSU students/faculty/staff.
8. Speaker gifts/honoraria over $25 per person; recipient(s) must be external to GVSU (not for faculty / staff / students). 
   1. All speaker gifts should be from the GVSU Bookstore and be GVSU branded. 
      1. We do not purchase speaker gifts for speakers that are paid for services. 
      2. We do not purchase speaker gifts that are branded for that specific organization, only items with general GVSU branding form the Bookstore.
9. Gift cards, prize money, trophies, awards, certificates, or other purchased giveaways
10. Promotions Office rush fee or Catering late fees.
11. Latex balloons due to the potential for allergies. 
12. Props or equipment that would only be used for a one-time event or production or that exceed storage capacity on-campus. 
    1. This includes streamers, tinsel, and other items that cannot be reused for future events.
13. Off-campus facility rentals or contracts for events.
14. Specific themed event supplies that would not be reused for future events by the organization. 
15. Bottled water for events.
    1. Unless outdoors, which should be requested from the Office of Student Life before a funding request is submitted (at least 6 weeks before the event).

1. Be registered on LakerLink with the required 4 officers and an advisor.
2. Be in good standing (refer to RSO Handbook).
3. Not have a bias selection criteria for membership, this means any selection criteria beyond GPA requirement or degree program enrollment
   1. This would bar travel funding for organizations that have tryouts on talents/skills or an interview process for organization membership (this could include Greek Organizations, sports teams, performance groups) or graduate students (they can apply for travel funding through the Graduate Student Association).

1. All attendees must be part of the organization’s roster on LakerLink.
2. RSO President or Financial Officer will submit one (1) travel request per trip. The request can include individual conference registration/travel ticket for members (maximum of 5) and/or vehicle rental request and/or group competition fees..
   1. In the funding request, the RSO President or Financial Officer will list each individual and their correlating expense line item as individual expense line items (i.e. 1 line item for STUDENT NAME - AIRFARE and 1 line item for STUDENT NAME - CONFERENCE REGISTRATION).
3. Students cannot already receive individual travel funding through the Student Life Fund in the current academic year through another organization or the same organization. Students will only be approved to receive travel funding once per academic year even if the individual maximum of funds was not awarded.
4. Have not already received individual travel funding through the Academic Conference Fund.
5. Organization name and name of conference must be listed in the request for funding. 
6. Students must complete the Travel Passport achievement prior to being eligible for travel funding.
7. The travel request of the RSO must be related to the mission of the RSO and reasoning must be provided in the funding form for the travel.
8. The RSO must be traveling domestically (international travel including Canada and Mexico is prohibited).
9. Each individual's travel expenses such as conference registration or flight/train/bus ticketTravel must have a total minimum of $50 and maximum of $500 to be eligible.
   1. I.e. The bus ticket is $30.00 and the conference registration being $20 per individual would be an eligible request.
10. A maximum of five different RSO members may receive funding on behalf of the organization each academic year.
11. Students must complete the Travel Passport achievement prior to being eligible for travel funding and be on the organization’s roster.Individuals must complete online travel forms prior to travel, including Travel Release Statement and Behavioral Contract. 
12. The Code of Student Conduct and the RSO Handbook apply to all participants during funded travel, including those not individually funded.

1. The RSO determines which member(s) are eligible to request funding.
   1. RSO President or Financial Officer will submit 1 funding request for all the individuals the organization would like to send to the conference.Have approval from the RSO President or Financial Officer as eligible to request funds.  Refer to the process below for specific details.
      1. In the funding request, the RSO President or Financial Officer will list each individual and their correlating expense line item as individual expense line items (i.e. 1 line item for STUDENT NAME - AIRFARE and 1 line item for STUDENT NAME - CONFERENCE REGISTRATION).
   2. In the funding request, the RSO President or Financial Officer will list the quoted amount for the vehicle rental as an expense line item (put the confirmation numbers in the description of the expense line item). 
2. Each Expense Line Item for each individual  must have the corresponding travel documentation (screenshots of registration costs, flight, etc.) when submitting their request. This can also be a link to the registration form when submitting for conference registration.
   1. For vehicle rentals, the supporting documentation is the email confirmation from the Office of Student Life. 
3. Students MUST submit funding requests and receive approval from the Allocations Funding Board before incurring expenses.
   1. Travel that has already been completed is ineligible. 
   2. REIMBURSEMENTS ARE NOT AN OPTION.

1. Presentation to the Allocations Funding Board is not necessary unless contacted for questions by the Student Senate Chairperson of Finance.
2. Funding is awarded as an organization request, but each individual can purchase their registration/travel expenses separately..  Upon approval, expenses can be paid for by utilizing the credit card in the Office of Student Life or submitting an invoice for payment.
   1. Vehicle rentals are internally charged to the Office of Student Life and organization is billed internally.

• Eligible items: Car rental (vehicles must be reserved through the Office of Student Life) and tickets for airfare, bus, or train (economy seating only), 1 baggage fee
• Individual transportation cannot be requested if RSO is also requesting group transportation for the same trip (i.e. you can receive funding for a vehicle rental and individual travel for the same trip).
• Ineligible items: gas, parking, tolls, any costs associated with upgrading or choosing a seat, WIFI, more than 1 baggage fee, any meals associated with travel, Ubers/Lyfts/Rideshares, taxis, or lodging.
• Vehicle Rentals
  • We do not be offer delivery to GVSU. All vehicles must be picked up from the Grandville Enterprise or the Enterprise at the Grand Rapids Airport. 
  • The RSO must be traveling domestically (international travel including Canada is prohibited).
  • RSOs can only receive funding for rental vehicles once per academic year with a total cap of $1,000.
  • Vehicle funding requests for retreats, service trips, or immersion trips/tours are subject to additional review and advisor approval with written documentation from the advisor approving the trip. 
  • Any vehicle rental paid for PRIOR to the approval of the funding request (retroactive reimbursement) is ineligible.
  • The Code of Student Conduct and the RSO Handbook apply to all participants during funded travel.
  • Drivers must be approved prior to funding being approved. 
  • Organizations cannot add additional fees upon pick-up without written approval from the Assistant Director of Student Organizations, Bri Slager, i.e. roadside assistance
  • It is the responsibility of the individual and/or organization to cover and pay directly for expenses not eligible and/or not funded through the Student Life Fund. Once a request has been approved, organizations are no longer able to request additional funds for the approved travel.  For this reason, be sure to meticulously review that all costs are accounted for and accurate in your budget before submitting. 
    • Eligible items include
      • Rental car
      • Minivan
      • 12 passenger van
      • 15 passenger van 
    • Ineligible items include
      • Gas
      • Parking
      • Tolls

• Conference registration can be funded for a maximum of 5 students in the organization per academic year. 
• Conference registration is defined as the cost for an individual to attend an educational conference related to the organizations mission, vision, and values.
• Registration is ineligible if it includes the possibility of competition money earned (group or individual), including scholarships.
• The RSO determines which member(s) are eligible to request funding.
  • RSO President or Financial Officer will submit 1 funding request for all the individuals the organization would like to send to the conference. Have approval from the RSO President or Financial Officer as eligible to request funds.  Refer to the process below for specific details.
  • In the funding request, the RSO President or Financial Officer will list each individual and their correlating expense line item as individual expense line items (i.e. 1 line item for STUDENT NAME - AIRFARE and 1 line item for STUDENT NAME - CONFERENCE REGISTRATION).
• Food/meals/Lodging is only permitted if it is included in the cost of the standard conference registration (no “add on”). Meals provided through transportation (i.e. an in flight meal) at an additional cost are also prohibited.

*Please note that GVSU funds cannot be used  to promote or showcase any specific religious doctrine against any other.

*Please note that GVSU funds cannot be used to promote a political candidate or position on a political referendum (cannot promote “Vote for ____” activities).

• Organizational Entry Fee/Tournament Fee is to only be used for organizations with a group competition fee, meaning there is no per person fee/rate/option when registering.
• Ineligible expenses
  • Individual membership dues to local/regional/national organizations.
  • Annual group dues to local/regional/national organizations
  • RSO retreats or events hosted by the GVSU organization/chapter.
  • Large groups attend academic or professional development conferences. Large groups are considered over 5 members. 
  • Recreation activities (bowling, zoo trips, trampoline parks, museums, etc.)
• Registration is ineligible if it includes the possibility of competition money earned (group or individual), including scholarships.

• Food/meals – only if included in the cost of the standard conference registration (no “add on”). Meals provided through transportation (i.e. an in flight meal) at an additional cost are also prohibited.
• Lodging (only if included in the cost of the standard conference registration - no “add on”)
• Souvenirs and leisurely activities including museum and sporting event admission
• Gratuity or tips for any aspect of travel
• Individual membership dues to local/regional/national organizations.
• Annual group dues to local/regional/national organizations
• Individual membership dues to local/regional/national organizations.
• Annual group dues to local/regional/national organizations
• RSO retreats or events hosted by the GVSU organization/chapter.
• Large groups attend academic or professional development conferences. Large groups are considered over 5 members. 
• Recreation activities (bowling, zoo trips, trampoline parks, museums, etc.)
• Registration is ineligible if it includes the possibility of competition money earned (group or individual), including scholarships.
• Gas, parking, tolls, Ubers/Lyfts/Rideshares, taxis
• Any costs associated with upgrading or choosing a seat, WIFI, more than 1 baggage fee, or any meals associated with air travel

*Please note that GVSU funds cannot be used  to promote or showcase any specific religious doctrine against any other.

*Please note that GVSU funds cannot be used to promote a political candidate or position on a political referendum (cannot promote “Vote for ____” activities).