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ASI Leadership Funding (ALF)
Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) provides ASI Leadership Funding (ALF) for student organizations’ events and student attendance at professional conferences. ASI recognizes the impact campus student organizations and professional development have in building community, strengthen relationships, and keep CSUSM students engaged.
ASI believes it is important for students to stay engaged whether that is with their fellow clubs and organizations or by attending conferences to build their personal or professional development. These all help build community, strengthen relationships, and keep CSUSM students engaged. ASI has a mission to serve, engage, and empower students and we recognize the impact campus student organizations and professional development have in driving that mission.
The ASI Vice President of Finance & Operations and professional staff members determine the allocation of these funds. All such allocations are made in accordance with the ASI Bylaws and CSUSM-ASI Viewpoint Neutrality Policy and General Procedures.
How to Apply For Funds
ASI provides applications for reimbursement opportunities for pre-approved student organizations’ events and individual student attendance at professional conferences. Approved funding is based on eligibility and compliance with the procedures outlined below or here in our ASI Leadership Funding policy.
See below for applications and for more information about guidelines!
Guidelines and Application for On-Campus Recognized Student Organizations' Events
Approved funding for a registered student organization's (RSO) on-campus event is based on eligibility and compliance with the procedures outlined below. Awarded funds are on a first come-first served basis. Application must be submitted at least one week (7 days) prior to event date. These funds are for reimbursement or for direct payment to vendors. Events must take place during the academic year and be held on CSUSM campus. Student Organizations are not approved for funding until after application has been accepted and approved.
All events must be conducted in compliance with applicable University rules, regulations and policies, including facilities use policies if the event will require reservation and use of University space as well as Sodexo’s first right of refusal for food purchases over $250. All events must be compliant with and not violate any federal, state or local law, statute, ordinance, code, or regulation.
Each student organization has a maximum reimbursement of $500 for events open to the whole campus community and $250 maximum for events only open to student organization and its members. See below for more details.
- What is the process?
Each RSO shall submit its application online. Funding decisions shall be made in the order of when the application was received. Awarded funds are on a first come, first served basis. Events must take place during the academic year. Awards must be made in conformance with ASI’s viewpoint neutrality requirement.
Application must be submitted at least one (1) week prior to event taking place.
Event is not considered approved until application review. The applicant will receive an email noting the decision on the applications within 5 business days of final submission with all signatures.If approved, recipients are required to submit receipts or payment requests no later than June 7th of the academic year in which the event takes place; such receipts should be sent to alf@csusm.edu or brought to the ASI office in USU 3700 in order to process payments for the awarded funds.
Once documentation is received, reimbursements process within ten (10) business days pending no outstanding items are needed for processing.
- What are the guidelines?
An RSO shall be eligible to obtain ALF funding if it satisfies the following requirements at the time the application is submitted:
- The RSO is properly registered as a recognized student organization in good standing through Student Leadership & Involvement Center (SLIC)
- A representative of the RSO has attended a financing workshop prior to submitting their first funding application for the academic school year.
All applications for ALF funding by an eligible RSO shall be granted in the amount requested provided that (1) ALF funds are still available at the time the application is submitted, and (2) the RSO-sponsored event or program satisfies the following requirements and conditions:
- Application was submitted to ASI at least one (1) week prior to event taking place
- The event will be held on-campus.
- The event will be free to attend for CSUSM students.
- The application must contain a budget detailing how the funds will be used.
- Funding may only be used for consumable items and facility costs such as food for
attendees, paper products, event/program advertising, and rental or cleaning costs.
If food is purchased, it must follow campus’s first right of refusal policies. - Funding is not available, and may not be used, for any of the following: door prizes, raffles, opportunity drawings, honorariums, speaker fees, donations, gifts, or give-away items.
- An RSO may receive up to $500 in ALF funding per semester. If an event or program is not open to the entire campus community, the maximum ALF amount that may be requested is $250.If an event or program is open to the entire campus community, the maximum ALF amount that may be requested is $500.
- An RSO may co-sponsor an event with another RSO. For a co-sponsored event, each RSO is eligible to submit an application for the maximum $500 amount. Co-sponsored events can be funded up to maximum $1,500 (or up to five RSO requesting funding).
- ALF contribution for co-sponsored funding is not available for individual RSO members.
- Incomplete applications will be rejected and must be re-submitted as a new application. Must still follow application timeline requirements.
- Use of funding for any activity not disclosed in the application will disqualify an RSO from receiving any future ALF funding for a period of one academic year.
- Funding may only be used or expended in support of the specific program or event identified in the funding application.
All events must be conducted in compliance with applicable University rules, regulations and policies, including facilities use policies if the event will require reservation and use of University space as well as Sodexo’s first right of refusal for food purchases over $250. All events must be compliant with and not violate any federal, state or local law, statute, ordinance, code, or regulation.
- My application was approved, now what?
Event is not considered approved until application review is complete. The applicant will receive an email noting the decision on the applications within 5 business days of final submission with all signatures.If approved, recipients are required to submit receipts or payment requests no later than June 7th of the academic year in which the event takes place; such receipts should be sent to alf@csusm.edu or brought to the ASI office in USU 3700 in order to process payments for the awarded funds.
Once documentation is received, reimbursements process within ten (10) business days pending no outstanding items are needed for processing.
- What if my application or part of my application was denied?
Each RSO shall submit its application to ASI Vice President of Finance & Operations electronically. No later than the close of business five business days from the date the application is submitted, ASI ASI Vice President of Finance & Operations must approve or deny the application and deliver their decision in writing via electronic communication to the person that submitted the application on behalf of the RSO. Email is permissible for this notification.
If the application satisfies the criteria set forth above and ALF funds are available, ASI Vice President of Finance & Operations must approve the application as submitted.
If ASI Vice President of Finance & Operations denies the application or decreases the original funding request amount, ASI Vice President of Finance & Operations must: (1) issue their decision in writing to the RSO, and (2) identify the specific reasons for the denial or reduction.
If the RSO disagrees with the decision, the RSO may request a meeting with ASI Vice President of Finance & Operations or designee within three (3) business days of receipt of the decision. The meeting shall take place within five (5) business days of the request pending scheduling availability. At the meeting, the parties will discuss the application and ASI Vice President of Finance & Operations shall explain ASI reasons for any reduction in amount or denial of the application. The RSO will receive written notice of ASI Vice President of Finance & Operations’s decision within three (3) business days after the meeting. If the decision confirms the denial of or decrease in funding, the decision will explain and state in writing the reasons why the funding was denied or decreased.
- Appeal Process
If the RSO contends that ASI Vice President of Finance & Operations’s post-meeting decision violates or did not comply with the viewpoint neutrality requirement, it may file an appeal. The RSO has five (5) business days after receipt of the written post-meeting decision to file an appeal. Such appeal must be in writing and state the reason the RSO believes the application was wrongfully denied or reduced. The appeal shall be limited to the question of whether the application was properly denied pursuant to the policy or whether viewpoint or opinion played an impermissible role in the denial or reduction.
The CSUSM Vice President of Student Affairs (“VPSA”) or the VPSA’s designee will review the appeal and issue a written decision as soon as reasonably practicable but no later than ten (10) business days of receipt of appeal.
The VPSA or the VPSA’s designee shall determine “de novo” (i.e., without any deference to the ASI Vice President of Finance & Operations’s decision) whether the funding decision complied with the terms of the policy or whether it violated the viewpoint neutrality requirement.
Applications for an RSO On-Campus Event
Applications for the 23/24 academic year are now open!
Complete drop down workflow for "On-Campus Event Funding Approval_23/24". Complete with requried email information for:
- Individual who is completing application
- RSO President
- RSO advisor.
Submitter will receive email to complete application.
Application is not considered complete until all required signatures are received on form. If you have any questions, contact ALF@CSUSM.EDU.
Guidelines and Application for Off-Campus Professional Development Conferences
Funding is available for current CSUSM student to attend professional development conferences off-campus. Awarded funds are on a first come-first served basis.
All student requests for travel and conference funding will be subject to the viewpoint neutral policies and procedures set forth in “CSUSM-ASI Viewpoint Neutrality Policy and General Procedures”. All student requests for student attendance at professional conferences must comply with ASI Accounts Payable policy.
International conferences will not be funded. Read more about our ASI Leadership Funding Policy here.
- What is the process?
Funding decisions shall be made in the order of when the application was received. Awarded funds are on a first come, first served basis. Conferences must take place during the academic year. Awards must be made in conformance with ASI’s viewpoint neutrality requirement
Applicants will submit application on the ASI website via Adobesign form.
1. Complete application below and attachments must include documentation about conference, which must include title, subject, location and dates.
2. Application must be submitted at least one (1) week prior to conference dates. APPLY EARLY if possible.
3. The applicant will receive an email noting the decision of their application. If approved, recipients are required to submit proof of attendance, receipts and a written statement via email to alf@csusm.edu within 10 business days in order to process payment for their awarded funds.
Students will not receive reimbursement unless proper documentation is submitted. Students will only receive reimbursement funds for the total of receipts submitted up to the award total amount.
- What are the guidelines?
Conferences must take place during the academic year. Student conference includes, but is not limited to, conferences, seminars, symposia, workshops, retreats or similar events and meetings (together, called “conference activity”) selected by the student.
Conference is not considered approved for funding until reviewed and approved by ASI Vice President. Do not plan on receiving funds until they have been officially approved.
- Applicant must be a currently enrolled CSUSM student
- Conference must follow all guidelines
- No more than four students attending the same conference may obtain ALF funds.
- International conferences will not be funded.
- Student may attend a conference only once per semester.
- May apply for up two within academic year (i.e. one in fall and one in spring). Summer and winter intersession shall be considered fall semester.
- Student will only receive funds upon submit of proof of attendance, receipts, and written statement.
- Club sports teams and other student recreation sports may only apply if the individual or team is participating in a national title championship.
- Incomplete applications will be denied, at the discretion of the ASI Vice President of Finance & Operations.
ASI shall not, in administering this Policy, evaluate or consider in any way the nature or content of the conference activity other than to verify that the described conference activity actually exists, and that it complies with all applicable University rules, regulations, and policies and all applicable federal, state or local laws, statutes, ordinances, codes, or regulations. ASI’s role with respect to reimbursement for student conference activity shall be limited to (i) verifying that the stated conference is actually taking place.
Provisions of California Assembly Bill No. 1887
Effective September 27, 2016, California Assembly Bill No. 1887 prohibits ASI from approving a request for ASI-funded or ASI-sponsored travel to any state that, after June 26, 2015, has enacted a law that:
- Voids or repeals or has the effect of voiding or repealing, existing state or local protections against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression; or
- Has enacted a law that authorizes or reflects discrimination against same-sex couples or their families, or on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, as specified, subject to certain exceptions.
This prohibition currently extends to the following states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee,Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming. This list may be subject to change.
- My application was approved, now what?
If approved, how much will I be approved for? We funded reimbursements on the following guidelines:
- One day in-state conference within 400 miles from campus: $100.00 award
- Two days or more conference within 400 miles from campus: $250.00 award
- One day conference outside of 400 miles from campus: $200.00 award
- Two days or more conference outside of 400 miles from campus: $425.00 award
The applicant will receive an email noting the decision of their application within 5 business days of submission.
If approved, recipients are required to submit proof of attendance and a written statement via email to alf@csusm.edu in order to process reimbursement payment for their awarded funds. Students will not receive reimbursement unless proper documentation is submitted.
After documentation is received to ASI, reimbursements process within ten (10) business days pending no outstanding items are needed for processing.
- What if my application is denied?
Reconsideration of Application Decision
If ASI denies the student travel/conference application or decreases the original funding request amount, ASI must (1) issue its decision in writing to the student, and (2) identify the specific reasons for the denial or reduction. If the student disagrees with the decision, the student may request a meeting with ASI Vice President of FInance & Operations or designee within three business days of receipt of the decision. The meeting shall take place within five (5) business days of the request. At the meeting, the parties will discuss the application and the ASI administrator shall explain the reasons for any reduction in amount or denial of the application. The student will receive written notice of ASI’s decision within three (3) business days after the meeting. If the decision confirms the denial of or decrease in funding, the decision will explain and state in writing the reasons why the funding was denied or decreased.
Appeal Process
If the student contends that ASI’s post-meeting decision violates or did not comply with the viewpoint neutrality requirement, the student may file an appeal within five (5) business days after receipt of the written decision to file an appeal. Such appeal must be in writing and state the reason the student believes the application was wrongfully denied or reduced. The appeal shall be limited to the question of whether the application was properly denied pursuant to the policy or whether viewpoint or opinion played an impermissible role in the denial or reduction.
The CSUSM Vice President of Student Affairs (“VPSA”) or VPSA’s designee will review the appeal and issue a written decision as soon as reasonably practicable but no later than ten (10) business days of receipt of appeal.
Standard of Review
The VPSA or VPSA’s designee shall determine “de novo” (i.e., without any deference to the decisions below) whether the funding decision complied with the terms of the policy or whether it violated the viewpoint neutrality requirement.
Application for off-campus conference
Applications for the 23/24 academic year are now open!
Complete drop down workflow for "Conference Funding Application_23/24". Complete with requried email information. Submitter will receive email to complete application in Adobe Sign.
Application is not considered complete until all required signatures are received on form. If you have any questions, contact ALF@CSUSM.EDU.