Departmental Allocations

Eligibility

Only GPSS Senators at the UW Seattle campus may apply for departmental allocations. Funding is open to both departments and programs that have Senate representation.

Application Process

The Senator representing a given department will submit an application form to the GPSS Budget Director at gpssbs@uw.edu. An interview will be arranged between the Finance and Budget (F&B) Committee and application authors. The Committee has an opportunity to ask the authors questions, debate the application and vote on whether and how much funding to award. To apply, Senators should:

• Fill out the Departmental Allocations Request Form online.
• The application should be filled out by your department’s GPSS senator. Your department’s budget coordinator will need to assist with filling out one of the sections.
• Once the form has been submitted, you will receive an automated confirmation email.
• Expect to hear back within two weeks to schedule a presentation with the GPSS Finance and Budget Committee.

Funding Policies

Proposals must meet policies set by both the GPSS and the University of Washington for appropriate use of state funds:

• Capital goods funded by the GPSS must be purchased and installed in department facilities by the end of the quarter following the approval of funding. Allocations funded during the Spring Quarter must be purchased and installed in department facilities by the end of the following Fall Quarter, or funds will be revoked.
• Applications must show evidence of consultation with the student body of the department.
• Applications must be supported by substantiating evidence of the cost of items to be purchased. This may include invoices, estimates from vendors, or price quotations from websites.
• Funds may not be allocated retroactively. No reimbursements may be made for costs incurred prior to the approval of funding.
• Allocations approved by the GPSS must be transferable to a University of Washington budget code.
• The GPSS will only receive applications for funding from Seattle campus degree-granting departments.
• Items obtained through departmental allocations must be properly stored and maintained by the requesting department.
• Good attendance at GPSS Senate Meetings may be considered while evaluating requests
• Funds may not be used to:
  • Support the instructional mission of the University, including the purchase of materials for program operations
  • Purchasing gifts, prizes, or making loans
  • Purchasing food or beverages
  • Lobbying to influence legislation or campaigning for a political candidate, initiative, or ballot measure
• Funds may not be used to fund student travel except departmental retreats, under the following conditions:
  • Must have an academic or professional component
  • Be open and accessible to all students within the department
  • Be held at State-owned property
• Funds may not be used for lobbying to influence legislation, campaigning for a political candidate, initiative, or ballot measure.
• Revenue generated by a GPSS sponsored event should accrue back to the GPSS. Accrual of revenue may be proportional to the GPSS’ share of funding contributions if the GPSS is not the sole funder.
• Out-of-town guest speakers or performers whose travel costs are subsidized by the GPSS cannot hold additional speaking or performance engagements in the Seattle vicinity during their visit unless the F&B Committee agrees in advance.
• The F&B Committee will use the following guidelines in allocating funding, although the Committee may allocate more or less funding based on the merits of the application.

Funding Caps and Guidelines

• Capital Items: $1000 per department per academic year.
• Retreats: $15 per person in the program/department with a maximum of $750 per academic year.
• Whenever possible, capital goods funded by the GPSS must carry a “Funded by GPSS” sticker, as provided by the F&Budget Committee.
• Preference may be given to departments that have not received GPSS funding within the previous three years.

Failure to follow any of the above guidelines may result in the denial of funding or the revocation of funding after approval. Once funding is approved by the F&B Committee, the GPSS Treasurer will work with your RSO advisor to make the money available.