HOW To APPLY

STEP 1: Determine the type & amount of funding needed

Grant Type

The Harvard Undergraduate Council funds different events in different ways. The primary modes of funding are Club Grants and Grants for an Open Harvard College. Here are the differences:

• Club Grants (now including Club Sports!)

  • Club Grants cover a variety of club expenditures, from regular club meetings to special club events like speakers and formals, as well as operational expenses like jerseys or t-shirts.

  • This is the default funding application. It is event-based. Clubs are encouraged to follow the FiCom adage: “Clubs that do more, get more.”

  • These grants are available every week. There are two rounds of cuts: one for the Policy Guide, and another to match the UC budget restrictions. Events that are collaborations between clubs are immune to the second round of cuts. You can find the policy guide at the UC Finance Center.

• Grants for an Open Harvard College (GOHC)

  • Events which meets the Council’s compelling interests are eligible for GOHC funding, which does not have policy guide restrictions. The Council has allocated $100,000 to this grant. Any event thrown by any club that meets the compelling interests can apply. Current compelling interests include:

    • Cultural and Racial Initiatives: Event engages in the elevation of cultural and/or racial identities.

    • Inclusive Social Life: Event makes an effort to encourage inclusivity with a diverse group of participants.

    • Financial Accessibility: Event does not create any form of financial barrier.

    • Harassment Prevention: Event prioritizes a culture of no tolerance for any and all forms of harassment.

    • Mental Health: Event has programming pertaining to the issue of mental health.

Funding Amount

Once a club determines what type of Grant it will be applying for, the club should proceed to determine how much funding it will be requesting from the Undergraduate Council. In order to ensure the fair allocation of funding to student organizations, the Finance Committee maintains a policy guide which restricts maximum allocation amounts on a categorical basis.

The amount of funding a club requests will be divided into different categories (such as food, transport, etc.). While a gross maximum is not usually enforced, any given category may not exceed its limit as set forth in the policy guide. Clubs should review the policy guide to ensure that the funding they are requesting does not exceed what is allowed by the policy guide. This ensures a more expedient and simple grant application process.

Clubs may review the policy guide here (this has been revised to adapt to the virtual world after Oct. 5, when the Council receives its budget allocation from Harvard Administration):

STEP 2: APPLY for a grant

Once a club (1) knows which application they would like to fill out and (2) determines the total funding request (and checks by category with the policy guide), a club may proceed to file their grant application with the Finance Committee. It is not recommended that a club file a grant application without first reviewing all 5 Steps of the How To Apply guide. The application form for UC Club Grants walks clubs through the Policy Guide, increasing transparency with clubs. The form will get updated with the policy guide. Clubs are encouraged to re-apply if changes to the Policy Guide would grant more funding for a previous event that semester.

STEP 3: INTERVIEW

A club representative will need to attend an interview with the Finance Committee for any grant - including Grants for an Open Harvard College. Interview eligibility will be determined by whether a complete grant application is submitted. All student organizations must submit their application for a grant no later than Sunday at 6:00pm of every week. Clubs will be notified on their interview eligibility by Monday at 12:00pm.

Grant decisions are released via the UC Weekly that follows the interview. UC Weeklies are sent out every Tuesday. At the bottom of the email, there will be a link to the Approved Grants Pack. This is where the list of all clubs we funded that week and their allocation amounts can be found.

STep 4: HAve your Event & Expect your funding

Clubs have the option to apply for grants either proactively or retroactively; the UC does not discriminate based on whether the application is submitted before or after an event. Usually, clubs will not receive their funding until after their event has occurred, so please plan accordingly. Funding is disbursed via direct deposit to a club’s HUECU account. If you require an alternate method of payment, please specify that during your interview.

If a student organization has not received their funding after a few weeks, student organizations are directed to file a missing grant report with the Finance Chair. All missing grants reports must be filed via the form, for UC recordkeeping purposes.

Step 5: Submit Your Receipts

Once your event has concluded, please submit all receipts associated with your event to the Finance Committee for final review. Reimbursements are being requested and kept track of this year; please ensure that you complete this in a timely manner. If everything checks out, your club remains in great standing for future grant requests.