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Funding - FAQ
FAQ
1. HOW CAN OUR GROUP APPLY FOR GRADUATE ASSEMBLY FUNDING?
2. IS THERE GA FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR INDIVIDUALS, NOT IN ANY STUDENT GROUP?
3: WHAT TYPE OF FUNDING IS AVAILABLE FROM THE GRADUATE ASSEMBLY?
4. WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR FUNDING?
5. WHERE DOES THE GRADUATE ASSEMBLY GET THE FUNDING THEY GIVE STUDENT TO GROUPS?
6. WHO DECIDES WHO IS AWARDED STUDENT GROUP FUNDING?
7. IS THERE ANY FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR THE SUMMER?
8. IF I AM NOT IN A STUDENT GROUP, WHAT CAN I APPLY FOR?
9. IS IT OK TO FAX OR MAIL THE POST MARKED APPLICATIONS TO THE GRADUATE ASSEMBLY?
10. DO I NEED TO ATTEND A FUNDING WORKSHOP TO RECEIVE A TRAVEL AWARD?
11. IF OUR GROUP IS APPROVED FUNDING, HOW LONG IS IT BEFORE WE RECEIVE THE MONEY?
12. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO FIND OUT IF OUR GROUP IS AWARDED FUNDING?
13. WHAT HAPPENS IF I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO PURCHASE ITEMS UP-FRONT?
14. HOW DO I PAY FOR HONORARIUM & WHAT IS REQUIRED TO SUBMIT A PERSONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT (PSA)?
15. CAN THE GA PAY AN INVOICE?
16. WHY DOES THE G.A. NEED ORIGINAL, ITEMIZED RECEIPTS FOR REIMBURSEMENT?
17. HOW CAN WE BE CERTAIN OUR RECEIPTS ARE SUFFICIENT?
18. OUR GROUP PURCHASED ITEMS THAT WERE NOT ON OUR APPLICATION. IS THIS A PROBLEM?
19. IF WE ARE AWARDED FUNDING, WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DO NOT SPEND THE FUNDING BY THE SPECIFIED DEADLINE?
20. WHAT HAPPENS IF WE REQUEST EXPENSES ON OUR BUDGET, BUT WE PURCHASE ITEMS THAT WERE NOT REQUESTED?
Q1: HOW CAN OUR GROUP APPLY FOR GRADUATE ASSEMBLY FUNDING?
A: Visit the GA Funding website or stop by the Graduate Assembly which is located in Anthony Hall for details about what funding is available to your graduate student group.
Q2: IS THERE GA FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR INDIVIDUALS, NOT IN ANY STUDENT GROUP?
A: The only individual, non-group funding available from the GA is the Travel Award, which is for graduate students presenting at conferences outside of the San Francisco Bay Area. Graduate students are selected via a lottery and are only eligible to receive the travel award once every two years.
Q3: WHAT TYPE OF FUNDING IS AVAILABLE FROM THE GRADUATE ASSEMBLY?
A: There is money for general meetings of your graduate student group, events, such as receptions/ social events, etc. There is also grant funding for projects which support diversity, activism, community service, and educational improvement.
Q4: WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR FUNDING?
A: Your group must consist of at least 2/3 graduate students. Your group must have four signatories and register as an official UCB organization with the Campus Life and Leadership Office. At least 2/3 of the signatories must be graduate students. A GA Funding Workshop is also required before submitting a funding application.
Q5: WHERE DOES THE GRADUATE ASSEMBLY GET THE FUNDING THEY GIVE STUDENT TO GROUPS?
A: The money comes from a portion of Graduate Student Fees, so that is why the funding is provided to Graduate Student Groups and their projects.
Q6: WHO DECIDES WHO IS AWARDED STUDENT GROUP FUNDING?
A: There is a Funding Committee, and it’s Chair who determines the allocations, and the committee members are voting Delegates of the Graduate Assembly.
To become a GA Delegate, you need to complete the GA Delegate Certification form.
Q7: IS THERE ANY FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR THE SUMMER?
A: Unfortunately, there are no grants or funds available to student groups during the Summer months.
Q8: IF I AM NOT IN A STUDENT GROUP, WHAT CAN I APPLY FOR?
A: Actually, the only funding available for individual graduate students is the Travel Award.
Q9: IS IT OK TO FAX OR MAIL THE POST MARKED APPLICATIONS TO THE GRADUATE ASSEMBLY?
A: No, the GA does not accept faxes, email, or postal/campus mail. All applications are due in-person to Anthony Hall by office closure on the advertised deadlines dates. If the application is not received by office closure, it will not be processed or reviewed.
For GA Business Office hours, click here.
Q10: DO I NEED TO ATTEND A FUNDING WORKSHOP TO RECEIVE A TRAVEL AWARD?
A: No. The Funding Workshop is required only for graduate student groups who are requesting funds to sponsor graduate student group activities. The information is useful if you feel you may ever create a student group and request funding, however, travel award recipients are not required to attend the workshop.
Q11: IF OUR GROUP IS APPROVED FUNDING, HOW LONG IS IT BEFORE WE RECEIVE THE MONEY?
A: Actually, the money is awarded via a Reimbursement Process, whereby you spend the funds out of pocket, and then you are reimbursed once original itemized receipts are submitted.
You must check the funding report before expecting to be reimbursed for any items. Items not approved in the funding report, will NOT be reimbursed.
Q12: HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO FIND OUT IF OUR GROUP IS AWARDED FUNDING?
A: Two (2) weeks after the funding deadline, is the general turn-around time. Usually, the first Friday of the month is when decisions are available.
Q13: WHAT HAPPENS IF I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO PURCHASE ITEMS UP-FRONT?
A: There are some alternatives. You could request a Purchase Order (P.O.) from the Business Office for your project or event. You must also work with a vendor that is willing to accept an ASUC Purchase Order as payment which will be paid after the service has been completed. Some vendors may be able to generate an Invoice, to receive payment after the service has been completed. The Personal Services Agreement (PSA) is the only method to provide honoraria for a speaker/performer. The PSA is due to the GA Business Office at least 2 weeks before the event.
Q14: HOW DO I PAY FOR HONORARIUM & WHAT IS REQUIRED TO SUBMIT A PERSONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT (PSA)?
A: The Personal Services Agreement (PSA) is the only method to provide honoraria for a speaker/performer. A carbon copy of the PSA form is available at Anthony Hall or online at: http://ga.berkeley.edu/cahiers/200893443814.pdf
A: The PSA is completed by the graduate student group sponsoring the event/ project and the person providing the service. The PSA cannot exceed $250 for student groups or the amount approved in the Funding Report.
Attach the completed PSA to the ERF and a resume of the individual providing the service. The GA/ASUC will then issue payment and the individual is subject to tax reporting at the end of the year. A PSA is considered a type of income.
• The resume must have the following items clearly typed: First and Last Name, Address, Contact number, and email
• At the bottom left corner of the PSA, the individual rendering service must:
1) sign (name must be a signature not printed)
2) provide their personal address (business address only accepted if using a US Tax-ID#)
3) Social Security Number (SSN), TAX ID # or complete a W-9 form. (If a Social Security Number or US Tax ID# cannot be provided, a copy of the Current passport, visa, I-94, and work permit are also required).
Without the items listed items above, the PSA cannot be processed.
Q15: CAN THE GA PAY AN INVOICE?
A: Yes. Although Invoices are primarily used in conjunction with a Purchase Order, the GA can pay the balance due (or partial balance depending on your group's approved award) to a vendor from a specific Invoice number. The payment of the Invoice number will be in the form of a check and is mailed directly to the vendor's address provided on the Invoice. If the vendor cannot produce an invoice or will not accept payment after the service has been completed, a Purchase Order is recommended to initiate the service.
Q16: WHY DOES THE G.A. NEED ORIGINAL, ITEMIZED RECEIPTS FOR REIMBURSEMENT?
A: The GA Business Office must turn original receipts over to the accounting department for reimbursement to be processed. This verifies that you have paid for the items you are being reimbursed for. You will also need to provide the GA one copy of your itemized receipts when you submit the Expenditure Reimbursement Form (ERF).
Q17: HOW CAN WE BE CERTAIN OUR RECEIPTS ARE SUFFICIENT?
A: Bring receipts to the Graduate Assembly Business Office for review prior to submission. This will significantly decrease the chance of receipts being denied or sent back.
Q18: OUR GROUP PURCHASED ITEMS THAT WERE NOT ON OUR APPLICATION. IS THIS A PROBLEM?
A: If your group changes anything on your original budget - including the dates, or items to be purchased, YOU MUST contact the Funding Chair 48-hrs *prior to* your perspective date or expense change. If you do not, you will be denied reimbursement.
Q19: IF WE ARE AWARDED FUNDING, WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DO NOT SPEND THE FUNDING BY THE SPECIFIED DEADLINE?
A: Unfortunately, unused approved funds do not roll over. You are encouraged to
only apply for funding that you will use for your event/meeting/project.
Q20: WHAT HAPPENS IF WE REQUEST EXPENSES ON OUR BUDGET, BUT WE PURCHASE ITEMS THAT WERE NOT REQUESTED?
A: Items not listed on your budget will not be reimbursable unless you request prior approval for those items from the Funding Chair.
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