Grants

Here you will find all information and training for affiliated societies interested in applying for Strath Union grant funding. This page covers:

• Grant types
• Grant guidelines and assessment criteria
• Grant application process
• Grant training

Grant Information

Who can societies apply to for grant funding?

Societies Executive

Societies Executive are elected each year by society committee members at the Societies AGM and have all previously been or are currently on a society committee. This group oversees the spending of two main pots of funding:

1. General Pot

   £40,000 for academic year 2023/24

   The Scottish Government provides some taxpayers’ money to the Scottish Funding Council, who fund Scottish Universities. Strathclyde University distributes this funding across its services and departments, and provides the Union with an annual block grant.

   Strath Union is a separate charity, and divides this money across its own services, which includes societies. This funding is public money which is why it can't be spent on alcohol etc.

   The committee are responsible for ensuring these funds are spent within the rules and that it is allocated fairly between all societies.

2. Arts and Culture

   £15,000 for the academic year 2023/24

   This pot was created when the University of Strathclyde cut their music courses, and so the University funded the Union to support music & cultural activities.

   There is an additional portion of Arts and Culture funding ringfenced for music societies’ core activities, but this £15k is available for any society to apply for to fund projects relating to the arts and/or culture.

   Any society awarded funding from the Arts and Culture pot must submit a grant report to explain how the funds were used.

Alumni Fund

The Alumni Fund is not managed by Strath Union. It is a university fund made up of donations from alumni. This funding is best for bigger, one-off or longer-term projects.

Applications currently open once per year. Successful applicants must submit a report on what funding was spent on before the end of the academic year. More information can be found on the Alumni Fund website.

Grant Guidelines

This section outlines the guidelines for applying for grant money from the Societies Executive and should be read in full before preparing an application for consideration.

While most society funding comes from membership fees, fundraising and sponsorship, the Societies Executive committee will consider grant applications which adhere to all Strath Union policies.  Funds granted are public money and must be distributed in a fair, transparent and consistent way.

As a registered education charity, Strath Union will only fund projects that are run for the benefit of its student members.

Grants will be awarded to help subsidise activity. We encourage societies to part-fund their activities and this will be viewed favourably in grant applications. Part-funding means that the cost of the project is partly covered by other funds generated by the society.

What can societies apply for?

All societies are entitled to two specific grants per year from the General pot above to help support the general running of the society. Like any other grant, you must apply for them and outline what you will spend the funds on, but once you have applied they will be automatically awarded. These are:

1. Welcome Grant

   Amount: £45 (2023/24)

   Can only be spent on your welcome event or other activity to welcome new members (e.g. promotional materials for the Freshers Fair, catering for your welcome event (no alcohol), prize draw for new members).

   Must be spent within 1 semester of your society affiliating or re-affiliating. For most societies this will be semester 1, but if a society affiliates late in semester 1 or during semester 2, they can still spend the grant until the end of the union’s financial year (31st July).

2. AGM Grant

   Amount: £25 (2023/24)

   Can only be spent on encouraging members to participate in your AGM (e.g. catering for your AGM (no alcohol), prize draw for attendees).

   Must be spent by the end of the union’s financial year (31st July). For most societies this will be applied for and spent in semester 2.

Unlike all other grant funding, these grants can be awarded retrospectively. This means you can apply for them even after the event has taken place, and we will give you the grant and reimburse you even if you have already spent the money. However, each grant should be spent within the semester in which it was awarded.

Project Funding

In addition to the general grants above, societies can apply for grants to run projects ranging from one-off events to the ongoing development of the society. Expand each title for examples:

• Taking part in competitions for example: Spaceport & Concert Band
• Cultural events

Funding Limitations

To comply with Strath Union policy and external funding regulations, grant funding will not be awarded for:

• Alcohol
• Direct donations to other charities
• Events to fundraise for the society
• Events being run purely for social reasons

Please note that Ball societies are not eligible to apply for any grant funding. Further information on the process for organising a ball can be found here.

How will your application be assessed?

If you have applied to the Arts and Culture fund for your project, the committee will also assess whether the project is related to the arts and/or culture. If they decide it is not, they may still fund the project from the General pot.

Application Process

Process and Timeline

Funding can only be requested for projects taking place during the current academic year.

Societies should apply well in advance of a project, and the projects must be fully planned at the time application is submitted. Failure to submit an application in good time is ultimately the responsibility of the society.

Please also consider that applications may not be accepted on the first submission and may need to be revised. It is important that you consider this in planning your event and application to ensure that you leave enough time for this process.

The Societies Executive committee do not fund retrospective applications (i.e. applications for funding after a project has taken place, or where funds have already been spent).

While the Societies Exec sympathises with those who may have spent money prior to applications, this spending will absolutely not be reimbursed as part of a grant application. Therefore, any purchases in advance of the Societies Executive meeting as part of your project are made at your own risk. 

It should be noted that there is no guarantee of this extra grant funding being awarded, so societies should only plan and go ahead with an event if they can afford to do it without grant funding in the first instance.

See below a sample timeline for a grant request:

If reapplied Week 3 - application accepted end Week 3 at the earliest or if reapplied Week 5 - application accepted end Week 5 at the earliest.

Key Points

• There is no limit to the number of grant applications that a society can submit each year. However, you may only submit one funding application per project. This includes joint projects. Two societies may not apply for funding for one project – one society should submit the application on behalf of all.
• Please note that small costs which are core to the society’s function can be submitted in bulk for the whole semester. This money can then be withdrawn in small amounts across the semester in a way which best suits the society’s requirements.

What makes a good grant application?

• Provide clear and detailed information on the project. The Societies Executive committee require this to fairly assess your application. Remember that while you may be familiar with the project you are planning, the committee are not.  
• Evidence your request for the committee to understand the amount of funding requested, they need to be able to review appropriate evidence of the cost of the project. Please provide screenshots, emails, printouts etc. of all evidence you have to show how you will spend the grant money. 

How to submit a grant application

• Grant applications must be completed and submitted online via the Grant Application System (GAS) by the President or Treasurer. The committee can help prepare applications, but they do not have the required permissions to submit them.
• Grant applications can be submitted at any time throughout the academic year. However, the application will only be considered at the next Societies Executive meeting. These meetings only take place during semester time, with the exact schedule available here.
• For your application to be considered, it should be submitted by midday (12 noon) at the latest, the day before the Societies Executive Committee meeting. Dates of Societies Executive Meetings are published at the beginning of the academic year but can be subject to change. Please check the schedule before submitting an application.

The video below shows how to complete an application on GAS.

Post-submission process

• After submission, all applications will be checked, assessed and decided upon by the Societies Executive committee.
• Applicants will be informed via GAS whether their application has been successful by the end of the week following the meeting where the application was discussed. Please check back here to see any updates to your application.
• If your application has been successfully approved, you should ‘accept’ the award of the funds on GAS. The funds will then be transferred into your society grant account. Funds can be spent as soon as the grant application is approved.
• Inform us if there are any changes to your needs to ensure that we can properly support your project and make your it successful. If your project is cancelled or postponed, please let us and any stakeholders know as soon as possible.
• Spending funds on purposes other than that for which they were granted may result in disciplinary action and funds may be withdrawn. If you wish to reallocate grant funding for other purposes, permission must be sought from the Societies Executive.
• Any unspent grant money will be reclaimed from your society bank account at the end of the union’s financial year (31^st July).

Grant Training

Before applying for a grant please complete the training below and read the information contained on this webpage.

Start Grant Training 

Please get in touch if you have any questions about grants. The Societies Executive committee can be contacted directly and Strath Union staff are also here to help.