Grants

Throughout the year, eligible groups have the opportunity to apply for grant funding from YUSU. Grants can help an amazing project come to fruition; enable you to put on a brilliant event; or just support you as you continue to provide great opportunities for your members. Grants are not available all year round, but only at specific times of year, and they are extremely competitive, so a good application can make all the difference. This page will explain everything you need to know about how grants work, what the eligibility criteria are, what they can be used for, and how to apply.

A successful grant application will grant you money for a set time period. Grant money must be spent by the 31st July each year. Any unspent money will be reclaimed from your account after this date and reinvested. There is no opportunity to claim it back after this deadline.

When you apply for a grant, you must state what you wish to spend it on. Any grant money you receive can only be spent on what it was requested for, except in exceptional circumstances. If you wish to spend your grant on anything other than that for which you applied, contact Jasmine on j.pledger@yusu.org to discuss your situation. 

Please note: Grant funding from YUSU should never be relied upon to entirely support your project, as it is never guaranteed and there is only limited funding available for all projects.

Grant Types

There are 3 grant opportunities available to you as a Volunteering Project at YUSU, these are:

Annual Volunteering Project Grant

• You apply for this in Summer Term for the upcoming academic year, outlining your long-term activities and development plans, and the essential and desireable funding you need in order to run your project.

New Volunteering Project Grant

• • This grant is only available for volunteering projects which are in their first year of ratification. It’s a limited pot to help the group get set up and support its long-term sustainability. For more information, please contact j.pledger@yusu.org

Contingency Grant

• Available year-round to cover unexpected project costs, or project growth. Applications can be made via the Google Form below. If you have questions as to whether this grant funding is available to you, please contact j.pledger@yusu.org

Eligibility

The eligibility criteria for grants are:

• Be a fully ratified volunteering project, having completed the re-ratification process, documents and training for the upcoming academic year at the point of your application.

• Be working towards a membership of at least 10 student volunteers.

• Adhere to the volunteering project minimum standards.

Grant money CAN be used for the following purposes:

• Publicity and Marketing (NOTE: we will fund up to £30 for this purpose).

• Transport costs

• Training and Teaching

• Equipment 

• Events (e.g. Regular and annual events, trips, excursions, festivals, theatre trips etc, so long as the purpose of the event is within the aims and objectives of the project)

• Speakers/travelling visitors and conferences

Grant money CAN’T be used for the following purposes:

• Food or drink

• Group merchandise

• Purely social functions

Allocations

Grant applications are reviewed and judged by a special panel consisting of the Volunteering Committee, the Student Activities officer and YUSU Staff who will make a decision on how much money each project will be allocated.

The criteria that is considered while deciding allocations are:

• Number of current volunteers

• Current account balances and use of own funds balances

• Extra funds your project received or raised in the previous academic year

• How your application links to the project's constitutional aims

• The level of detail provided on the grant application

• Justification on what you are asking for money towards, why it is needed and how it will help your project function, grow and develop

• If the project has been re-ratified by the deadline set and agreed to the volunteering project's minimum standards

• The grant has not been requested to be spent on purely social functions, branded clothing or merchandise for your project or anything that does not have a direct, measurable impact on the success of the project.

In addition to the points above, the panel will also take into account the amount of money that is available, the number of projects, and the money requested in total. It is possible to not receive all the money requested even if the project meets all the criteria. 

Funding is limited and all grant decisions made are final.

Contact:

Jasmine Pledger, Student Citizenship and Employability Development Coordinator - j.pledger@yusu.org