FAQ
Q: Where and when do I check to see how much my group was funded?
A: Funding decisions can be found in the Minutes tab on our website, http://www.bu.edu/allocate. Our minutes are posted every week after our monday meeting, before midnight.
Q: What are some items that typically are not funded by the Community Service Fee?
A:
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Prizes
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BU Faculty Honoraria
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BU students, Family Members or Alumni of less than 5 years,
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Money going directly to charity
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Anything of Exclusive benefit to your group (i.e. T-shirts, Pizza Parties)
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Things that are being sold to the BU community
Q: How do I join the Allocations Board?
A: Come to one of our meetings!! During the introductions in the beginning, or after the presentations, come up to the board and stay that you want to be a prospective member. Membership is rolling and always open!
Q: My group wants to have food at our event. Is this something that AB funds?
A: We fund food!.Our policy states that we will consider funding food if it provides a unique and educational component relevant your group’s event. We will further consider funding if the food supplements religious or cultural aspects of your group’s mission.
Q: How can I get in touch with the Allocations Board?
A: Meetings are held every Monday, or on days with a Monday schedule, in the Academy Room on the 1st floor of the GSU at 6 PM. Anyone is welcome to attend! There are also Office Hours held by board members every weekday in the Student Activities Office, our schedule is posted on the wall next to our desk.
Q: I know there is a two-week deadline after the date of the event to use the funding, but what if I will not be able to get the paperwork in on time?
A: Send us an email at allocate@bu.edu and we will work with you to extend that deadline!
Q: I do not agree with the amount we were allocated, is there a way for me to explain why we are looking for more funding?
A: Of course! We are more than happy to listen to reasons that may not have been fully illustrated in the requests or during a presentation. On our website, http://www.bu.edu/allocate, instead of completing a Regular or Travel Request, fill out an Appeal Request. You are also welcome to present again on Monday nights to better explain your reasons. You are free to appeal as many times as you would like!
Q: When requesting funds, is there any way we can receive an answer sooner than a week’s wait?
A: Sadly, the Allocations Board only deliberates on Monday nights. We check the date of the event on the request, so that we choose the best course of action given the timing for the event. Requests can be made as soon as costs are decided upon, and do not need to be postponed until further Student Activities Office paperwork is completed. With that said, we ask that you complete requests early enough before the event in order to give the board time to understand the costs of the event in full detail.
Q: The minutes say we were allocated funds, but I do not see it in our account?
A: There are two steps to the allocations process. First is requesting funds, where the result is displayed on the Minutes every week. The second is using those funds. In order to do this, an Allocations Board Funds Transfer form (ABFT) must be filled out, signed by the President or Treasurer, and turned in to the Student Activities Office. This form must be turned in with, or after, all other payment forms are accepted at the office. During this process, the allocated funds will be taken from the Allocations Board budget and moved in order to pay the costs that were mentioned on the ABFT form. With that said, the funds will not show in the account because by the time they are entered, that amount is used to pay the desired costs of the event. However, in the Transactions tab in the student group account after the payment, an entry “FT XXXX” will show up for the amount stated on the ABFT form.
*Please keep in mind, that we are responsible for allocating the Community Service Fee to over 500 student groups and countless programs each year, and we allocate on an event-by-event basis.