Senate Funding Guidelines

Funding Requests

Preparing for the Funding Meeting

Remaining Budget

Funding Board Meetings

Graduate Organization Funding

Senate Funding Guidelines

Group Funding Request Steps

*Only the Financial Officer or President of an organization can make this type of funding request.

1. Log in to LakerLink
2. Once you have signed in, search your organization name
3. Click "Manage Organization"
4. Scroll down to "Finance".
5. Click "Create New Request".
6. Select which type of Funding Request you are making.
7. Follow the steps of the form when prompted.
8. Review the form and make sure that all required fields are completed for each section.
9. Submit Request.

Once the request has been submitted, the Vice President of Finance for Student Senate will schedule you for a presentation to the Appropriations Funding Board. If you or your RSO have any questions, please email the Vice President of Finance for Student Senate at [email protected]. 

Individual Virtual or In-Person Professional Development Steps

1. Log in to LakerLink
2. Once you have signed in, click on your user icon.
3. Scroll down on the pull-out menu and click "Submissions" 
4. Click the "Budgeting" tab on the right side of the "My Submissions" page.
5. Click "Create Request"
6. Follow the steps of the form when prompted.
7. Review the form and make sure that all required fields are completed for each section.
8. Submit Request.

Once the request has been submitted, the Vice President of Finance for Student Senate will schedule you for a presentation to the Appropriations Funding Board. If you or your RSO have any questions, please email the Vice President of Finance for Student Senate at [email protected]. 

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 FOR THE WINTER 2024 SEMESTER.

• 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.
• Each RSO member requesting funding must send an email to the Office of Student Life Finance Assistant, [email protected], with  supporting documentation of expenses (i.e. screenshot of registration).
• 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

*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.

Catering Policies:

• 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.   

    Allergen Policy: 

  • 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 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.

How to Order Linens - Must have funding to complete any Linen or Catering orders

1. Log into you Catertrax account. https://gvsu.catertrax.com/index.asp.
2. Go to the Everyday Catering Menu.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "Additional Services".
4. Under "Extras" select the "Linen Rental Fee - Standard" box. 
5. Select which type of linen(s) you would like and the quantity. 
6. Press Add to Cart.
7. Once you have added everything for your order to your cart, press Check Out.
8. Enter all you event details. 
9. After you have entered all your event information, press Place Order. 
10. 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*

2024-2025 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?

Equipment Requests

• Where are you buying the equipment from?
• Is it market competitive pricing?
• How long will the equipment last?
• Who will be able to use this equipment?
• What are you currently doing without this equipment (if applicable)?

This resource illustrates the remaining funds in each organization category (check LakerLink for your organization's category). This resource will be updated weekly.

Minutes from the Student Senate Appropriations Funding Board and Cultural Funding Board are recorded at each meeting. These minutes outline the detail of the requests and include rationale for why a request was approved, adjusted, or denied. These minutes are then posted within 48 hours and are accessible to the public in this folder.

Please contact the Office of Student Life Finance Assistant at [email protected] for any additional questions