Student Organization Grant Application

The Carlson School Undergraduate Program has funds available to support Carlson School-affiliated student groups for events or programs that support the strategic priorities of the Carlson School Undergraduate Program. Up to $1,000 per group is available each academic year. 

Application Content Requirements:

Grant funding will be awarded to programs or events that are open to all Carlson students, provide clear benefits for Carlson School undergraduate students, and meet at least one of the following criteria:

1. Adds to the knowledge base, professional development, and/or personal development of Carlson students.

2. Serves the University of Minnesota and/or greater Twin Cities communities through humanitarian or community service activities.

3. Engages Carlson students in topics of social impact, diversity, equity, and/or inclusion education.

4. Encourages collaboration or community-building among Carlson students of various majors, interests, and backgrounds, and/or faculty, staff, and alumni.

In addition to meeting one of the criteria above, the program cannot duplicate other established events offered by Carlson or other Carlson student organizations. 

*NEW this year - Outside the regular criterion, Student Organization Grants can also be used to fund case competition or conference travel. This will be a request outside of the regular grants process: please reach out to Caroline Quinn (quinn655@umn.edu) if you are interested in using a grant for this.*

Examples of past successful grant applications include:

• BAM - Diversity in the Workplace: open to all Carlson students, the event featured corporate speakers on promoting diversity in the workplace. Featured discussion activities between attendees and a Q&A panel between attendees and speakers. 

• Design U - Portfolio event: A public event that showcases the final projects completed by Design U members for clients, members, and the general public.

• Compass - Alumni Reunion: Open to all Carlson students, this was an opportunity to directly hear about queer DEI experiences in the corporate world and learn about ongoing or successful LGBTQIA+ initiatives and DEI projects.

Funds will not be available to support:

• Food for weekly meetings.

• Operations costs such as annual dues, SUA registration, or web hosting.

• Events or programs that are exclusive to members only.

• The University is itself a charitable, tax-exempt organization, and should not make contributions to other charitable organizations. 

  • Campus Life and Registered Student organizations which occasionally raise or collect funds for charitable purposes may continue to do so.

  • Organizations may buy items to give to a charitable organization.

  • Example: A student group may buy 12 IKEA dresser kits for an event where the dressers are built to support community amongst members, etc. The dressers can be given the Jeremiah Program. (We are not giving funds but we are giving goods.)

Application Review Process & Funding:

• Application deadlines will be announced twice per year. The deadline for Spring 2024 funding is Friday, January 26th at 12:00pm.

• Funding recommendations will be made by the Carlson School Undergraduate Program.​

• All groups will receive an email of the amount of any awarded funds and, where appropriate, a brief explanation for any denied requests.

• Campus Life Programs will have their awarded funds deposited to appropriate EFS account strings.

• Registered Student Organizations will be notified via a second email when funds, in the form of a check, are delivered to their organization’s mailbox.

  • The processing and printing of checks can take upwards of a month once a grant has been awarded.

If you have any questions regarding the Carlson Undergraduate Program Grants or the application process, please contact Carlson Student Life and Career Coach and coordinator of the UG Grants Program, Caroline Quinn, at quinn655@umn.edu.