General ABC Funding Guidelines

1.     Determining Initial Allocation for New Groups

a.     CATEGORY A groups are eligible for up to $250 of funding per semester

b.     CATEGORY B groups are eligible to submit Budget Requests of any sum.

 

2.     Debt

a.     If the debt is less than or equal to one-third of the group's initial allocation by the ABC, then that group's initial allocation will be reduced by the entirety of the debt as the group's debt payment.

b.     If the debt is more than one-third of the groupÕs initial allocation by the ABC, then that groupÕs initial allocation will be reduced by one-third, with that one-third reduction being applied as a debt payment.

 

3.     Conferences / Tournaments / Trips

a.     For a Columbia team as visitors:

                                      i.     The ABC (within reason) will subsidize registration fees.

                                    ii.     At most 50% of all transportation and lodging expenses will be subsidized.

                                   iii.     All groups must display registration, travel, reasonable lodging quotes and documentation from sponsoring institution regarding fees and/or associated costs while submitting their EAF

b.     For a Columbia team as host:

                                      i.     ABC groups holding conferences or tournaments must have a registration list with the names of all the participants and teams available two business days before the start of the event

                                    ii.     Registration fees will only be accepted by check unless otherwise approved by SDA

                                   iii.     Refunds will be given in check unless otherwise approved by SDA

 

4.     Policies regarding the History/Heritage Months

a.     History/Heritage Months will follow all guidelines specified for SDA recognized groups.

b.     Once the History/Heritage Month has ended, the MonthÕs SGO account will be closed for co-sponsorships of other events. Leftover funds will only be available to cover open commitments.

c.     Heritage Months are required to submit a program summary once the month has ended.

d.     Heritage months shall submit EAFs to their ABC representative on a weekly basis by the Friday (11:59 pm) prior to that week. EAFs should clearly detail all the weekÕs events and expenses.

e.     Effective Feb 2006, weekly-EAFs for Heritage Month are implemented on a trial basis; a final decision on this will be made at the end of Spring 2006

 

5.     Policies on Non-CU and Non-CU Undergraduate Guests

a.     The admission prices for non-CU students and non-CU undergraduates should reflect the per-capita net costs of their participation in the programming open to them.

 

6.     Publications

a.     All publications should come out at least one week before the last day of the academic year.

b.     All publications must pay for at least 1/4 of their total costs for putting out an issue.

c.     All publications must publish at least one issue per year or they risk de-recognition. Exceptions to this clause may be granted if 4/5th majority of the ABC Board members vote in favor of the exceptions.

 

7.     T-shirts & Uniforms

a.     The ABC will NOT fund T-shirts (groups can use their revenue).

b.     If a clothing item is to be passed on from year to year, it will be considered equipment and is fundable.

 

8.     Summer Programming

a.     No part of the Student Activities Fee can be used for summer events

b.     Reimbursements will not normally be granted for summer activities, but may be considered on a case by case basis.

 

9.     Winter Programming

a.     There will be no programming over Winter Break except on a case-by-case basis

b.     Groups that want to have programming over Winter Break must inform their representative before the end of fall semester

c.     ABC representatives who oversee groups with winter programming will have a three day window to approve EAFs

 

10.  Speakers

a.     The ABC will subsidize a speakerÕs honorarium and associated costs within reason

 

11.  Contests and Tournaments

a.     All awards for contests and tournaments should be paid for from the profits generated by said event.

 

12.  Catering/Sit Down Dinners

a.     When submitting a food budget for banquets or dinners, at least three estimates must be provided.

b.     The maximum expenditure for catered meals is $5/person.

 

13.  Parties and Charity events

a.     Groups must break even on parties and charity events (i.e., revenues must be equal to or greater than expenses)

 

14.  Study Breaks & Flyers

a.     $2 per study break attendee is a reasonable food expenditure.

b.     No gratuitous spending on food (i.e. Food distribution should not be the sole purpose of an event)

c.     $15 is the maximum expenditure for flyers for a single small event.

 

15.  Accompanists/Conductors

a.     ABC will cover half of the cost of accompanists.

b.     Effective Spring 2006, ABC will cover half of the cost of Musical Conductors within reason

 

16.  Banners

a.     No funding for banner. Groups should use their revenue for such an expense.

 

17.  Phone Mail

a.     No funding for phone mail unless it is for a large scale event.

 

18.  Websites

a.     No funding for outside websites since groups can use ColumbiaÕs. Groups should use revenue if they choose to have an outside website domain

 

19.  Communication

a.     ABC executive officers will not receive questions or concerns unless a group has discussed the matter with their representative first.

 

20.  Appeals

a.     Groups that wish to apply for a budget appeal must send their appeal to the appeals committee through their representative. The representative will ensure that the appeal form is appropriately filled out with the necessary documentation attached.

 

21.  Transfer Payments and Co-sponsorships

a.     No club should pay another club for services

b.     Any co-sponsorship needs to be explained fully in the EAF and/or appeal. The following information must be included:

                                      i.     Which group the co-sponsorship is going to, and

                                    ii.     The exact details on what the co-sponsorship money will be used for.

c.     The ABC will approve co-sponsorships on a case-by-case basis

 

22.  Audio/Visual services

a.     No money will be given for photographers/video/cameramen

 

23.  Allocations

a.     The growth of a group's allocation is not guaranteed, nor is the fulfillment of the year's planned programming an entitlement to an increase in budget

 

24.  Competition Groups

a.     ABC will not pay for any food for traveling groups

 

25.  Movie Events

a.     For events with movie screenings, please refer to SDA's movie policy.

b.     All copyright costs should be appealed for.

 

26.  Reimbursements

a.     All reimbursements must be submitted within 30 days of the event

b.     Reimbursements will only be made for events that have been approved via EAF PRIOR to the event.