Eligibility:

1. The applicant professional student must be currently attending the University at the Twin Cities or Duluth;

2. Or if the applicant is a student group, then the same must be registered with the University; and

3. The event/initiative complies with all the Government’s and University policies.

Deadlines:

Grant applications submitted at least fourteen (14) days before the next session (meeting) of Congress shall be voted on in that session. Grant applications submitted after the fourteen (14) day deadline may be considered at the discretion of the Secretary of Grants. Professional Development Grants may be submitted seven (7) days prior. The event must also occur after the nearest upcoming session of Congress, unless otherwise specified in §6.10(D).

General Policies:

1. All events/initiatives must comply with University policies and guidelines.

2. All applications must be for unique, non-recurring events.

3. Grants will only be granted for events that have the main purpose of benefitting professional students in the way designated by the type of grant applied for. Applications for events that are solely community-service oriented will not be awarded grant funding.

4. The Government (PSG) will not bear any legal or financial liabilities for events/initiatives that receive funding. By applying for grant funding from the Government, the applicant waives all causes of action or rights against the Government.

5. Grants will only partially fund an event/initiative.

6. The Government will not fund events/initiatives retroactively, unless public notice of the event/initiative did not permit the grant application to be submitted before the applicable deadline. Applicants requesting funding for the summer may apply during the spring semester.

7. All funds must be used for the event/initiative for which it is awarded. Any unused portion of the grant must be refunded to the Government unless otherwise determined by the Government.

8. Grant funding cannot be used to make direct or indirect contributions to charitable organizations or philanthropic causes outside the University of Minnesota or to purchase alcohol.

9. Grant funding may be used to fund honorariums at the discretion of Congress. Honorariums must follow existing guidelines and cannot be in the form of direct or indirect charitable donations, alcohol, gift cards in the excess of $10, prizes in the excess of $50, or gift cards to merchants other than a restaurant or the University of Minnesota Bookstore.

10. Events/initiatives must be advertised on the respective campus and acknowledge the Government’s contribution, if applicable. Applicants should request a copy of the Government (PSG) logo over email.

11. An electronic copy of all receipts must be submitted with the evaluation form.

12. Changes to an original grant application must be communicated to the Government immediately and prior to the event/initiative. If there is a material change in the original grant application’s budget for an event, the following formula will determine the maximum extent of the award: Total Award = (Approved PSG Grant Amount / Proposed Expense) x Actual Expense. However, if a change to the original grant application is for good cause and advance notice of the change is given, this formula will not be applied.

13. Applicants for all grants except for Professional Development will be contacted to schedule an interview with the Government and must present their request for funding. The interview will discuss anticipated benefit of the event/initiative to professional students, fiscal responsibility, and overall quality of the application.

14. All grants except for Professional Development will be awarded in two installments. After submitting the application and receiving approval by Congress, the first installment will be awarded prior to the event/initiative. The second installment will be awarded shortly after submitting the evaluation form. Professional Development grants will be awarded in one installment. The grant will be awarded shortly after submitting the evaluation form.

15. Incomplete or misrepresented information in the grant process, as well as errors due to negligence or failure to comply with policies, will disqualify an application and may have consequences, as determined by the Government.

16. Questions or request for appeals shall first be directed in writing to the Government or the Secretary of Grants. If after 30 days, the applicant does not deem an appeal adequately resolved, the applicant may file a complaint with the Judiciary.

Grants Evaluation Forms:

1. An evaluation form must be submitted no later than 14 days following the conclusion of an event or initiative.

2. The evaluation must include receipts, which shall be combined into one electronic document using either PDF, Word, or image file format.

3. Once the Government receives the evaluation form and has processed it, an email will be sent acknowledging that a check can be picked up from the Government’s office.

4. Recipients must pick checks up within 14 days of being contacted.

P.S.G.C. § 6.10.