Funding

The 2025–2026 Graduate SGA funding request forms and updated funding request guidelines will be available on the website by July 7, 2025.
 

The Graduate Student Government Association (GSGA) is pleased to announce the availability of funding opportunities to support your research, travel, and organizational initiatives. Our commitment is to allocate approximately at least $10,000 annually for individual research/travel and an additional $10,000+ annually for student organization needs. Before seeking GSGA funding, we encourage you to explore funding options within your academic department. Our limited budget is derived from the Student Activity Fee, and we ask for your understanding and cooperation in adhering to our budget.

To ensure equitable distribution and availability of funds throughout the year, the GSGA has voted on and adopted a monthly allocation system. Requests are processed on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to students and organizations not currently receiving any funding. We request that all funding requests be submitted at least two weeks in advance. Please review the outlined policies below before submitting any funding requests. For inquiries related to funding, please direct your questions first to your class representatives and then to GRADSGA-Comptroller@augusta.edu.

Please review the Funding policies (and complete acknowledgement) before filling out a funding request. If your request does not adhere to the policies, it will be denied. Please make sure to fill out the correct form.

Email GRADSGA-COMPTROLLER@augusta.edu for any funding-related queries.

Funding Policies

Funding Dates and Deadlines

Fall semester: Requests can be submitted for consideration from July 1st if the event/travel occurs before the first day of the Fall semester. Fall semester events/travel must be completed by the last day of the semester to be eligible for reimbursement. Events or travel occurring in July may experience a delay in processing within the standard 10-day timeframe, given the GSGA calendar constraints due to executives changing, graduate programs commencing at varying times, and GSGA meetings not consistently convened in July.

Spring semester: Requests can be submitted from the 1st day of classes. The last day to receive GSGA cannot approve requests for travel or student organizations after May 15th. All events/travel must be completed by these dates to be processed for reimbursement.

To confirm the official first and last days of the semester, please refer to Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ University’s academic calendar here.

 

General Funding Policies

GSGA Funding Discretion: GSGA reserves the right to allocate or deny funds at its discretion based on availability and policy adherence. Meeting eligibility requirements does not guarantee funding.

Submission Requirements:

  • Requests must be submitted at least 1 week before the start of the month of the event and at least 2 weeks prior to the event or travel date. This includes any resubmissions that may be required. Submit well in advance if your request may need clarification or has potential issues - late or incomplete submissions will be denied.
  • If the event is in January or July, the request must be submitted no later than the end of the first week the form is open and still prior to the event date.
  • Requests submitted after the event or travel date will not be eligible for reimbursement.

Approval Process:

  • Requests are reviewed and approved on a first come, first served basis. There is a specific amount allocated to each month.
  • Funding is only guaranteed once:
    • The Comptroller has formally approved the request.
    • All required forms are completed and submitted on time after the event/travel.
  • The Comptroller will follow up within 5 to 10 business days of the original submission regarding approval status.
  • If a funding request resubmission is required due to an incorrect original request, it must still be submitted at least two weeks before the event.

Accuracy Required: Incomplete, false, or unclear information may result in denial or revocation of funding.

Budget & Rollover Policy

  • Monthly funding allocations are capped; unused funds will roll over to the next month.
  • Exception: May is the end of the fiscal year - no rollovers are allowed into the next fiscal cycle.

Reimbursement Policy

  • All approved funding is provided on a reimbursement basis only.
  • Students must complete reimbursement forms within 5-10 days after their event/travel. Incorrect or delayed submissions will result in funding being revoked.
  • The GSGA Comptroller, executive board, and representatives do not process reimbursements. They are handled by the Business Operations Specialist and or individual department specialists.
  • Reimbursements may take several months after full and correct form submission.
    Direct reimbursement questions to the Business Operations Specialist. For all other inquiries, contact your class representatives.

Compliance & Restrictions

  • All expenses must follow the Business Procedures Manual of the University System of Georgia.
  • Per Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ guidelines, reimbursed items must be shipped to an official Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ address.

What We Fund:

  • General body meetings open to all students.
  • Merchandise distributed to the entire student body.
  • Events and activities open to the general student population.

What We Do Not Fund:

  • Gift cards, cash equivalents, and scholarships.
  • Events that require ticket purchases or payment to attend.
  • Events or activities exclusively for select or restricted specific student groups.
  • Events for faculty, staff, or the general Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Community. Funding must be used directly for students.

Organization/Event Funding Policies:

  • GSGA encourages registered student organizations to plan their events in advance, in order to increase the chances of receiving funding for a particular month.
  • Registered organizations must submit individual funding requests for each event.
  • All events must be in JagLife (Presence) and you will need to use a checkpoint to have students put in their ID numbers to keep a roster for your events. For questions regarding JagLife or becoming a registered student organization please contact studentorgs@augusta.edu. Events and rosters not in Jag Life will not be eligible for reimbursement.
  • All events must be held on campus or an approved location to be reimbursed.
  • Registered student organization can receive funds as follows:
    • Amount to be requested per individual events up to $250
    • Maximum reimbursement per semester - $500
    • Maximum reimbursement per academic year - $1000
  • A maximum of $10 per student is allowed for event reimbursements. A difference in students estimated to attend the event and students that actually attended the event may result in revocation of funding. Please estimate event attendance accordingly.
  • Registered organizations can request funding for different events that are held in the same month.
  • Registered organizations are allowed and are encouraged to team up with other registered organizations to receive funds for the same event. However, each organization must submit an individual funding request for the same event.
  • Estimated invoice(s) and/or order form(s) must be submitted in the funding request. The predicted order cost must not differ greatly from the actual order cost A large difference in the order or utilization of funds may result in revocation of funding. Please estimate the event funding utilization accordingly.
  • All events must be open to all students.
    • Tickets cannot be sold at a GSGA funded event.
    • Funding cannot be used for gift cards.
  • GSGA funds can only be used for students. They cannot be used for faculty or members of the community.
  • There must be an acknowledgement of GSGA for flyers and/or other advertising made for the event. The flyer must be sent in during the reimbursement process.
    • Flyers sent in will be posted on GSGA social media and advertised to all students.

Travel Funding Policies:

  • All student travel requests must be submitted individually, group/organization requests are not accepted. If multiple students are attending the same conference, we will limit funding to the first three students who apply.
  • Proof of author or presenter status and acceptance must be provided upon request.
  • Students must request at least two other funding sources prior to receiving GSGA funding. Students must provide proof upon request.
  • Proof of costs must be uploaded in the Funding Request.
    • Proofs may include but are not limited to:
      • A website screenshot indicating a lack of funding, an email to your PI or the organization, etc.
    • Student travel funding request reimbursement is as follows:
      • Up to $200 for attending (do not have to be an author/presenter)
      • Up to $300 for poster or oral presentations if another funding source is used (must be first author/presenter). Please note as we previously stated, funding will still be prioritized for students that do not have other funding sources.
      • Up to $500 for poster and oral presentations (must be first author/presenter)
    • Students may receive up to $500 in total travel reimbursement per semester, and thus $1000 per year.
      • MCG students will be required to provide proof that they have fully exhausted the $750 that they are eligible to receive annually from MCG or are ineligible for MCG funding.
    • The standard rate for food reimbursement is contingent upon the area/city/state of where the traveler is traveling to. These rates can be found in the GSA .

Select Funding Request Form Below

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible to apply for GSGA funding?

Registered student organizations (RSO) and individual graduate students at Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ University.

What types of events or expenses does GSGA fund?

General meetings open to all students, merchandise distributed to the entire student body, and events accessible to the general student population.

What types of expenses are NOT funded?

Gift cards, scholarships, ticketed events, and activities exclusive to select student programs. If you are unsure if something can be funded, please contact us ahead of time.
 

How much funding can an organization request?

  • Up to $250 per individual event
  • Maximum $500 per semester
  • Maximum $1000 per academic year

Can organizations collaborate on events?

 Yes, but each organization must submit its own funding request.

What are the deadlines for submitting funding requests?

  • At least 1 week before the start of the month of the event and at least 2 weeks before the event or travel date. This includes resubmissions.
  • For January/July events, requests must be submitted within the first week and still prior to the event date.

Can I submit a funding request after the event has occurred?

No, requests submitted after the event or travel date are not eligible.

Are events required to be registered somewhere?

Yes, all events must be registered in Presence with a student ID checkpoint for attendance tracking. Events not registered will automatically be denied. Please contact SLE with any questions regarding how to register.

Where must funded events be held?

All events must take place on campus and/or an approved location.

How does reimbursement work?

GSGA funds on a reimbursement basis only. The Business Operations Specialist processes reimbursements, which may take several months after submission of all required paperwork.

What if my estimated attendance or costs differ from the actual?

Significant discrepancies in attendance or spending may lead to revocation of funding. Please estimate carefully.

Can faculty or community members receive GSGA funding?

 No, funding is strictly for students only.

What requirements are there for event advertising?

All flyers and advertising must include acknowledgment of GSGA funding using our official logo and must be submitted during reimbursement. The GSGA will utilize the flyer to advertise on GSGA social media platforms.

Can unused funds roll over to the next month?

 Yes, except for the month of May, which marks the fiscal year-end.

Who can I contact with questions about my funding request?

Direct reimbursement questions to the Business Operations Specialist. For other inquiries, contact your class representatives followed by the GSGA comptroller

Can GSGA be more flexible on deadlines or policies?

No. GSGA adheres strictly to Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ policies and the University System of Georgia Board of Regents guidelines. These deadlines and policies ensure transparency, fairness, and compliance across all student funding throughout the state.

Why Doesn’t GSGA Provide More Travel Funding?    

GSGA was created to support school-wide events and initiatives that benefit the broader graduate student body, not to fund individual academic travel.

Nationally, research and conference travel is typically funded at the program or departmental level, not through student government. While many graduate student governments don’t fund travel at all, we’re proud to offer limited support as a bonus - not a guarantee.

We encourage you to also seek funding from your college, department, or research mentors. We highly recommend working with your individual student representatives, program executive board, and school faculty to work on expanding program specific funding.

How can I stay up to date about GSGA Funding and initiatives?

During the 2025-2026 year, we will be launching our monthly newsletter. This newsletter will provide updates on the status of our budget, events/research that we have funded, and other initiatives. We hope to promote collaboration and transparency via this newsletter. You can subscribe at this link: