Funding

Your student group may request funding from the USGA to support your organization's semester events!

To be considered for USGA funding:

1. Events must appeal to and benefit a diverse group of UMB students.

  • Events must be attended by students representing 4 of the 7 UMB schools.
  • A maximum of 80% of students in attendance can be representative of any single school.

2. Student Organization Officers must complete the USGA Mandatory Student Organization Funding and Reimbursement Training

3. Submit a Request

Note: USGA is also prohibited from funding certain items and activities. Please see under the Prohibited Use of Funds section for more information.

 

Prohibited Use of Funds 

Funds cannot be used for:

  • USGA funds may not be used for the following:
  • Gifts over $20 each, donations, or dues to a separate organization
  • Salaries, stipends, or cash gifts (including gift cards) to any individual outside of those stipends approved by the Senate for service to the USGA
  • Any type of reimbursement for expenses incurred prior to approval by the Senate
  • Damage fees
  • Sales tax
  • Personal expenses, to include, but not limited to phone calls, room service, porter fees
  • Any event that is not expressly open to all UMB students on the basis of race, sex, religion, ethnic background, physical or mental disability, age, veteran status, or sexual orientation
  • Expenditures deemed illegal by city, county, state, and/or national authorities
  • Expenses related to political donations or those which influence public policy and government
  • Vouchers for food and delivery services 

Additional restrictions include: 

  • No funds will be used used for, or imply or state that the USGA supports a particular partisan view, opinion, or position;
  • No funds will be used for any activity associated with discrimination, hate, inhumanity, or oppression;
  • No funds will be used for criminal activity OR for any purpose other than what was approved by the USGA.

Budget Request Rules 

  1. Student organization Officers are required to complete the USGA Funding and Reimbursement Online Training. 
  2. Student organization Officers should be responsible for submitting purchase requests, purchasing items, and/or submitting for payment or reimbursement. If a student organization member, who is not an officer, would like to request funds or make purchases on behalf of the student organization, they must complete the mandatory USGA Funding and Reimbursement Online Training.
  3. Budget requests must be submitted on UMBEngaged 21 days before the event.
  4. Unaffiliated groups and OFR requests must be submitted to the treasurer 1 week prior to a Senate Meeting. 
  5. Funds must be used towards a campus-wide event where all UMB students are invited.
  6. The event must be added to UMBengaged (Learn how to create and manage events in UMB engaged)
  7. Events must be advertised using 3 different flyers or postings. Advertisements can include Campus Life Weekly, Elm Weekly, Elm Stories, by flyer, or through social media. Advertisements must include the phrase "co-sponsored by USGA"
    This can just be a screenshot of the submission. 
  8. USGA Funds and Purchases Guidelines
    All funds are administered by UMB, regardless of fund source. UMB funds include State-appropriated general funds, tuition, fees, and other income, as well as auxiliary funds, revolving/discretionary funds, Designated Research Initiative Funds, gifts, contract or grant revenues, and other restricted funds.
    (For a more detailed list, see Prohibited Use of Funds)

USGA Budget Request Submission Process  

A budget request is submitted by an organization before their event when the organization is spending money from their allotted USGA funds and will be requesting a reimbursement after the event. A budget request must be submitted 21 days prior to the event on UMBEngaged. 

Step 1: A student organization officer and/or a student organization member who has completed the mandatory USGA Funding and Reimbursement Online Training, should log into UMBengaged and access their student groups dashboard, and click ‘Money’ and then ‘Budgeting.’

Step 2: Click the button located in the top right corner, labeled “Create Budget Requests”

Step 3: Complete the form and input the total amount you are requesting. You do not need to add multiple items to a funding request.

Step 4: Review your request and click submit. Your request should now be visible in your budget dashboard. Notice the yellow dot, which means the budget request is under review. A budget request is not approved until a green dot appears.

You should also receive a confirmation email from UMBengaged (Mailer@campusgroups.com)

Step 5:  Business and Finance Services and the USGA Treasurer review the request, therefore deciding whether the form will be approved, rejected, or if modifications to the form need to be made by the student organization. If approved, the individual who submitted the form should get an email notification that their budget has been reviewed and has been forwarded to the USGA Finance Committee. If approved, the student organization representative who submitted the USGA Budget Request Form will be notified by email. Until this final step is completed, the student organization should not make any expenditures with the expectation of being reimbursed.

Budget Reimbursement Rules 

Following approval of the request by the USGA Treasurer and Business and Finance Services, the student organization may spend up to the amount approved by USGA. The following rules apply to the student organization's expenditures:

  1. No spending may occur prior to the USGA budget approval. 
  2. People requesting reimbursement must have completed the mandatory USGA Budget and Reimbursement Online Training. Individuals who have not completed the training should not be making expenditures on behalf of the student organization.
  3. All post-event documentation for events must be submitted before reimbursement of funds occurs.
  4. Purchases should be made using a credit or debit card and include a clear, legible, and itemized receipt. The receipt should not include any personal expenditures not related to the student organization or the reimbursement request. Invoices and quotes should also be provided if available.
  5. Expenditures that exceed the approved amount will not be reimbursed.
  6. A reimbursement request must be submitted to UMBengaged within 14 days following the event, or the end of the semester, whichever is first.

Budget Reimbursement Process 

A budget reimbursement request is submitted by an organization AFTER their event for which they previously submitted a Budget Request before the event. A reimbursement request must be submitted 14 days prior to an event or before the end of the semester, whichever comes first. 

Step 1: Upload and/or confirm the list or event attendees in UMBengaged. (Learn how to manage events in UMBengaged)

Step 2: Log into your student organization’s dashboard in UMBengaged and access their student groups dashboard, and click ‘Money’ and then ‘Accounting book.’

Step 3: Next, click the button, labeled ‘Create Budget/Payment Requests.’

Step 4: For the type of request, select ‘reimbursement’ from the dropdown menu. 

Step 5: Input the amount of money being reimbursed, and upload and report the following items:

  • Copy of three advertisements that include the phrase "co-sponsored by USGA" - 2 Campus-Wide (Elm/Campus Life Weekly) and 1 other advertisement.
    • This can just be a screenshot of the submission confirmation.
  • Photocopies of all invoices or receipts documenting the expenses that you are seeking to reimburse. Receipts should be legible and itemized.
  • A bank or credit card statement and/or copy of a check with the purchase and name of the account owner visible on the statement/check. (Personal information can be blacked out)

Step 6: Click submit.

Step 7: Confirm submission. You should receive a notification that your reimbursement request was received.

Step 8: Receive approval and reimbursement. Once your reimbursement request has been approved, you will receive an automated email from UMBengaged, and another email from UMB Business and Finances with directions on getting your reimbursement.

Purchasing Request Process 

A purchase request is submitted by an organization before their event when the organization is spending >$200 and would like the money to be paid directly to the vendor. A purchase request must be submitted 21 days prior to the event on UMBEngaged. 

Step 1: Log into your student organization’s dashboard in UMBengaged and access their student groups dashboard, and click ‘Money’ and then ‘Accounting book.’

Step 2: Next, click the button, labeled ‘Create Budget/Payment Requests.’

Step 3: For the type of request, select ‘Purchasing/Funding’ from the dropdown menu. 

Step 4: Input the amount of money being reimbursed, and upload and report the following items:

  • Copy of three advertisements that include the phrase "co-sponsored by USGA" - 2 Campus-Wide (Elm/Campus Life Weekly) and 1 other advertisement.
    • This can just be a screenshot of the submission confirmation.
  • Photocopies of all invoices or receipts documenting the expenses that you are seeking to reimburse. Receipts should be legible and itemized.
  • A bank or credit card statement and/or copy of a check with the purchase and name of the account owner visible on the statement/check. (Personal information can be blacked out)

Step 5: Click submit.

Step 6: Confirm submission. You should receive a notification that your purchase request was received.

Step 7: Receive approval. Once your purchase request has been approved, you will receive an automated email from UMBengaged, and another email from UMB Business and Finances with directions on getting your check for the vendor. 

OFR Request Process 

A budget request is submitted by an organization before their event when they are an unaffiliated group or an affiliated group spending over the funding amount they were allocated for that semester. 

Step 1:  A budget request must be submitted to UMBEngaged one week prior to the formal presentation at a Senate meeting. See those processes above. 

Step 2: Attend the Senate meeting for the formal presentation. At this presentation the organization is expected to: 

  • Describe the event and how it will serve all UMB students 
  • Provide an itemized breakdown of the costs for which the organization is requesting USGA funds for the Senate to review

Step 3: Answer questions from the Senate regarding the event and wait for the Senate vote for approval. 

Step 4: The organization will hear from the Treasurer within 24 hours regarding the results of the vote. 

Step 5: Organizations whose OFR has been approved will be asked to follow the rules herein in order to receive their funding for a budget request. 

Step 6: After the event, groups will need to submit a reimbursement request.