Finances

Club Accounts

All clubs have an internal account at the CSU which is used to manage their funds. The budget given to your club at the start of the year is put into this internal account, and you will also deposit any revenue you generate from events, projects, and sponsorships into this account. Unused budget funds do not carry over to the next academic year, but other deposited funds generated from external sponsors and events will remain.

Requesting a Budget

Every year, clubs are required to submit a budget proposal so the Clubs Committee can review it and allocate funding for the year. Clubs must submit a budget proposal via the CSU Clubs Portal, as other formats will not be accepted. Once the Committee has reviewed a Club’s budget proposal, the Club will be emailed their approved budget amount.

Requesting a Budget REALLOCATION

In the event that your club:

1. does not end up completing projects/events in your approved budget proposal, or
2. needs to move funds from one project/event to a new project/event unaccounted for in your approved budget proposal,

You will need to submit a Budget Re-allocation via the CSU Clubs Portal.

Using Club Funds

The main way to use the money in your club account is to pay for an expense out-of-pocket and then get reimbursed by submitting a requisition form. To be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses, you should fill out a Reimbursement Form on a computer. After submitting a requisition form, you can expect a delay of approximately 2-3 weeks for it to be processed.

If a given expense is too large to pay out of pocket, you may have the organization or venue send an invoice directly to the CSU. For invoices, you should first speak to the Internal Affairs Coordinator (internal@csu.qc.ca) to ensure that you have enough money in your Club budget, and that it is alright for us to accept the invoice. Once you obtain approval, the business or venue that you are dealing with can send an invoice for the expense directly to the CSU as long as it is clearly indicated that the expense is for your Club.

The Diversity And Sustainability Clubs Fund Initiative

Funding for events/projects that must promote diversity (cultural, religious, gender) on campus or that are related to the promotion of environmental sustainability.

Click here to apply.

The Clubs Support Fund Initiative

Clubs must have been created within the last two years and with a budget of under $1500.

Click here to apply.

The Clubs and Space Committee has allocated preliminary funding for both the Diversity And Sustainability and Clubs Support Fund Initiatives

Additional Funding Sources

Dean of Students Office
The Dean of Students Office administers a Special Projects Fund through the Concordia Council on Student Life. From their website:

“CCSL makes funds available to support projects that enhance or contribute to the quality of student life at Concordia. Events, projects, or initiatives that enhance student life are ones that seek to positively raise awareness or engage the student body in a social, political, educational, or cultural context. The fund is designed to support innovative and unique activities rather than ongoing expenses of student groups and initiatives.”

Guidelines, application forms, and information about deadlines for the CCSL SPF can be found here.

External Sponsors
If you are hosting an event around the University, there are always stores, hotels, cafes, and restaurants that are looking for ways to advertise to students. Offering them a sponsorship package and free advertisement during your event will encourage these companies to give you money and invest in your club. Please talk to the Internal Affairs Coordinator if you need any help making a sponsorship package.

If you receive a sponsorship, have the sponsor make the cheque out to CSU with the name of your Club in the Memo section, then schedule a meeting with the Internal Affairs Coordinator to deposit the cheque in your Club’s internal account. The funds will then be available to access by submitting a reimbursement form with receipts attached.

Faculty Associations
Some Faculty associations, like ASFA, have a Special Projects Fund. For further information, check out the faculty association’s website or contact one of their representatives.

Colleges, Schools, and Departments
For a speaker or event of an academic nature, it is possible to obtain funding through a University department related to the topic of the event. For example, if you are hosting a speaker on an environmental issue, you may consider approaching the Department of Geography for funding. Apply by handing in a plan of your project, including a detailed budget, to the department. Remember, if your project touches on more than one issue, you may be able to apply to more than one department.

Sustainability Action Fund (SAF)
The Sustainability Action Fund “goes to support projects to develop sustainable infrastructure, urban agriculture, community-building, and education surrounding environmental and community issues, with the goal of inspiring and developing a culture of sustainability at Concordia University.” Click here to find out how to apply.