Grant Applications are only accepted during specific open windowm in Autumn and Spring Terms. Eligible groups will receive notification of open periods through email.
How to apply:
Apply through our online application form. The online form is available here.
- Before applying, read through this page and any additional guidance.
- You will need to have the following documents ready:
- Membership numbers
- Budget (from template) here
- Fill out the online grant form completely, attach required documents, and hit submit. Make sure to check the box to get an email receipt so that you can confirm submission.
Section 1: General Information
This section asks for basic information regarding your group that should already be available from your group’s records.
Section 2: Project/Activity Information
In this section, you will describe the project(s) or activities for which you are requesting financial support. We want to understand why these activities/projects are important and how they will impact students.
Section 3: Resources
In this section, you will detail the finances and resources required for your proposed projects/activities. You will need to fill out and upload the Grant Budget template provided on the Grant web page. See the instructions below.
Section 4: Additional Comments
Here you may include any additional information that will help us understand how a grant will help your group and demonstrate any additional attempts to get funding. In this section, you will also find the option to upload additional documents including any agreements with providers, comparison quotes, or plans for equipment.
Grant Budget Template
Grant Budget Template Instructions:
Using the template provided in the link above, you must provide a full breakdown of the costs of all projects/activities for which you are requesting funding. This breakdown should cover all expenses for the projects/activities and any funds/income from your group or external sources that will be used to fund the projects/activities. The form will automatically sum the expenses and subtract the income/funds, leaving a remaining balance. This balance is the amount you should apply for from the Student Groups Grant.
Expenses: On the left side of the template, you should list the expenses or costs of the projects/activities. Expenses may include location and equipment hire, physical items, transport, services, fees, additional insurance, registrations, etc. You will need to include a description of the item, quantity needed, and price.
- For each expense, please list the item and include the manufacturer. provider, or location where appropriate.
- List the quantity—do not leave this blank or it will not calculate correctly.
- List the price, including VAT—be as accurate as possible and include decimal points (pence) where necessary.
Each category of expense will total, and the sum of all the expenses will total at the bottom as the “Total Project Cost”.
Income Contributions: On the right side of the template, you should list the income that your group will contribute to the projects/activities. Contributions may include income from membership/subscription, ticket sales, entry prices, income from general fundraising activities, donations from external sources, external grants, special discounts, etc. You will need to include a description of the type of contribution, the quantity, and amount.
- For each contribution, please list the item and include the provider where appropriate.
- List the quantity (the number of that type of contribution)—do not leave this blank or it will not calculate correctly.
- List the amount —be as accurate as possible and include decimal points (pence) where necessary.
Each category of income will total and the sum of all incomes will total at the bottom as the “Total Income Contributions”.
HISA Grant: The last total (in yellow) will calculate automatically, but you should double check the figures to make sure you have filled out the sheet correctly. This will be the total expenses of your projects/activities minus the total income contributions. This is the amount you should apply for the Student Groups Grant application.
In Kind Contributions: The application will ask you to list any in-kind contributions as we recognize that you may be arranging for important contributions to your projects/activities that are not financial. In-kind contributions include volunteer hours from members or external parties, donated goods, free use of equipment or location, etc. In short, in-kind contributions cover anything that does not have an associated cost.
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Terms and Conditions
The Highlands and Islands Students’ Association may provide grants throughout the year for clubs and societies. These grants are provided to help support groups to provide experiences for the student population.
- Clubs and societies should work to become financially self-sufficient.
- We cannot guarantee funds and student groups must not raise invoices if they don’t have sufficient income to cover them.
The Student Groups grants will be offered at set times throughout the academic year. The frequency and timing of the grants will depend on factors like available funds and the needs of clubs and societies. When possible, grants will be offered near the beginning of each term.
Applications will only be accepted during the application window.Clear application timeframes will allow us to support the year-long activities of your clubs and societies more effectively.
We encourage you to apply if future activities or a project can’t take place without this grant funding, or if you don’t have sufficient finances from your own fundraising attempts. If you have non-grant funds available from fundraising or from memberships, please clearly explain why you are not able to use these for the requested purpose.
What can you apply for?
You can request funding for:
- Costs relating to activities, projects, or events that support the Aims and Objectives of your group.
- Maintenance costs
- Equipment* (See the section on Equipment)
- Coaching/Instructor fees** (See the section on Quotes)
- Facility hire
- Food and non-alcoholic beverage for an event
You cannot request funding for:
- Alcohol, bar hire, pub or disco vouchers
- Non-specific general costs
- Charity, religious, or political donations
- Debt, overdraft
- Expenses outside the activities of the club/society
- Property for an individual
*Equipment: Applications to purchase equipment and other non-consumable goods must include additional documentation detailing how it will be stored, maintained, and made available for the use of members.
- Storage and maintenance agreements must include provision for non-term times including public holidays, college closures, term breaks, etc.
- Applications for equipment purchases of more than £100 an item must be accompanied by three quotes to demonstrate good value.
- Groups must declare any intent to purchase equipment from an individual or non-trading organization.
- If a purchase is approved, the group is responsible for following the policy on equipment.
- No equipment purchased through the Student Groups Grant can be resold or donated without the written approval of the Community Engagement Manager.
**Quotes: When paying fees for an individual (coach, trainer, speaker, etc.), please provide 2 additional quotes of similar services to demonstrate you have sought good value. When purchasing equipment greater than £100, please provide 2 additional quotes to demonstrate good value. Comparison quotes can be obtained by taking screenshots of online prices or receiving an email or other written communication of fees.
Comparison quotes and Equipment arrangements may be attached as a document in the “Additional Documents” section of the online application.
What Happens Next?
If your application is approved, you will be notified by email regarding the amount that has been approved and the steps needed to claim your funds. We do not simply deposit funds into your account. Instead, you will be required to submit an invoice, submit an order to be placed, or submit receipts for reimbursement. Instructions on this process can be found in the next chapter.
If your application is not successful, we will attempt to offer an explanation and can provide support and suggestions to look for alternative funding. You may also reapply during the next open grant round.