Student Organization Member Development Grant
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Member Development Grant 2024-2025:
Starting in the 2024-2025 school year, the Member Development Grant is now integrated into the Student Org Advantages and Rewards (SOAR) Program.
Organizations who participate in the program can earn points to be redeemed on rewards such as a Member Development Grant. Organizations receiving a Member Development Grant in the 2024-2025 school year redeemed points earned last year as a participant in the program.
Read below to learn more about the grant and the expectations of utilizing the funds, and visit go.osu.edu/SOAR for more information on the SOAR Program.
Email csls@osu.edu with questions.
What is a Member Development Grant?
The Member Development Grant program allows student organizations to receive funding for a developmental opportunity designed for their members. A member development experience is designed to meaningfully foster a member's connection to the organization's purpose, create opportunities for members to learn about their own strengths and abilities, and build community within the organization. Developmental programs can be single events or multi-day experiences, but must start and end within the appropriate date range for the funding window. Programs can be intended for general members, leadership teams, and/or new members. Programs that could otherwise be funded by Programming Funds will not be funded by this grant. Learn more about other funding sources at go.osu.edu/StudentOrgFunding.
Examples:
- Team-building experience
- Leadership retreat
- Book club
- Symposium/conference/seminar
- Arts and crafts/wellness activity
- Skill-building workshop
Full compliance with campus policies is required and the details of this program are subject to change based on changes to campus operations or funding policy. For questions regarding the application or funds, email csls@osu.edu.
Expectations
Any experience funded through the Member Development Grant must meet the following requirements:
- Meet the purpose for a Member Development Grant as described above.
- Connect to at at least one of the following thematic areas:
- Belonging
- Career development
- Community engagement
- Personal exploration
- Wellness
- Be intended for organization members, which can be defined as new members, general members, and/or leadership team. Alumni may be involved, but cannot be the primary audience.
- Include a relationship-building component
Member Development Grant amounts are set by the Student Org Team within Ohio Union and Student Activities. In the SOAR Program for 2023-2024 recipients, amounts were $250 (Mini Member Development Grant) or $500 (full Member Development Grant).
Expenses must be detailed in an itemized budget for approval. Funds are provided through two possible methods:
1) Your organization funds the costs associated with the experience up-front and receives funding in a reimbursement. This means that your organization will manage the purchasing and receiving of goods and services independently. This is the most flexible and efficient option and is the recommended choice. You will submit a detailed audit with receipts within 30 days of the ending of the program. Student Activities will reimburse the approved expenses in one check written to your organization. If the audit and receipts are not received within the 30-day window, reimbursement will not be provided.
2) Student Activities purchases pays university vendors directly. This means that you receive an invoice from a department within the university for services rendered on-campus. This cannot be for external vendors such as off-campus restaurants, external companies, etc.
See below for more information on what can and cannot be funded as well as funding details.
Contact
For general questions about the Member Development Grant, contact csls@osu.edu. For support with brainstorming, schedule a planning meeting with a Student Organization Success Coach.