Want Funding?

Throughout the year several funding cycles will occur, each with differing amounts of available funds.

Step 1. Make sure your Organization’s Treasurer has Passed the Treasurer’s Test

To be eligible for Senate Funding, a treasurer from your organization must pass the Treasurer’s Test with a score of 80 or above. If you have questions on whether or not you have passed the test, the Registry of Certified Organizational Treasurers can be found here. If you have any questions about this test, please contact Treasurer Grodsky.

Step 2. Attend a Budget Orientation Meeting

Additionally, a representative from your organization must have attended the Organizational Budget Orientation meeting. These meetings are held prior to the Fall and Spring Budgetary applications opening. If you are unsure if your organization was represented at one of these meetings, please contact Finance Chair Forbes.

Step 3. Submit an Application for Funding

There are additional restrictions on the types of programs and expenditures that the Undergraduate Senate can fund; these are detailed in the Student Code. Additionally, funding requests are reviewed according to a set of viewpoint neutral, objective criteria which are outlined in the undergraduate code. These criteria are: representation, vitality, and specialization. Organizations should seek to tailor their applications to these criteria to maximize the funding they can receive.

Step 4. Attend Your Funding Hearing

Finally, a representative from your organization who has passed the Treasurer’s Test must attend a hearing of the Undergraduate Senate’s Finance Committee. Every organization who has properly submitted a funding request has been given a hearing time slot, where Organizational Treasurers are given 3 to 5 minutes to verbally present their organization’s request with no slideshow or other external aid. This will be followed by questions from senators, and appropriations.

Finance

The Student Activity Fee is a fee that each student pays as part of their tuition and fees at Carolina. The job of the Undergraduate Senate is to disperse part of this fee money to groups and organizations on campus in order to support the activities of student organizations.

How do I make sure I can get funding for my organization?

At first glance, the process for receiving funding can seem fairly complicated, but it is relatively easy to do. If your organization meets certain requirements (listed below and further detailed in the Undergraduate Code), you can fill out an application for funding for your organization. Once you have filled out this form, you will be contacted with a date and time you will need to attend a Finance Night. This is a meeting of the Finance Committee of the Undergraduate Senate that will examine your request and decide how much money to allocate for your organization. Once all organizations which have submitted a proper request during a funding cycle have been heard, the Finance Committee will create a budget that is approved by the full Senate. Additionally, your organization may be awarded money through a subsequent appropriation if you did not apply for funds during the budgetary cycle. Once your organization has been awarded this money, you can be reimbursed through the CUSO process which is administered by the Carolina Union. More information about the reimbursement process can be found here.

What might prevent me from getting funding?

There are some common pitfalls that organizations often face that can prevent them from receiving funding. Most notably, you are only allowed to apply to one funding cycle per semester not including the food insecurity application. To be eligible for Senate Funding, a treasurer from your organization must pass the Treasurer’s Test with a score of 80 or above. That test may be found here. If you have any questions about this test, please contact Treasurer Grodsky. Additionally, a representative from your organization must have attended the Organizational Budget Orientation meeting. These meetings are held prior to the Fall and Spring Budgetary applications opening. If you are unsure if your organization was represented at one of these meetings, please contact Finance Chair Forbes. There are additional restrictions on the types of programs and expenditures that the Undergraduate Senate can fund; these are detailed in the Student Code. Additionally, funding requests are reviewed according to a set of viewpoint neutral, objective criteria which are outlined in the undergraduate code. These criteria are: representation; vitality; specialization. Organizations should seek to tailor their applications to these criteria to maximize the funding they can receive.

USB 105-094 Carolina Strong Budget Act

After hearing all organizations’ budget requests in the Fall 2023 Semi-Annual Budget Cycle, the Finance Committee has produced the following budget bill to enact the appropriations made by the Subcommittees. This is the version as passed by the Senate on 9/26/2023 and is final.

USB 105-094 Carolina Strong Fall 2023 Budget Act