2026-2027 SGA Finance Committee Funding Guidelines (September 2026)

SGA Finance Committee Guidelines Quick Sheet 2026-2027

• RSOs can receive funding from several streams:
  • Annual allocations
    • Due before the start of the fall semester
    • Request funding for non-event, GBM related expenses
  • Event grants
    • Request funding for on-campus event or off-campus travel related expenses
    • Rolling deadline, can submit as many times as necessary
    • Separate submissions by event
  • Funding bills
    • May present a funding bill with the help of sponsoring senators in SGA GBM on Tuesday 7-9pm
    • Must be a public, on-campus event
    • Can go over funding caps in all categories except for travel (i.e. can fund a multi-group dance showcase, cannot fund competition travel with a bill)
• General principles for SGA Finance Committee budget approval:
  • Funded events and GBMs must be open to all members of the student body. Ideally, these events should also be publicized as such.
  • RSOs must demonstrate and highlight fundraising efforts for competition registration, travel, and materials.
  • SGA Finance committee can only approve future expenses, thus requests to retroactively approve reimbursements will be denied.
  • Budget materials must be clear, concise, and organized.
    • RSOs must adequately describe associated costs and logistics for funded events or competitions via the attachment of contractor and food quotes, past receipts, etc.

For example:A group can present a funding bill to sponsor an on-campus breakdancing showcase withAV costs higher than usual. They may not use a funding bill to travel to compete in abreakdancing competition — a normal Event Grant request suffices.

• Can attach spreadsheets that do not follow the included template on HopkinsGroups if it is well organized and easily understood by those outside the organization.
• Group expenses by spending category in HopkinsGroups — do not list budget line items individually
• Budgets may be denied without review if this is not demonstrated.

• While the SGA Finance Committee typically follows the guidelines, it is up to the discretion of the SGA Finance Committee to approve or deny expenses outside of these policies, especially regarding spending of the student body budget.

• Charity and Fundraising policies
  • Supplies or food to be sold as fundraising goods will not be funded, whether the resulting funds are for the RSO or to be donated to an external charity
  • Supplies or food to be donated to an external charity will not be funded.
    • e.g. Funds for dog treats to be donated to a local dog walking group will not be approved by the SGA-FC. The JHU Dog Walking Club may still use their group funds to purchase dog treats at their own discretion.
  • Supplies used to help support a fundraiser may be funded by event grants
    • e.g. Utensils to help serve food, professional JHU audio/tech services required to host a charity event in the Student Center, equipment rental costs
  • Exceptions may be made for events funded via a funding bill.
• Funding caps summary — see Guidelines for more details and exceptions:

Category Annual cap Additional notesIndependentContractors$3000 Must provide documentation attesting to the contractor'srate. JHU employees/students are ineligible.For example:Funds for dog treats to be donated to a local dog walking group will not be approved bythe SGA-FC. The JHU Dog Walking Club may still use their group funds to purchase dogtreats at their own discretion.

JHU ProfessionalServices$4000 Large on-campus events like showcases will likelyrequire security, A/V, custodial, and grounds. Cite specificJHU cost calculations in the budget request.Travel $2000 25% of total travel costs must be fundraised. Sub-cap of$200 per unique individual per year for travel. Mustprovide roster of individual attending each competitionand must talk to LEED office to approve travel.International travel will not be funded due to Universitytravel policies.Registration Fees $1500 Up to $100 per unique individual per year for conferenceor competition registration fees. Must provide roster ofindividuals attending. Fees should be requested afterqualification/attendance is confirmed.Food $2000 $8-$12 per-person cap for events, depending on dietaryrestrictions. Must provide quote for food costs. Ideallyfood orders will be made with ezCaterer or through theuniversity. Food to be cooked students cannot be fundeddue to University food safety policies. NEW: Per-semestersub-cap of $50 for GBM snacks with no eventjustification needed.Reusable Supplies $2000 Must document where and how equipment will be stored.Includes high-cost equipment and non-personalizedperformance props.NonreusableSupplies$2000 Competitive performance groups: $75/person cap forcostumes. Non-competitive performance groups:$30/person cap. Costumes are defined to be clothing andjewelry that cannot be reasonably worn or used outside ofperformance-related activities; can include makeup.Prizes $250 Cannot include gift cards due to JHU income tax policiesPrinting $500 Can include flyers, posters, or other publications. Per-semester sub-cap of $50 for flyers.

• SGA Finance Committee logistics — keep these in mind to ensure your budget is reviewed in time:
  • Senators present their assigned budgets in our committee meetings. The committee votes to approve, partially approve, or deny the request.
  • Submission Deadline for Event Grants: 72 hours prior to the weekly committee meeting.
    • The committee meets every Tuesday from 5:45-6:45 in the Shriver Board Room, your grant must be submitted by Friday at 12 PM.
    • Requests MUST be submitted via HopkinsGroups for review — do not send requests via email or other forms of personal communication
    • Any submissions after that time will be reviewed the following week
  • Funds are allocated by their representing senator within 24 hours of the vote. RSO officers can view the justification and final amount on HopkinsGroups (HG).
• Contact information for SGA Finance Committee:
  • Any questions can be directed to SGAFinance@jh.edu, which will be answered by the Executive Student Body Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair.
    • Inquiries at this address are managed twice a week.
  • Any concerns regarding purchasing requests, group funds, money handling, and Amazon orders must be made to the LEED office, as SGA has no jurisdiction over any of these areas.
  • Any concerns regarding senator liaison conduct may be addressed directly to Student Body Treasurer Amy at axu22@jh.edu
  • The Student Body Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair will host office hours weekly, every Friday from 12-1pm in the Blue Board Room in the Student Center when the semester starts, to address inquires in-person.

SGA Finance Committee Governing and Funding GuidelinesDisclaimer

Policy Changes

• Upon approval of new funding guidelines, the Student Government Association Finance Committee (SGA-FC) will begin funding under the newly approved guidelines.
• All changes will be announced by an email from the Executive Treasurer of the SGA after the meeting at which the change was made.
• The guidelines are subject to change according to university policies.

SGA-FC Discretion and Conditional Funding

• While the SGA-FC Guidelines describe the proper procedure for student group funding, the SGA-FC reserves the discretion to approve, deny, or put on hold (table) budgets and proposals on a case-by-case basis.
• The SGA-FC may also attach conditions and requirements to any approved budget or proposal at its discretion.
• If the SGA-FC’s account becomes depleted, SGA-FC must deny all funding requests.
• If the SGA-FC account has a negative balance, the Student Government Association Senate must conduct a full audit of SGA-FC.

SGA-FC Transparency

• Members of SGA-FC are composed of legislative senators from SGA.
• The SGA-FC will disclose guidelines set for themselves during the funding process to show how they approached the allocation.
• SGA-FC members will provide justification on rejected budgets/budget items through HopkinsGroups (HG).
• Budget requests can be appealed for additional review by emailing the senator initially responsible for your budget and SGAFinance@jh.edu

Budget Requests

• To be eligible to apply for a budget request (annual or Event Grant), your organization must be registered in HG (registered student organization, RSO)
• Budgets must be submitted during the application period.
  • Deadlines are subject to change from year to year, depending on when SGA-FC is funded by the university.
• In case of inconsistent dollar amounts between HG and a submitted budget file, only the more organized account for the budget request will be considered.
  • If a spreadsheet is too disorganized or difficult to understand, senator liaisons may reach out to individual clubs to clarify misunderstandings. However, SGA- FC reserves the right to outright reject disorganized budget requests.
• The necessary budget templates will be available through HG, in the Budgets tab.

Annual Allocations

• Annual Allocations will be due before the start of the academic year.
• Requested budget items should pertain to general RSO activities.

Event Grant

• Events funded by the SGA-FC must be open to participation by all undergraduate students
• Off-campus events can only be funded via Event Grant
• Should include cost of all related costs, even if they will be covered out of group funds
  • Indicate how much of the total cost will be covered by group funds
  • Showing all costs allows us to see if the event is thought out and feasible.
• Event grants are approved and funding allocated on a rolling basis.
• Event grants will be reviewed, and allocations will be disbursed within 2 weeks of submission.

SGA-FC Operations

Meeting Procedures

• For 2026-2027, SGA-FC meets weekly to discuss and vote on budgets every Tuesday from 5:45-6:45 in the Shriver Board Room.
• Some weeks SGA-FC will have to cover many budgets or other legislative business, which may affect return time of Event grants

For example:The JHU Cheese Monger Club may request items like cheeseboards or charcuterie tools, but itwould be unusual to see and unlikely for SGA-FC to approve a request for a bouncy house rentalfor normal club operations.

• Voting procedure
  • A SGA-FC member will, based off these guidelines, decide how much of a budget should be allocated
  • Respective liaisons will present their proposed allocation to the committee during the weekly meeting.
  • A vote will be held. The proposed allocation can be approved, amended, or tabled.
  • Approved funds will reflect in HG by the end of the day (11:59pm) on SGA-FC meeting days.

Budgetary Considerations

• SGA-FC evaluates budget requests with many factors in mind, thus reserves the right to allocate less than requested or completely deny budget items on the following conditions in addition to current categorical caps:
  • A budget item is too expensive
  • RSO has a history of not spending SGA-FC allocated funds
  • RSO has misappropriated funds
  • RSO has sufficient and unexplained group funds
  • RSO is not fundraising on their own
• The goal of the SGA-FC is primarily to fund student organizations and events in a way that maximizes the share of the budget that reaches students and minimizes end-of-year recalls.

Liaison Program

• Budget requests are reviewed by a member of the SGA-FC as assigned by the Treasurer or Finance Committee Chair
  • This liaison will be responsible for evaluating the RSO’s budget according to these guidelines, communicating to the RSO, and handling questions that arise.
• In case of inconsistent dollar amounts between HG and a submitted budget file, only the lowest dollar amount will be considered.
  • Liaisons should reach out to club treasurers to seek clarity on erroneous or missing sums and documentation. However, if they do not receive a timely response, liaisons reserve the right to deny the budget request.
• Submitted materials must include the RSO name and semester. Abbreviations for club names are also acceptable.
  • i.e. Barnstormers Spring 2027.xlsx, JOSH Fall 2026 DJ quote.pdf

Attending SGA-FC Meetings

• All students are welcome to participate in all SGA subcommittee meetings. Finance Committee invites student groups to sit in on budgetary discussions or come to present their own concerns.

Budgetary ExpectationsSGA receives a grant each semester to fund over 150 student groups. Events are funded on thecondition that they are completely open to the general student body, widely marketed, and fostercollaboration, communication, and community building among the entire student body, not justgroup members. Secondary to events will be both competitive and noncompetitive arts groupsthat engage large audiences, as well as interscholastic groups that represent Hopkins incollegiate circuits.

Formals and private events

• The SGA-FC will not fund private events restricted to only club members.
• The SGA-FC will only fund giveaway items if all student body members are eligible to receive them and the giveaway is publicly promoted via social media or print.

JHU Policies

• Certain budgetary items are ineligible for SGA-FC funding, detailed here and in their respective categories in the Budget Caps section. Funding of these items either entail legal or financial repercussions or are logistically infeasible to arrange.
  • Gift cards
  • Subscription-based services
  • Travel outside the continental United States
  • Rideshare passes (though special exceptions can be made for cultural groups)

Charity and Fundraising policies

• Supplies or food to be sold as fundraising goods will not be funded, whether the resulting funds are for the RSO or to be donated to an external charity
• Supplies or food to be donated to an external charity will not be funded.
• Supplies used to help support a fundraiser may be funded by event grants
  • i.e. Utensils to help serve food, professional JHU audio/tech services required to host a charity event in the Student Center, equipment rental costs
• Exceptions may be made for events funded via a funding bill.

Group Funds

• Group funds are an organization’s money, generated via fundraising, donations, etc.
• All clubs are subject to an audit anytime during the year if they request funding.
• RSOs with >$500 in group funds must provide documentation as to how funds will be appropriated.
  • Reminder: SGA-FC has the right to deny any funding for the RSO, either in allocations or event grant requests, without sufficient or adequate explanations.

Communication

• The SGA-FC will be available for communication via email, SGAFinance@jh.edu. For urgent matters, Student Body Treasurer Amy Xu (axu22@jh.edu) and Finance Committee Chair Peter Tarpley (ptarpl1@jh.edu) can serve as additional points of contact.
• Concerns and questions about specific budget reviews can also be directed towards the respective SGA-FC member who reviewed it — cc them in an email directed towards SGAFinance@jh.edu.

Storage of RSO Inventory

• SGA-FC recognizes that different clubs have different inventory needs and organizational methods. It is necessary to report who is responsible for RSO inventory (whether that one or multiple people), and where those supplies are located when not in use.
• SGA-FC reserves the right to inquire about supply whereabouts and previous supply purchases.

Budget CapsEach request shall be subject to an annual cap, defined as the default maximum amount ofmoney a group is eligible for per category of good/service in a given academic year. Thiscap includes allocations from both the Annual Allocation and from Event Grants, meaningthat groups should be mindful of previous requests whenever additional requests are submitted.If a request exceeds the cap amount, the amount considered will automatically be reduced to theremaining cap (though this will not necessarily be the final amount allocated). Exceptions forfunding in each category are made on a case-by-case basis depending on RSO needs.Budget caps fall into the following categories:

Independent ContractorAnnual Cap: $3000.00Categorization: Any funds appropriated for contracted acts or services, such as speakers orperformers, must be paid via a federal identification number.

• Funding applications must include documentation attesting to the contractor's rate (per hour, per session, etc.) to be approved.
• Religious figures can be paid under this cap but cannot perform a religious function.
• Johns Hopkins University (herein JHU) employees may not be paid under this category.
• Individual students may be paid under this category, provided the service said student offers is at the lowest possible cost as reasonably determined by the requesting group.
• Individual students may not be paid under this category if they are a group member requesting funds.
• For events with expected attendance >50 people, as determined at the discretion of SGA- FC., additional funding may be granted for independent contractors as determined when escalated to the Senate. If you expect this provision to apply to your group, please clearly state this in your funding request.

JHU Professional ServicesAnnual Budget Cap: $4000Definition: Funds used for university services, such as security, audio/visual, plant operations,and university rentals (excluding Zipcars), where:

• The service is provided through JHU
• The student group is being charged for the service
• The SGA-FC will not fund pay to individual Hopkins employees.

Nonreusable Supplies and EquipmentAnnual Cap: $2000.00

• Clothing cannot be funded under this category if it is group-exclusive and does not serve a functional purpose.
  • See JHU Credit Union T-shirt Grant for potentially funding outside of SGA-FC https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/leed/policies-procedures/grants/
• Strictly religious items cannot be funded under this category.
• Costumes are funded under this category
  • Costumes are defined as articles of clothing that cannot be reasonably worn or used outside of performance-related activities.
  • Competitive performance groups: $75/person cap for costumes.
    • Competitive performance groups are groups that have competed in at least one competition outside JHU in the last academic year.
  • Non-competitive performance groups: $30/person cap.
  • Costumes can include items such as makeup and jewelry.

Prize ItemsAnnual Cap: $250.00Definition: Any funds appropriated for goods distributed as prizes

• Promotional items can only be funded under this category if they are open for distribution to the broader undergraduate JHU community.
• Any requests for promotional items must be accompanied by a visual representation, such as a link to be reviewed by the SGA-FC.
• SGA-FC reserves the right to deny funding for the promotional item deemed to be merchandise based on the visual representation.
• Cannot include gift cards since distributed gift cards are considered taxable income for recipients.

Reusable Supplies and EquipmentAnnual Cap: $2000.00Definition: Any funds appropriated for goods the RSO maintains for multiple uses.

• Equipment must have documentation attesting to the type and price of materials.
• Any logos must follow all standard documentation and submission requirements.
• Strictly religious items cannot be funded under this category, but the SGA-FC will attempt to provide contact information for appropriate alternatives.
• Props are funded under the reusable equipment category
  • Props are defined as performance equipment that cannot be reasonably used outside of performance-related activities.

FoodAnnual Cap: $2000.00Categorization: Any funds appropriated for food intended for consumption during an event ormeeting.

• Funding applications must include documentation of cost for the size and content of the food order.
  • Can be as simple as a screenshot of an ezCaterer cart
• Annual sub-cap of $100.00 for GBM snacks
• There exists an $8 sub-cap per expected attendee, but is increased to $12 for religious dietary restrictions and purchases from green caterers (Halal, Kosher, etc.)
• Food may only be provided to JHU affiliates.
• Requests for food funds must be accompanied by a description of the role the food would play in the event.

Registration FeesAnnual Cap: $1500.00Definition: Any funds appropriated for registration fees for performances, presentations,conferences, etc. as a group or per individual.

• Registration fees should be requested after qualification/attendance at an event is confirmed unless fees are needed in a time-sensitive manner.
• For conference attendance, a list of attending members should be submitted prior to registration. The SGA-FC will consider funding for registration per unique person. More inclusive proposals will be considered more fondly.
• Competition groups may need to exceed this cap, and exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

TravelAnnual Cap: $2000Categorization: Any funds appropriated for transportation, lodging, and costs associated withleaving the JHU campus.

• Provide documentation and exact cost breakdown of travel and lodging
• Funding will only be provided for essential travel within the continental United States.
• The SGA-FC will only pay for travel for members eligible for allocations for their registration fees. Only these members are eligible for inclusion in the calculation detailed above for the per-person travel rate.
  • e.g. Even if your group is composed of undergraduate and graduate students, only undergraduates are eligible for SGA-FC funding for travel and other expenses.
• Competition groups may need to exceed this cap, by which exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis.
• 25% of requested travel funds off campus are expected to be funded via fundraising or group funds, regardless of competitive or non-competitive purpose.
• The SGA-FC. will NOT fund travel under the following conditions:
  • Travel by car (personal or rental) over 300 miles round trip due to JHU Risk Management policies
  • Repairs for damages incurred during travel

Printing/AdvertisingAnnual Cap: $500Categorization: Any funds appropriated to advertise and print publications for groups.

• Annual sub-cap of $100.00 for flyers
• Funding applications must include documentation of quantity and cost of printing
• May exceed cap for publications or news-bound prints. Applications for funding must include the number of copies and the price per copy for all print materials.
• The SGA-FC does not fund subscriptions for websites.
• Find flyer printing options at various locations on-campus: https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/computing/campus-resources/
• Find poster printing options from the on-campus Creative Media Center: https://bookit.cmc.jhu.edu/reserve/Printers

Pricing InformationNote: these rates may have increased since last updated in 2025.Electricity: If your event requires access to outdoor electrical outlets or has special electricalneeds, you must hire an electrician to help with your event. Please work with Scheduling andEvent Services to reserve an electrician:Hourly Rates:Monday thru Friday, 7:30 AM – 4 PM: $48.05/hourWeekends, before 7:30 AM or after 4 PM: $72.10/hour (4-hour minimum)Grounds: If your event requires a unique outdoor setup, litter control, coat racks, hangers, orinstallation of temporary fencing or grilling, you must hire Grounds to help with your event.Please work with Scheduling and event services to reserve groundskeepers:Hourly Rate:Monday through Friday, 6:30 AM – 3 PM: $43.65/hourWeekends, before 6:30 AM or after 3 PM: $65.45/hour (4-hour minimum)Custodial: If your event needs additional custodial coverage outside of their regular rounds, inareas such as restrooms, or for trash removal, it may be recommended to request additionalcustodial services. This is usually only for all-day events or events except for high attendance.Scheduling and Event Services can help you determine if further support is needed for yourevent. Additional setup fees are associated with having any rented tables, chairs, etc., set up bothinside and outside. Your group will be charged if they rearrange the furniture in a room and donot return it to its original setup.Hourly Rate:Monday thru Friday, 6:30 a.m.–3 p.m.: $34.75/hourWeekends, before 6:30 a.m. or after 3 p.m.: $52.10/hour (4-hour minimum)Security: JHU’s preferred security vendor is SAFE Management. When you register for yourevent on Hopkins Groups, Student Leadership and Involvement staff will determine if yourevent needs security personnel to staff it. Please be advised that SAFE charges a 4-hourminimum and requires at least one supervisor to be on staff.Hourly ratesManager: $24.90/hourSupervisor: $22.40/hourEvent staff: $19.65/hour

Lodging: JHU’s preferred lodging vendor is the Inn at the Colonnade. Please fill out the travelrequest form and work with the budget specialist in SLI to reserve rooms. Typical prices arearound $189/night.Film Rights: Movie rights from Swank.com range from $371 to $871, depending on the yearthe movie was released. Obtaining film rights is MANDATORY to show a film on campus.Streaming movies from movie/TV subscription services such as Netflix or Hulu in any publicspace on campus is illegal. Please refer to the Undergraduate Organization Policies &Procedures for more information.Waste Bin Delivery Costs: If trash is produced during your event, you must order additionalwaste bins from Recycling Services. Please work with Scheduling and Event Services todetermine if additional bins are needed and to place your order. Depending on your needs andthe type of trash produced, Recycling Services can provide trash, recycling, and compost bins. Ifyou are committed to a zero-waste event (compost and recycling only), waste bins will be free.The request must be placed at least four business days before your event. You will be chargedfor last-minute requests for zero-waste events.Hourly ratesMonday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.: $34.75/hourWeekends, before 8:30 a.m. or after 5 p.m.: $52.10/hour (4-hour minimum).Hourly charges for waste delivery and collection will be charged as follows:1-100 people = 1 hour101-200 people = 2 hours201-300 people = 3 hours301+ people = 4 hourVan Program: All registered student organizations are eligible to rent Hop Vans. Please consultthe Van Program website for more details. There is a charge of $15.00 per rental day plus $0.65per mile. Usage is billed at $0.65/mile but includes fuel. This is subject to change based oncurrent fuel prices. Event Hours: Staffing and services will not be available earlier than thetimes listed below. You should plan to start your event a minimum of 30 minutes after the eventhours start so that staffing and support are in place. For every additional hour before buildinghours you require services, you will be charged $75 an hour.Charles Commons, AMR, Wolman, McCoy8:00 am-10:00 pm Monday- Friday

10:00 am-10:00 pm Saturday and Sunday Levering, Shriver, Mason, Mattin:8:00 am-10:00 pm Monday- Friday10:00 am-10:00 pm Saturday and SundayCopies: Student Leadership and Involvement has a printing station that student organizationscan use for their printing needs. All copy jobs should be for student group purposes. Anyoneusing the SLI copier will need their group’s budget number, which groups can find on HopkinsGroup.Table and Chair rentals: Some buildings on campus are already equipped with tables andchairs (see Building Information below). If you are hosting an event in a space that does nothave tables and chairs, you can work with Scheduling and Event Services to place rental orders:$85 delivery and pickup charge$8.75 per 8-foot table$1.35 per chairPlease note that no outdoor spaces are equipped with tables and chairs, and if your event requiresthem, they will need to be rented.Parking: Visitor parking permits for the South Garage can be obtained through ParkingServices. Parking permits are $12 each when purchasing a minimum of ten permits. Servicevehicle permits are $15 each. Unused passes may not be returned. South Garage and San MartinGarage parking passes can be obtained through Scheduling and Event Services.A/V Rentals: Scheduling and Event Services will help you coordinate A/V rentals and servicesas necessary. Some buildings on campus are already equipped with A/V equipment and mayonly require set-up. If your event location does not have A/V already installed, you must workwith Scheduling and Event Services to rent A/V equipment from Kit-Cats.Below is a list of commonly requested items and their rental rates:Labor (set-up): $50.00/hourLabor (After hours and weekends, 4-hour minimum): $50/hour (minimum $200)