Student Group Finances

This account contains money BELONGING TO THE GROUP, including fundraising revenue, sponsorships, contributions, POS sales, deposits, electronic fund transfers, and Operational Grant funds.

Deposits

Groups can deposit cash or cheques (made out to the Students’ Association of MacEwan University) at the SAMU Front Desk using a Deposit Form. Deposited funds are typically available within 10 business days. Groups expecting EFTs must provide supporting documents to the Student Groups Department. 

Groups may also receive deposits via mail. If your group is expecting mail, please ensure SAMU’s address is written on the envelope and notify the Student Groups Funding Coordinator. If SAMU is unable to determine who a piece of mail belongs to, it will be returned to sender after 10 business days. 

Note: If a cheque is deposited and is returned as non-sufficient funds (NSF), NSF fee is the group’s responsibility and will be debited from the group’s account.

Groups who are interested in making a debit/credit card deposit must reach out to Student Groups Funding Coordinator through email.

This account contains money that has been awarded to the group by SAMU’s Grant and Awards Sub-Committee (GAASC) for a specific event.  

After an Event Grant has been approved, the funds will be transferred into the Event Grant Account, and will remain there until they are used by the group or they expire.

Groups may receive up to $500 per fiscal year in Operational Grant funding. The Operational Grant is meant to help groups fund their general operations and events. The funding has no restrictions and does not expire. The Operational Grant is added to the Regular Group Account. 

All student groups can apply for Operational Grant starting on August 1st 

• Groups can apply for $300 between August 1st and December 31st.  
• Groups can apply for up to an additional $200 between January 1st and May 31st. (Exact amount available between January 1st and May 31st is dependent on remaining available funds.)

To apply for the Operational Grant, Student Groups must submit a Funding Request through the Finance function on Student Groups Connect. 

Operational Grants are reviewed and approved by the Student Groups Department.  

Student groups may receive up to $2,000 in Event Grant funding per fiscal year. Your group can use the funding for one large event or multiple smaller events. 

Before You Apply 

• • Submit an Event Approval Form through the Events section of Student Groups Connect at least 20 business days before your event. 
  • Create your budget as accurately as possible. Approved funding counts toward your annual $2,000 limit, even if your group does not spend the full amount. 
  • Event Grants are not guaranteed, so always plan your event budget without relying on grant funding. 
  • For collaborative events, the maximum Event Grant is $3,000 per event. Event-specific supplies, equipment, or licensing
  • For collaborative events, each group is responsible for submitting their own Event Grant application.

Event Grant – Eligible Expenses

• • Food-related supplies, catering, and non-alcoholic beverages
  • Venue rental, vendor services, setup and takedown expenses, audiovisual, décor, and security costs
  • Event-specific marketing collateral to a maximum of $500
  • Speaker(s) or performer(s) fee or gift in kind, including meal, parking, and non-alcoholic beverages expenses
  • Event-specific supplies, equipment, or licensing

• All Event Grant applications are reviewed by the Grant and Awards Sub-Committee (GAASC), which determines whether funding is approved.
• If your application is approved, your group must sign the Grant Award Letter within 5 business days. The letter outlines your approved funding categories, grant expiry date, and other important conditions.
• If the Grant Award Letter is not signed within 5 business days, the approved funding will be returned to SAMU.

Accessing Your Funding

• To receive reimbursement, submit a Purchase Request for eligible expenses.
• Paused student groups are not eligible to use Event Grant funding.
• Event expenditures must be submitted within twenty (20) business days of the event occurring to be eligible for reimbursement from grant funds.

A funding request allocates money to a group’s account or requests additional funds (grants) for the group. It is a request for money to be moved into an account. Funding Requests are ONLY used to apply for the Operational Grant. You will need to select the Regular Group Account.  

Paused groups are unable to receive an Operational Grant. 

A purchase request is a record of money being spent from a group’s account. It requests money to be moved out of an account. 

Use purchase requests for the following:  

1. Reimbursing a group member  
2. Paying an invoice  
3. Transferring money to another group  

Please ensure the payee’s name on all purchase requests matches the name on file the payee has with their bank. 

Purchase Requests can only be submitted for transfers of at least $10.00. If the requested amount is less than $10.00, please hold on to the invoice/receipt and combine it with an additional expense in the future.

Paused groups are unable to receive reimbursement from the Event Grant. 

Proper documentation must accompany any Purchase or Funding request. The Event Grant can only be used to reimburse expenses with itemized receipts or invoices; credit card receipts are not sufficient as they do not list the items purchased. 

Groups may complete a Missing Receipt Form and attach it to the Purchase Request if a receipt is lost. However, missing receipts may ONLY be reimbursed with funds from the group’s regular account. 

Components of an itemized receipt (all these components must be present): 

• Business or vendor’s name
• Date of purchase
• Specific, discrete item(s) purchased
• Price of each item
• Total amount of bill
• Method of payment

Once the Executive Committee has approved a group, executive officers are the only people authorized to deposit or withdraw money from the group account. Executives seeking reimbursement may not sign off on their own Purchase request. 

Additionally, signatures must always be uploaded as a handwritten document or a timestamped PDF. The signed document must have the following: 

• Legible 
• Signature Date 
• Description of what the signatures are for 
• First and last name of Payee 
• Three current executives’ 
  • First and last names 
  • Positions 
  • Signatures

  More information about the Signature Document can be found here.
  

Student groups are responsible for keeping track of group spending. Keep in mind that executives are accountable to their members, and members can ask for regular updates.

Groups can view their account balance on Student Groups Connect by selecting finance under their group’s Organizational Tools. From there, select “Accounts” to see the group’s current balance for Event Grant, Operational Grant, and Regular Account.

Note: While account balances on Student Groups Connect are updated regularly, they are NOT OFFICIAL BALANCES and are subject to ERROR. Groups are encouraged to contact the Student Groups Funding Coordinator to request an official account balance.

One of the most common fundraising activities for groups is bake sales. Bake sales are an effective and easy way for groups to raise money. There are various tabling locations throughout MacEwan campus and SAMU building that groups can use to host a bake sale. 

Before hosting a bake sale, groups must familiarize themselves with the Alberta Food Safety Guidelines and MacEwan University’s Bake Sale Guidelines.  Both documents can be found in the Resources on Student Groups Connect. 

• Event leaders must complete Alberta’s Food Safety Basics training available through Alberta Health Services prior to hosting a Bake Sale. 
• Food must be low-risk according to Alberta Food Safety Guidelines (no meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, or raw milk) and prepared hygienically in a clean kitchen with gloves and hair nets. 
• All items must be individually wrapped and not require refrigeration. Groups that do not wrap their items will be required to purchase packaging from the Student Groups Department. 
• Bake sale items require approval from the Manager of Student Groups and may be denied if they compete with SAMU or MacEwan vendors. 

Groups can only do raffles and 50/50 if they partner with a registered Charity. This restriction is due to legislation under Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC). 

There are creative ways to host activities or events without requiring a license. Three combined factors make a lottery: 

1. An entry fee.
2. A prize. 
3. An element of chance (ie. any form of a draw). 

Groups do not require a license if one of the three factors is eliminated. Therefore, if the group makes it a competition (ex. Jelly Bean Guessing Game) where skill determines the winner, the element of chance is removed. Door prizes and silent auctions also do not require a raffle license. 

 Student Groups May Offer:

• Financial Contributions
• Advertising Support
• Event Support
• Goods/Services
• Venue Locations

Sponsors May Offer:

• Logo Placement on Printed Materials
• Display Sponsors’ Banners at the Event
• Mention on Social Media and Group Events
• Booth Space and Display at the Events.