The Parents Fund Grant Spring 2024 Application will open January 12th at 9:00am
The mission of the Georgia Tech Parents Fund is to enhance the student experience by supporting innovate student-led initiatives in the following areas :
- Student engagement and campus traditions
- Community service
- Leadership development
- Cultural awareness and diversity
- Artistic expression
The Georgia Tech Parents Fund Grant program is designed to provide student organizations with opportunities to grow and offer student-led experiences both on and off campus. These student organizations provide Georgia Tech students with opportunities to learn the "outside the classroom" skills while developing friendships that will last beyond graduation. Information on the application process can be found below. If you have any other questions, please contact the Tyler Barker in the Division of Student Engagement and Well-Being at tyler.barker@dev.gatech.edu.
Parent Fund Grant Frequently Asked Questions
Is my event eligible for a grant from the Parents Fund?
All registered student organizations (RSO’s) are eligible to apply for funding from the Georgia Tech Parents Fund to support their programming.
What can I pay for with the Parent Fund grant?
The Parents Fund grant provides unrestricted funding. This means that there are fewer restrictions on its uses. Some examples of what it can pay for include, but are lot limited to, the following: T-shirts, food, space and equipment rentals, marketing, travel expenses, and speaker fees.
How do I apply for funding from the Parents Fund?
The application for the grant can be found under the “Budget Process” section in the Finance Section of Engage. More information on how to find the application can be found here: https://youtu.be/z9f_OtJR8iA.
When is the application open?
The Parents Fund awards grants twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring. The spring application will open from January 12, 2024 through January 26, 2024. The results will be communicated to the applicants 14-21 business days after the closure of the application.
Who decides how much funding student organizations receive?
The Georgia Tech Parents Board, a group of active and philanthropically engaged parents, reviews all of the applications and determines how well they meet the criteria for funding described on the application.
When should I apply for funding?
When you should apply depends on when you would like to hold your event. Most events can apply for funding in the semester they will be using the funds. However, if your organization wants to hold an event at the beginning of a semester (August/September or January/February) you should apply the semester before your event.
If I am awarded funding, how do I use the money?
The Student Organization Finance Office (SOFO) will be able to assist you with the disbursement of the funds. They will ensure that all expenditures follow the policies and procedures of Georgia Tech and University System of Georgia.
My organization has already spent some money on our event, can we use the Parents Fund Grant to reimburse ourselves?
Yes, the Parents Fund can be used to reimburse expenditures already made by an organization. Please partner with your SOFO representative to learn more.
I was awarded funding but my organization’s financial needs have changed from the time I applied. Can I use the Parent Fund grant for something else?
Funding awarded through the Parents Fund Grant must be used for the event described in the application. Beyond that, there is no limitation on what line items in the budget are covered by Parent Fund money. Therefore, it is acceptable for an organization to add/remove line items, update amounts, and/or shift funding around in their budget.
I am hosting several events and would like support for all of them. Is there a limit to the number of times my organization can apply for the Parents Fund Grant?
Student organizations are limited to one application per semester. However, an organization may include multiple events in their application. For example, they could title the application “The Burdell’s Brunch Bunch’s Fall Events” and apply for funding to support multiple meetings throughout the fall.
How much funding can an organization apply for?
To ensure that more organizations are able to receive funding, the limit for an organization is $10,000 per semester. As a general rule, the applications requesting higher funding amounts are typically reviewed more carefully to ensure that the money is being well spent. This means that a reasonable and well thought out budget is a very important part of your application.
What does my organization need to have in order to apply?
The application will ask several basic questions about your event’s needs and how the funds will be used. It will also require you submit a brief (1-2 page) description of your organization and a detailed line-item budget.
Where should I go if I need help with my application?
Please reach out to Tyler Barker in the Office of Student Engagement and Well-Being at tyler.barker@dev.gatech.edu.
Process and Guidelines
The funds will be allocated by the Georgia Tech Parents Board. The following general guidelines will be used by the board to determine which proposals should receive support, these questions must be answered fully in order to be considered:
- Why is the project/activity unique?
- Can the project/activity receive funding from other sources?
- What is the primary focus of the project/activity?
- Specifically, how will the funds be used (please include a detailed budget)?
- What students are impacted and approximately how many students will the project/activity impact?
Please Note: If your organization does not receive an award, it does not disqualify you from submitting future proposals. If you do receive an award and fail to turn in the requested post-event report/program summary you will not be eligible to receive funds for the new fiscal year.
Proposal Outline
After answering the required questions on the electronic form, please upload a detailed budget justifying the amount of your request, and a one page document that includes the following information:
- Description of the Project: What is the event?; Where will it be?; How is it unique?
- Why would parents choose to support the project/activity?
- Who will the project appeal to?
- How will students benefit from the project/activity?
- How do you plan to sustain funding for the project/activity in the future?
- Why should your project/activity be chosen over others?
Should your organization/department be awarded funding, please note that the following will be required:
- Use of the Parents Fund for Student Life & Leadership logo on promotional materials.
- Submission of a one-page Post-Event Report/Program Summary within 4 weeks of the event’s completion.
Post-Event Report/Program Summary
As part of this funding approval, a post-event summary is required in order to be eligible for funding in the future. This report is necessary to steward donors and seek additional funds from parents and others. It should be submitted online to Tyler Barker at tyler.barker@dev.gatech.edu no later than 4 weeks after the event, and should include the following:
- Presenting Organization/Department
- Contact Information: Name, phone number, Email, campus mail code
- Description of the Project: What was the event?; Where was it?; When was it?
- Estimated Attendance: How many students participated?
- Project Impact/Benefits: How did the Tech community benefit from the project?; On which of the Fund target intents did this project focus (may be more than 1)?; In what way(s)?
- What did you/the students who coordinated this event learn from the experience?
- How did Parents Fund dollars contribute to the success of this program/project?
- Additional supplementary information: At least one quote from a student on the importance of the funds in carrying out the program; Photos (high-resolution & digital preferred) and/or video of the event
Student Grant Application
The Parents Fund for Student Life & Leadership seeks to support students that are in need of “top off” funding to assist them in academic and professional growth experiences.
Individual Georgia Tech students may submit proposals for leadership grants year-round. Grants of no more than $300 will be awarded to individual students based on their needs and the scope of the activity.
The activity must be related to the following:
- Leadership
- Education
- Professional Development
Student Organizations are not eligible to apply, but should submit applications under the Parent Fund Grant application section below.
Process and Guidelines
These funds will be allocated by Dean of Students. The following general guidelines will be used to determine which proposals should receive support, these questions must be answered fully in order to be considered:
- Why is this activity important to you?
- Why is it necessary for you to receive a grant from the Parents Fund in order to participate in the activity?
- Please describe how it promotes leadership, education and/or professional development.
After answering the required questions on the electronic form, please upload a one-page document that answers the three questions noted above and a detailed budget justifying the amount requested.
All proposals must be submitted online at Student Grant Application.
Post-Award Requirements
Should you be awarded funding from the Parents Fund for Student Life & Leadership, please note that the following will be required:
- Submission of a one-page Post-Event Report/Program Summary within 4 weeks of the event’s completion. Please see attached Post-Event Report/Program Summary requirements and submission details.
- Thank you note written to donors to the Parents Fund for Student Life. This note may be included in social media, Parent E-news and other communication and media outlets.
Post-Event Report/Program Summary
As part of this funding approval, a post-event summary is required in order to be eligible for funding again in the future. This report is necessary to steward donors and seek additional funds from parents and others. Post-Event Reports/Program Summaries will include the following should be submitted to Tyler Barker at tyler.barker@dev.gatech.edu no later than 4 weeks after the event:
- Contact Information: Name, phone number, Email, campus mail code
- Description of the Project: What was the activity?; Where was it?; When?
- Project Impact/Benefits: Describe your experience and how did you benefit from the activity both professionally and personally.
- Additional supplementary information: Photos (high-resolution & digital preferred) and/or video from the event.