Graduate Student Association
Financial Affairs Committee (GSA-FAC)
The GSA-FAC is a graduate student–led committee under the Graduate Student Association (GSA) at the University of Alabama, dedicated to providing funding to student organizations that support graduate student development and engagement across the UA graduate community.
Review the GSA-FAC guidelines below and prepare your application to request funding.
GSA-FAC GUIDELINES (2025-2026)
Funding Category & Limits
Event Allocation Limit
- Any student organization that supports the mission of the GSA, promotes graduate student development, or demonstrates legitimate graduate student participation is eligible to apply for event funding.
- To qualify, the organization must be registered through The SOURCE.
- Each organization may receive a fixed amount of $500 for event funding.
- See Allowable & Prohibited Event Expenses below for details.
Application Limits Per Organization in a Fiscal Year (2025–2026)
- Any student organization that supports the mission of the GSA, promotes graduate student development, or demonstrates legitimate graduate student participation is eligible to apply for funding once per fiscal year. To qualify, the organization must be registered through The SOURCE.
- Only organizations that are exclusively graduate student-based, formally recognized as graduate student organizations, and registered in The SOURCE.
- Organizations are eligible to submit up to two applications during a fiscal year, with no more than one application permitted per semester.
Funding Request Timelines
Fall 2025
From September 29, 2025, to November 10, 2025, GSA-FAC funding requests will be accepted weekly by Sunday at midnight.
Spring 2026
From January 26, 2026, to March 30, 2026, requests will be accepted weekly by Sunday at midnight.
GSA-FAC Funding and Reimbursement Process
Allowable & Prohibited Event Expenses
Allowable
- Venue rentals
- Miscellaneous rentals
- Guest speakers, musicians, DJs, bands, photographers, and/or videographers (with appropriate paperwork completed).
- Food (from UA-approved caterers)
- Supplies that are expendable or not reusable
Prohibited
- Any type of fundraising activities
- Holiday decorations
- Charitable contributions
- Gifts of any kind
- Venue costs associated with any banquet or celebratory event that is not open to ALL UA students
- Alcoholic beverages, bartenders, and/or corkage fees
- Venue that is primarily a bar
- Events located at a private residence
- Social registration fees
- Political campaigning/lobbying
- Professional services fees associated with contracts/agreements not submitted for execution by UA officials prior to the event date.
Other Expenditure Details
All expenses must comply with UA Purchasing Policies, and state legislation. Purchases may be limited to UA contract vendors.
Promotional Items
Promotional items must be for ALL participants and display the UA logo or name; organizational logo requires approval by UA Strategic Communications prior to purchase.
Allowable
- Miscellaneous office supplies (paper, pens, paper clips, Crimson Copies printing, etc.)
- Promotional items with approved UA or organization logo.
Prohibited
- T-shirts
- Promotional items with logos not pre-approved by Strategic Communications
Reimbursements
- To be reimbursed for funds, the president or treasurer of the organization must complete the online request for reimbursement form.
- A complete reimbursement packet will include all invoices, receipts, and proof of payment for purchases incurred by the student organization, UA Department, or individual.
- All information must be legible. Blurry or missing information will delay the reimbursement. Receipts/invoices and the proof of payment should be scanned as one PDF document and attached to the GSA-FAC Reimbursement Form.
- GSA will not reimburse the amount immediately. First, the organization must apply. Once the application is received, the VP of Financial Affairs will discuss it with the committee and propose it to the House of Delegates for approval. After approval, the organization must spend funds from its own account. The bills are then submitted to GSA, which reviews them and issues the reimbursement.
- If an organization requests funds and the request is approved by the House of Delegates, but the organization either does not use the funds or fails to spend them solely on allowable expenses, those funds remain encumbered and unavailable to other applicants. As a result, the organization will not be allowed to make another request for the entire fiscal year.
Funding Request Submission
The Treasurer, Vice President of Financial Affairs, or President must only submit GSA FAC funding requests. Each request must be approved by both the organization’s President and the Advisor. All approvals and the submission must be completed by Sunday at midnight each week; any pending requests or approvals will result in delays.
