Applications are now open to clubs, organizations and departments to apply for ASUP’s $12,500 Opportunity Grant. The grant is a source of money that groups on campus might not know about, but would most likely be happy to receive.
This is the first year where departments like athletics and the Health and Counseling Center are eligible to apply.
The money for this grant comes from the annual ASUP budget. The budget is comprised of students’ $95 student activity fee and funds all of ASUP services, CPB, Rock the Bluff and clubs.
Organizations, clubs and departments can receive this grant by pitching “events that are open to the campus community, and promotes the mission of the University of Portland” according to the grant application. All applications must be in by Nov. 26, although money is given away on a rolling basis. The sooner groups apply, the more likely they will receive funds.
Some clubs have already benefited from the grant this year. The Global Engineering Initiative received $3,000 to help fund their trip to Ghana to build resources and provide aid. Arnold Air Society received $1,000 to help fund their trip to a conference. Students Against Sexual Assault (SASA) received $750 for Week of Awareness and Mitchell’s Rifle Squadron received $2,000 for their upcoming competition. There is $2,400 remaining for clubs to apply for this semester, as of Nov. 8.
On the application, groups are asked for basic information about their organization and what their proposed event is, including the date, time, location and amount of money requested and if they will be partnering with any other clubs or organizations for the event.
“If they are partnering with other organizations or clubs, that gives them a big bonus because we automatically know there are going to be more people showing up,” ASUP Director of Finance Brandon Wester said.
The financial management board (FMB) will review the applications and give a decision within two weeks of the application. FMB is made up of the director of finance, one or two ASUP senators and other UP students who interview with Wester to secure their spot of the nine seat board (including Wester and the senators).
Wester said the committee will look for events that will impact the most students, and clubs joining forces is a way to do that.
Though this grant can be helpful to clubs trying to put on an event, the money is not meant to fill the gap of money requested during the initial budgeting process that was not granted. Every year ASUP receives almost $600,000 in requests from clubs with only $300,000 to allocate for all of ASUP, Campus Program Board, other services and clubs and organizations.
If a club or organization proposed an event on their initial budget request, they cannot propose the same event for the opportunity grant.
The entirety of the $12,500 will not go to just one club, which gives more clubs an opportunity to benefit from it. Wester says it gets broken up, and even if they can’t fulfill a certain request, they could give a smaller amount. Some clubs may ask for larger sums of money than FMB thinks they should get. Luckily, it is not all or nothing.
“My whole job is to better the student population through events,” Wester said. “Whatever gets the most inclusive student event and affects the most people, that’s what I’m looking for.”
Clubs and organizations can email Wester at wester19@up.edu for more information or access the application directly from the ASUP website.
Delaney Vetter is a reporter and opinions editor for The Beacon. She can be reached at vetter20@up.edu.
