Funding How-To's
Group Funding Request Steps
Group Funding Request Step
*Only the Financial Officer or President should be submitting funding requests and they should have earned the Finance Wizard badge on LakerLink.
To complete the Finance Wizard badge on LakerLink:
- Log in to LakerLink (www.gvsu.edu/lakerlink)
- Once you have signed in go to Activities on the menu
- Search and select Finance Wizard
- Complete the training and achieve the badge.
To apply for Organizational funding on LakerLink:
- Log in to LakerLink (www.gvsu.edu/lakerlink)
- Once you have signed in go to Activities on the menu
- Search and select the funding form you are needing to submit, options are:
- 2025-2026 Undergraduate Programming Funding
- 2025-2026 Undergraduate Student Organization Competition Fee Funding
- 2025-2026 Undergraduate Student Organization Group Vehicle Rental Funding
- Complete and submit the form on LakerLink.
- Wait for communication from [email protected] on steps moving forward
If the request is for programming or competition fee funding, after the request has been submitted, the Student Senate Chairperson of Allocations will schedule you for a presentation to the Allocations Funding Board. The Funding Board only meets on Friday’s at 1:30 p.m. when classes are in session during the Fall and Winter academic semesters. You will receive all communication from [email protected] to your email listed on LakerLink. If you or your RSO have any questions, please email the Finance Assistants at [email protected].
Individual Virtual or In-Person Professional Development Steps
Individual Virtual or In-Person Professional Development Steps
*Only individuals that have completed the Travel Passport Badge on LakerLink and have been approved by their organization’s President or Financial Officer should be submitting individual funding requests.
To complete the Travel Passport badge on LakerLink:
- Log in to LakerLink (www.gvsu.edu/lakerlink)
- Once you have signed in go to Activities on the menu
- Search and select Travel Passport
- Complete the training and achieve the badge.
To apply for Individual funding on LakerLink:
- Log in to LakerLink (www.gvsu.edu/lakerlink)
- Once you have signed in go to Activities on the menu
- Search and select the funding form you are needing to submit, options are: 2025-2026 Undergraduate Student Organization Individual Travel Registration & Transportation Funding.
- Complete and submit the form on LakerLink.
- Wait for communication from [email protected] on steps moving forward
Once the request has been submitted, the Student Senate Chairperson of Allocations will review your funding request. You will receive all communication from [email protected] to your email listed on LakerLink. If you or your RSO have any questions, please email the Finance Assistants at [email protected].
Funding Form Type
Individual Virtual or In-Person Professional Development
To be used by undergraduate students registered to a student organization who want to request virtual or in-person professional development opportunities. Only to be used for registration with a per person cost; for example, the price of one student to attend a virtual conference.
***REIMBURSEMENTS WILL NOT BE AN OPTION.
- In order to be reviewed, the RSO President/Financial Officer must send an email to the Office of Student Life Finance Assistant, [email protected], with the name of the students approved to utilize the funds.
- Only five different students are eligible to receive funding on behalf of the organization (max of $500 for each student)
- Students can use these funds on behalf of any organization once per academic year
- Each student must submit their own funding request
*Club Sports has a separate funding form*
Campus Programming
To be used by undergraduate RSOs requesting funds for on-campus events
- Bring all supporting documents to the Funding Board meeting, such as Catering Quotes, Room Reservations, etc. If necessary documents are not available at the time of the meeting, the request will be tabled.
To be used by undergraduate RSOs requesting funds for on-campus events
- Bring all supporting documents to the Funding Board meeting, such as Catering Quotes, Room Reservations, etc. If necessary documents are not available at the time of the meeting, the request will be tabled.
Catering Policies:
*Only the Financial Officer or President should be submitting funding requests and they should have earned the Finance Wizard badge on LakerLink.
Ordering Deadlines:
Please begin planning your event at least one month in advance. All order and event details must be finalized by 12pm at least 5 business days prior to event date. There will be a 30% late fee for requests made with less than 5 business days’ notice. Please note that Saturday and Sunday are not standard business days.
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
Order Minimums
Weekday events before 5pm: No minimum
Weekday events from 5pm-8pm: $200 food minimum (does not include beverages or linens)
Saturday & Sunday events from 8am – 8pm: $500 food minimum (does not include beverages or linens)
Events with clean up time after 10pm: $100 service charge
Please keep in mind that our menu items have minimum guest count requirements. Please see the catering menu for more information.
- Customized Menus
Please contact the Catering office directly to arrange a personal consultation.
A custom menu involving ingredients not normally in inventory must be placed twenty-one (21) days prior to the event. Guest count must meet a minimum of 32 guests. All custom order pricing starts at $22 per person.
Wedding receptions events require a final menu one month preceding the event date. The final guest count must be submitted two weeks in advance.
Changes in guest count, with 5 or less business days, of 20% (more or less) of guest count will result in a 30% late fee.
All catering orders must be placed directly with Laker Food Co. Catering. The Office of Student Life does not place orders on behalf of student organizations. Catering will not be provided if an order is not submitted to the catering department.
All allergen meal requests, and dietary restrictions must be submitted a minimum of 2 weeks prior to the event.
We can make accommodations for the top 9 food allergens (Milk, Eggs, Fish, Shellfish, Tree nuts, Peanuts, Wheat, Soybeans, and Sesame)
Please note we rely on our vendors’ allergy warnings and ingredient listings. Because ingredient substitutions, recipe revisions as well as cross-contact with allergens are possible we cannot guarantee any food item will be completely free of allergens.
- Food waivers
- Food waivers will be denied for:
- Hot Items NOT prepared in a licensed kitchen
- Crockpot Items
- Food waivers will be denied for:
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.
Food waivers submitted with the purpose of selling the food will require the following actions:
Contact the Ottawa County Health Department to learn if a one-day license to resell food is required.
- Must have a serve-safe certified person to serve the food and this person must remain on site for the duration of the event.
- Must pay or collect the sales tax on prepared food.
- Log into you Catertrax account. https://gvsu.catertrax.com/index.asp.
- Go to the Everyday Catering Menu.
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "Additional Services".
- Under "Extras" select the "Linen Rental Fee - Standard" box.
- Select which type of linen(s) you would like and the quantity.
- Press Add to Cart.
- Once you have added everything for your order to your cart, press Check Out.
- Enter all you event details.
- After you have entered all your event information, press Place Order.
- After the catering team has reviewed your order, you will be sent an event confirmation message.
Group Van Rental
To be used by undergraduate RSOs requesting funds for traveling to off-campus events or programming.
- Event justification should be included in form submission to be reviewed by Vice President of Finance for Student Senate and Assistant Director of Student Organizations.
- Funding will not be approved until the vehicle is approved within the funding form by the Office of Student Life.
Organization Entry Fee / Tournament Fee / Annual Dues
To be used by undergraduate RSOs requesting funds with a group cost/flat fee to attend an event.
*Club Sports has a separate funding form*
Timeline for Funding Requests
Common Questions
During the Appropriations meeting, you will most likely be asked the following questions (that relate to your request). Please review them below and be prepared to answer them.
Event Requests
- How will this event benefit Grand Valley State University?
- Has your organization done any fundraising?
- What funds are your organization paying for?
- Do you have a set number of participants that want to attend?
- Why is this event so important to your organization to get funding?
- Has the Appropriations Funding Board funded this event in the past?
- If so, how much did we fund?
- If not, why did we deny the request?
Remaining Budget
This resource illustrates the remaining funds in each organization category (check LakerLink for your organization's category). This resource will be updated weekly.
|
Campus Programming |
Individual Travel |
|---|---|
|
53.81% |
65.10% |