Supplemental Funding

***THIS PAGE IS CURRENTLY BEING UPDATED (FALL 20204)***

There are sources across campus for supplemental funding for student events & programs across campus. Check out the links for each source’s policies and procedures. Then, submit the form found at the bottom of this page to request funds from those sources.

  • How the funds can be used or are typically used:

    Limited funding is available for programs & projects that fit with the mission of CLiA, which is to cultivate and sustain experiential learning opportunities, curricular & non-curricular, in the service of the teaching goals of Williams faculty, the civic aspirations of our students and the needs of the wider community

    Funding is available for programs & projects in which students (or, in some cases, other members of the Williams community) are actively engaged with partner organizations or projects in the community beyond the College. Ordinarily, CLiA funding is not available for projects that are contained entirely within or intended exclusively for the College community. Exceptions can be made for relevant special events such as training workshops to prepare students for work in the community.

    Who can request money:

    Funding may be requested by a Registered Student Organization (RSO) in good standing, an ad hoc student group or project, or another College office or department. Inquiries about new ventures in community engagement are welcome; from time to time funding has been helpful in launching a project that eventually becomes a continuing program. If the requesting group is not an RSO, though, funding can only be received as reimbursement (with receipts) for expenses, or in the payment of invoices. In rare cases CLiA will make very modest grants to appropriate projects proposed by individual students. However, funding is never available directly to the individual in the form of cash in advance. CLiA funding cannot be disbursed directly to a community partner agency unless it is for a specific project or event in which current Williams students are actively involved.

    Procedure for requesting money:

    Submit the form found at the bottom of this page, and then contact Colin Ovitsky at CLiA (Brooks House G10). Action on a request received less than a month before a proposed activity or event cannot be guaranteed. If an RSO has a College Council account, funding will be transferred from CLiA to that account. Note that it may take several days for the Controller’s Office to process the transfer before the funds appear in the RSO’s College Council account. If funding is granted to an ad hoc group taht does not have a CC account – or, in rarer cases, to an individual – note that funding is only available for payment of official invoices or for after-the-fact reimbursement for paper receipts. CLiA cannot offer funding in advance in the form of a check or cash directly to a student.

    Typical Allocation Magnitude:

    Allocation amounts vary widely, depending on the nature of the program and the need – usually in the range of several hundred dollars. Grants are made on a one-time basis; application for annual events must be made each year. Funding is not given retroactively. Priority will be given to new projects as seed money to enable a project to become a continuing, self-supporting program.

    Additional information:

    The Center for Learning in Action must be listed as a co-sponsor for any event or program for which funding is granted.

    Contact person(s):Paula Consolini

  • How the funds can be used or are typically used:

    Funding is available for events and projects that have a primary home in the Williams College community, whether in the work of a registered student organization in good standing, of an ad hoc student group or project, or of another college office or department.  Criteria for eligibility include:

    • The project or event is open to the entire College community – or intended for a particular segment of the community in a way that is inclusive
    • The project or event is designed or intended to further the values of healthy spiritual, religious or ethical life; to increase awareness of particular ethical or social concerns; to celebrate the gifts of a particular community to the wider community or society; to speak to a need that has not been addressed adequately elsewhere in college programming; to speak or enact a prophetic word about injustice, oppression or intolerance.
    • The project or event is thoughtfully planned with appropriate attention to such matters as leadership, advertising, follow-up, and responsible use of and accountability for resources.
    • The project or event is intended to build up the community.

    Who can apply for funding:

    Student organizations do not need to be officially recognized in order to request funding; from time to time Chaplains’ Office funding has been helpful in launching a program that eventually becomes a continuing student organization.  If the requesting group is not an official student organization, though, funding can only be received as reimbursement (with receipts) for expenses, or in the payment of invoices.

    In rare cases the Chaplains’ Office makes very modest grants to appropriate projects proposed by individual students.  However, funding is never available directly to the individual in the form of cash in advance.

    Procedure for applying for funding:

    Submit the form found at the bottom of this page. Favorable action on requests received less than a week before a proposed event cannot be guaranteed.

    If a student group has a College Council account, funding will normally be transferred from the Chaplains’ Office to that account.  Note that it may take several days for the Controller’s Office to process the transfer before the funds appear in the student organization account.

    If funding is granted to an ad hoc group that does not have a student activities account – or, in rarer cases, to an individual – note that funding is only available as after-the-fact reimbursement for paper receipts or payment of official invoices.  The Chaplains’ Office cannot offer funding in advance in the form of a check or cash directly to a student.

    Typical allocation magnitude:

    Most grants from the Chaplains’ Office are in the range of $100-$250, except for events of an explicitly religious/spiritual nature, in which case more funding may be available from additional sources within our budget.  Grants are made on a one-time basis; application for annual events must be made each year.  Funding is not given retroactively.  Priority will ordinarily be given to events and projects that have not previously received Chaplains’ Office funding.

    Additional Information:

    Funding for Winter Study Projects of individual students:  Because of the number of requests and the high costs of travel, the Chaplains’ Office is not able to offer funding for WSP 99’s, regardless of the topic.

    The Chaplains’ Office must be listed as a co-sponsor of any event for which funding is granted.

    Though generally the Chaplains’ Office does not offer funding for the purpose of enabling individual students to attend conferences or other off-campus events or programs, sometimes specific funds are available to enable particular kinds of educational or spiritual experiences; in-person inquiries are welcome.  The Chaplains’ Office is not able to offer funding for WSP 99’s, however, regardless of the topic, because of the number of requests and the high costs of travel.

    Inquiries about programs or events that pertain specifically to Jewish, Roman Catholic or Muslim life are encouraged to make direct contact with the Chaplains who work with those communities if needing assistance completing the Supplemental Funding Request Form.

    Funding for projects involving local community service or activism around particular issues may be available from the Center for Learning in Action (materials, programs, transportation).

    Contact persons: Reverend Valerie Bailey Fischer

  • The Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and The Davis Center work with units, groups, and individual faculty, staff, and students on programs, events, and initiatives. OIDEI / The Davis Center utilize their own process for funding. Follow this link to learn more.

  • The Zilkha Center utilizes it’s own process for funding. Follow this link to learn more.

    If you are unsure whether or not your event meets the missions and goals of the Zilkha Center, contact [email protected]

  • There are other sources that are not included in the Supplemental Funding form, which may be able to provide funding depending on the program or event you are planning. Below is a brief listing of those other sources along with contact information – be in touch with the contact person directly with any questions.

    Academic Departments

    Contact: the Department Chair

    Committee on Diversity & Community

    Contact:  Danielle Gonzalez

    Lecture Committee

    Lehman Council

    Minority Coalition

    Office of Career Counseling

    Contact: Don Kjelleren

    Schumann Fund

  • Thinking about bringing in an outside speaker/performer? Be sure to follow the policies found at this link.

    It’s important to have your budget plan organized before you meet with supplemental funding sources. It is strongly suggested that you:

    • Compile all of the cost and expenditure information related to your request
    • Create a detailed and easy to read itemized budget
      • Make sure that anyone—especially someone with no knowledge about your event—can read and understand your budget
      • Write out an explanation for anything that may not be obvious to a casual observer
      • Provide justification for your prices and expenditures. Where did you get the price quotes? Why do you need the items on the budget? How did you reach your total cost figure? Have you checked other vendors or searched for cheaper prices?
    • Write a brief description explaining why you are requesting money
      • This is your opportunity to justify your request and make your case
      • All funding sources have limited resources and want to help as many students as possible
      • Tell the sources how the allocation will help you/the campus/the school
      • Make sure your reasons match the mandate and restrictions of the sources you plan on approaching
      • Include a list of the people who will benefit from the allocation
    • Write a list of all of the sources you are asking for money
      • Include the amount requested from each source
      • Include the amount to be contributed by you or your organization
      • The list should be made before approaching any sources; however, once you begin to request money, update the list with final allocation figures. Always provide every source with all of the information at your disposal.

    Once you have submitted the form below, feel free to communicate directly with the offices and departments listed herein. These should be the main sources to reach out to. If you are not having any luck finding funding from the below sources, please work directly with OCL.

    By submitting the form below, you agree that you have read all applicable processes & policies for the individual funding sources from which you are requesting funds and you understand them and agree to abide by them.