DGSC Grants support cultural events, conferences, performances, professional development activities, publications, seminars, and other projects organized by students. Events and other resources funded by DGSC grants must be free and open—though not restricted to—all Graduate Center students. Priority is given to proposals that are interdisciplinary in nature and to programs, disciplines, and areas of interest that have not received grant funds during the current fiscal year.
The DGSC does not provide grants for conference travel and research. Grants for conference presentations are administered by the Office of Student Affairs.
At the bottom of this page, you can view six exceptional grant proposals that received DGSC funding. These can serve as models for your proposal. Examples of grants include:
- Annual Graduate Student conferences
- Workshops and student services related to aspects of professional development such as public speaking, teaching, job searches, and grant writing
- Social events such as trivia nights, lunchtime socials, and health and wellness activities
- Student-run journals and publications of conference proceedings, student research activities, or research findings
Deadlines
- Regular grant applications are typically due at 11:59 p.m. on the 3rd Friday of months during term, however you should write to the Officer for Funding to make sure, as dates do change: funding@cunydgsc.org
- Start-up Grants are reviewed on a rolling basis and undergo expedited review.
- The Grants Committee reviews grant applications within 10-14 days of the stated deadline.
- Grant-funded activities may not take place before the first committee meeting at which the application is discussed, with the exception of the September deadline.
Maximum Award Amounts
For 2023-24 the Committee awards up to $1,000 for regular grants. Start-up grants are awarded for less than or equal to one-third of the regular grant amount. To receive an award above the maximum, provide justification of extraordinary circumstances in the proposal.
Submitting a Grant Application
- Before submitting your application, create a line-item budget and mock publicity material that clearly states DGSC sponsorship and/or includes the DGSC logo, which can be downloaded below.
- All events must be free and open to all GC students.
- No funds may be spent on alcohol.
- Honoraria for speakers or presenters may take 3-6 months to process. We require individuals to have a U.S. Tax Identification Number to receive monies. For questions, email the Officer for Funding.
- Publicize your event at least 10 business days in advance and state DGSC sponsorship and/or include the DGSC logo. See the grant publicity requirements.
- Proposals are assessed based on these review factors and questions.
Note for Start-up Grants: These are available for projects and events that have no other funding. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and undergo expedited review. Students from the same Chartered Organization, or ad-hoc group shall not receive more than one start-up grant each fiscal year, and start-up grant funds may not be used for printing, with the exception of print journals. Start-up grant activities must be publicized three business days in advance.
Spending Grant Money
Your grant money can be spent via requisition, reimbursement or credit. Go to Forms & Guides for more information.
Your award can be claimed via reimbursement for either goods (e.g., food, space or technology purchases) or services (e.g., honoraria for speakers). Check requests for goods must be accompanied by original receipts (scans or digital copies are acceptable). Honoraria must include a completed honorarium letter.
Appeal
Applicants may appeal decisions of the Grants Committee regarding their own applications. An appeal must be submitted in writing to a member of the Steering Committee within 20 business days of the decision. A decision may be overturned, and funds awarded by a two-thirds majority vote of the Steering Committee.
PLEASE NOTE: There is no guarantee that funding allocated to a specific initiative will be allocated at all or in the same amount the following year nor is there any guarantee of full or partial funding for any proposal. Organizers are encouraged to also look for sponsoring from additional sources.
Grant Resources
Exceptional Grant Applications
- Doctoral Student Dissertation Work Group (2014)
- XVII Annual Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian Literatures and Languages Student Conference (2012)
- Epic Animalia—A Reading & Conversation with Jeffrey Yang and Anne Waldman (2012)
- GC Cryptography Student Seminar (2012)
- Protest and Public Space (2012)
- Practical Pedagogy—A Conference on Teaching Psychology at CUNY (2010)
