Grad Groups funding
Providing funding to Grad Groups is one of our key streams for supporting and empowering students to create and maintain their communities and have ownership of their university experience.
GSA provides Grad Groups with the funding through:
- Upfront funding
- Annual funding (via reimbursements)
- Special grants
What Grad Group funding can be spent on
GSA Grad Groups grants are funded by Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) and so must be used towards the following core SSAF activity:
- Communication and outreach to students
- Developing student communities
- General administration and meetings
- Skills for study assistance
- The student voice
Funding cannot go directly to charity (however Groups may hold a fundraiser and donate the fundraiser income). Funding also cannot be spent on any project or activity that is illegal or against GSA policy.
Generally, there is an expectation that funding will benefit most, if not all, members. If funding is for a small group of people, Grad Groups should illustrate how this will have a positive impact on the wider group. Along these lines, GSA will fund committee activity (such as Executive Meetings), within reason.
Alcohol
GSA will fund expenditure on alcohol, if required by the Grad Group. As we actively support healthy and safe communities, there is a limit of two drinks (up to $20 total) per event attendee.In the case of bottles of wine being purchased, this is counted as six drinks or the allocation for three people.
When events are registered, Grad Groups are required to forecast their expected attendee numbers. When they claim reimbursement, they must note their actual attendee figures and, if applicable, the number of alcohol drinks purchased. GSA staff will review receipts to ensure the limit is not exceeded.
Upfront funding
| Group type | Upfront funding |
|---|---|
| 1,000+ | $8,000 |
| Publication | $3,000 |
Groups with 1,000+ members
All standard groups with 1,000 or more members can apply for up to $8,000 upfront funding, spread across two rounds of up to $4,000 each in February and July.
Publication groups
All publication groups can apply for up to $3,000 upfront funding throughout the year. This can be applied for in one go or through several smaller applications throughout the year.
How to claim
The Upfront Funding forms will be live in the beginning of January. For 1,000+ and Publication groups, you will need to provide a budget and plan for expenditure. All groups will need to submit a grant acquittal for this funding by the end of the year.
This funding usually takes up to two weeks to be processed.
Annual funding
| Group Size | Annual funding |
|---|---|
| 6 – 19 | $400 |
| 20 – 49 | $600 |
| 50 – 99 | $800 |
| 100 – 299 | $1,400 |
| 300 – 499 | $2,500 |
| 500 – 999 | $3,500 |
| 1,000+ | Please refer Upfront funding |
| Publication | Please refer Upfront funding |
Funding formula
Annual Funding = (Sem1 Group size funding bracket)*50% + (Sem2 Group size funding bracket)*50%
Membership numbers
As Annual funding is based on PG Unimelb student group size, GSA requires that membership list be submitted twice a year. You can do this via the Update Us form . Access to Annual funding may be delayed if membership lists are not provided by the due dates.
Membership list due date – Semester 1: March 31
Membership list due date – Semester 2: September 30
If your membership numbers increase or decrease to the point that you move funding categories, your funding will be amended pro-rata in line with the funding formula.
Example 1 – No change in membership number
Group A has 6 members in Semester 1. Their membership number remain the same in Semester 2
Group A funding = $400*50% + $400*50% = $400
Example 2 – Increase in membership number
Group B has 6 members in Semester 1. In Semester 2, they increase to 20 members.
Group B funding = $400*50% + $600*50% = $500
Example 3 – Decrease in membership number
Group C has 60 members in Semester 1. In Semester 2, they decrease to 40 members.
Group C funding = $800*50% + $600*50% = $700
Annual funding is provided via reimbursement claims, meaning GSA will reimburse you for costs you have incurred. Grad Group Treasurer puts in a claim via the Grad Group Portal to have the money reimbursed to your Grad Group account.
Annual funding runs to the Calendar Year: January – December. We recommend you have a clear budget plan for your funding so that it lasts until December. If your AGM is mid-year, it’s worth ensuring that the new committee also have funding to play with.
Publication groups and groups with 1,000+ members are not eligible for Annual Funding. Please refer to Upfront funding allocation.
Reimbursement payments are made via EFT straight into your Grad Group bank account, usually within two weeks of the application, and you should coordinate with your Treasurer (or equivalent) to receive your repayment.
You can claim reimbursement funding throughout the year, however all claims must be received by 8th December 2023. If you hold activity after this date (but before the New Year), we recommend organising payment in advance by December 1, 2023 so that you are still able to lodge the claim.
How to claim
Grad Group Treasurers can claim Annual Funding through the Grad Group Portal, at any time during the year.
We cannot provide reimbursements without receipts. Receipts must be visible and legible tax receipts (not EFTPOS transaction slips) and need to contain the business name, address and ABN (Australian Business Number, or equivalent if from outside Australia) .
It is really important that we can read the writing on the receipt – if we can’t read it, we can’t reimburse you – so if you’re taking photos of receipts, make sure you use a good quality camera and take the photo up close. We’d recommend scanning the receipts if possible.
You may submit receipts in foreign languages but it may take us longer to process these.
This funding usually takes up to two weeks to be processed.
Annual funding for new affiliates
Annual funding for new affiliates will be allocated pro-rata as per the table below:
| Affiliation active from | % of Annual funding allocation |
|---|---|
| 1 January | 100% |
| 1 April | 75% |
| 1 July | 50% |
| 1 October | 25% |
Special Grants
Special Grant funding is for projects, events, equipment or activities that are unusual, one-off, extraordinary, or based on special needs of the Grad Group. This is available to all Grad Groups. These grants are processed through grant rounds, taking place quarterly.
Special Grants are available for a maximum of $2,000 and are processed in quarterly rounds.
Read more about Special Grants, including how and when to apply here.