If your organization is in need of a little cash, there are several methods of obtaining funds at Albion College. Typically, groups receive money through fundraising efforts, dues and/or Student Senate allocations.
Jumpin Jellybeans…they really are giving out money. Each semester Student Senate receives funding from the student activity fee assessed to all students, valued at approximately $400,000 per year. This money is then allocated to student organizations, with a large portion of the funds being committed to programs such as Union Board and other campus-wide programming initiatives. The rest of the money is for individual student group activities. If you are interested in receiving a portion of the funds for your organization, requesting money is relatively easy, just follow EACH of the steps below.
"Show me the money!" There have been many successful fundraising activities on Albion’s campus and the key to their success is always creativity. If interested in organizing an event, here are some fun ideas:
Walk-A-Thon
Haunted House
Halloween Pumpkin Sale
Service Auctions
Ice Cream Social
Pizza Sales
Garage Sale
Used Book Sale
Finals Care Packages
Massages
Art/Poster Sale
Benefit Dance
Car Wash
Popcorn Sales
Singing Telegrams
Plant Sale
T-shirt Sale
Candy Grams
Craft Sales
Discount Cards
Spirit Wear
Fundraising efforts are coordinated through the Office of Institutional Advancement. Any group planning to do a fundraising project must submit a Request of Fundraising Activity Form to Institutional Advancement. For more information and exceptions to this rule please visit the Organizational and Departmental Fundraising Website.
Limited sales and soliciting by College-recognized organizations for the purpose of fundraising and/or contributing to a group’s community service project is allowed. All sales and solicitation must be sponsored by a recognized student organization or department. In order to obtain the privilege of on-campus sales, the organization should contact Karen Hiatt in the Kellogg Center at . Reservation requests must be submitted at least 5 days before the event. Door to door solicitation is prohibited. Solicitation done at athletic events cannot conflict with College-sponsored vendors and activities and must be approved by the Athletic Director. Food cannot be sold in Baldwin Hall except by Dining Services. Credit Card solicitation is also not permitted on campus. Violation of these policies will result in denial of this privilege for future events.
Dues or fees charged to members should be set fairly and must not be used to discriminate against students in any manner that would violate the College’s non-discrimination policy.
Admission charged at events is an excellent way to cover event expenses. However, events designed to raise funds are often financially risky. It is recommended that you discuss plans for such events with your organization’s advisor or a staff member in CPO before you begin planning such an event.
Checking accounts are a good method of accounting for student organization funds because they create records of all transactions. It is recommended that organizations obtain an independent checking account for all monies collected for the organization outside of Student Senate funding. All accounts must be placed in the organizations name, which can be done with a tax identification number, and should require two signatures (officer and advisor) on each check. It is not recommended that an organization get an ATM card because there is no way of knowing who obtained the cash and how it was spent.
All student organizations should obtain a tax identification number (TIN) for banking purposes. If the group is not sure if they have a TIN, call the bank and ask if they have one registered. The only other way to have a bank account opened without a TIN is if the organization is using a member of the organization’s social security number. The last option is not advisable because the member can be taxed for the interest obtained on the account. The form (SS-4) and instructions to fill it out may be picked up at the CPO Office. Once the form is filled out the TIN can be given over the phone. If assistance is needed with the TIN, please contact the CPO Office.