After they have completed their registration with the CSU and Office of Student Life and Engagement, clubs may submit budget proposals for the current academic year. The following is an overview of key processes related to club finances. It is not exhaustive and all club executives – and particularly clubs’ Primary and Secondary Signing Officers – should read the CSU’s Policy on Clubs in its entirety at the outset of their mandate.
Club Accounts
All clubs have an internal account at the CSU which is used to manage their funds. The budget allocated to your club is added to this internal account. All clubs are required to declare and deposit any revenue they generate from their events and projects, as well as funding received from external (i.e., non-Clubs Department) sources, such as sponsorships and grants into this account. Unused funding from the Clubs Department does not carry over from year-to-year, but club-generated revenues and external funding do.
Requesting an Annual Budget
A club’s budget proposal details all of the events and projects which a club seeks to organize and run during the academic year. Clubs submit their budget proposals after they have completed their registration with the CSU and the Office of Student Life and Engagement using the Clubs Portal. More details about what is required in a budget proposal can be found in Article 4.3 of the Policy on Clubs.
Budgets are processed by the Clubs and Space Committee in the order in which they are received. When evaluating a club’s budget, the Clubs and Space Committee considers whether the proposed events and projects fulfill a club’s stated mandate, whether the proposed expenses are reasonable and sufficient, and whether the proposed expenses are compliant with the Policy on Clubs. The Committee also considers the club’s prior history (if applicable) and the total funds available for the current academic year.
Any expenses incurred by a club prior to their budget being approved are ineligible for reimbursement.
Requesting a Budget Reallocation
The Clubs Department understands that clubs’ plans can change over the course of the academic year. When this is the case, a club can submit a budget reallocation request using the Clubs Portal. This request should indicate what projects or events have or will be cancelled as well as changes to the club’s financial situation since the original budget submission, notably any external funding that the club has obtained and any expenses incurred by the club, including those not yet submitted for reimbursement. The Clubs and Space Committee evaluates budget reallocation requests in the same manner as budget proposals. Please note that a club’s reallocated budget must be for the same amount as their originally approved budget. In other words, if a club has an approved budget of $2000.00 and submits a reallocation request, their total budget, as reallocated, must equal $2000.00.
Special Clubs Funding
In addition to the funding provided as part of clubs’ annual budgets, the Clubs Department offers various one-time grants, known collectively as “Special Clubs Funding”, meant to support clubs with specific events, projects, or initiatives. The Special Clubs Funding offered changes from academic year to academic year. More information about current offerings can be found on this page.
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 submit a reimbursement request using the CSU portal. After submitting a reimbursement request, you should expect a delay of approximately two to three weeks for it to be processed. You may not submit any reimbursement requests before your annual budget has been approved by the Clubs and Space Committee. All reimbursement requests must be submitted before April 30th.
For each reimbursement request, please ensure that:
- You include the original, itemized receipt or invoice for all expenses. (The photo or scan you upload must be legible!)
- You provide proof of payment (e.g., a bank or credit card statement or a screenshot of your banking app clearly showing the transaction amount).
- Each expense is submitted as a separate line, with corresponding receipts and proof of payment.
- The reimbursement request is for at least ten dollars. (You can combine multiple smaller expenses into a single reimbursement request if need be!)
- The reimbursement request is not for an expense that is prohibited under the Policy on Clubs or which does not meet the admissibility criteria of an expense that is restricted under the same policy.
- The reimbursement request is not for an expense that was incurred before the club’s annual budget was approved.
- The reimbursement request is for an expense that is related to an event that is listed in the club’s approved annual budget.
- The reimbursement request is not for an expense that was not in the club’s approved annual budget at the time it was incurred.
Failure to respect these requirements may result in further delays to your reimbursement request’s processing time, your request being rejected or, in serious cases, the Clubs and Space Committee imposing sanctions on you and/or your club.
If an expense is too large to pay out of pocket, you may have the vendor or venue send an invoice directly to the CSU. In these cases, you should first send an email to the Internal Affairs Coordinator (internal@csu.qc.ca) and to the Clubs Department (clubs@csu.qc.ca) to ensure that you have enough money in your Club budget and that the CSU is able to accept the invoice. Once you obtain the written approval of the Internal Affairs Coordinator, the vendor or venue in question can send an invoice for the expense directly to the CSU. This invoice must clearly indicate that the expense is for your club (e.g., in the ‘Memo’).
Additional Funding Sources
Office of Student Life and Engagement
The Office of Student Life and Engagement 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.”
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.
If you receive a sponsorship, please follow the steps outlined in the CSU Clubs Portal under the “Transferring External Funding” FAQ to transfer external funds to the CSU.
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.