Writing Your Grant Funding Request: Tip Sheet:

Before completing your Alumni Association Grants Program Funding Request Form, student organization representatives are encouraged to review the tips below, which will help to enhance the quality of your proposal. You can also review some examples of successful programs that were organized previously and recieved Alumni Association grant funding.

In addition, the Office of Alumni Relations can be used as a resource in advance of submitting your funding request. Should you have any questions or wish to discuss your event or program ideas, please contact Jeff Spence at 215-895-2375 or jbs23@drexel.edu.

	Does the event or program bring together both Drexel students and alumni? One of the goals of the Alumni Association Grants Program is to increase the interaction between alumni and students, so requests should be for events and programs which bring together both.
	Does the event or program provide a valuable opportunity to bring together students and alumni? Events or programs can be planned around a variety of topics and in an array of formats. Some examples of programs that have received Alumni Association grants include: Networking receptions for alumni and students around a senior show Seminars or panel discussions featuring alumni speakers on a topic that is of interest to multiple disciplines Reunion events for alumni and current members of your student organization Events or programs that are unlikely to receive grant funding include: Happy hours Programs with limited outreach potential or that appear would have a limited interest to a larger audience of alumni and students Fundraisers or events that make a profit
	Does the event or program address the Alumni Association's strategic initiatives? It is important that your request explain how the event or program will address the following initiatives: increase the interaction between students and alumni; enhance the student experience; promote tradition; support academic excellence; reconnect alumni to the university; create a greater awareness of the Alumni Association; and promote the Alumni Association as a relevant and integral part of the university community.
	Have you included a letter of support from your advisor? At least one letter of support from the organization’s faculty/staff advisor is required with all requests. If not received with the request or by the submission deadline, your funding request will be considered incomplete.
	Will your event or program be held at least two months after the submission deadline? Proposals must be submitted in writing according to the quarterly deadlines posted at www.drexel.edu/alumni/grants and at least two months in advance of the event or program. Exceptions may be made at the Committee's discretion provided that the proposal details the organization's plan to adequately market and advertise the event or program, and based on funding availability.
	Will alcohol be served? Programs involving alcohol will not be funded by the Alumni Association. This includes cash bars and bars sponsored by other organizations or campus departments.
	Are you a recognized student organization? Alumni Association Grants can only be awarded to recognized student organizations. Requests should be written and submitted by representatives of the student organization, not by members of the university faculty or staff. As well, if approved, grant funds must be transferred to a university cost center.
	Is your request detailed and accurate, and has it been thoroughly proofread? It is important that your funding request be detailed, accurate and well written. The Grants Review Committee may return any funding request it deems to be poorly written, incomplete or inaccurate for revision by the student organization. This may affect eligibility based on funding availability.

Examples of Successful Programs

The Drexel University Alumni Association Grants Program aims to support events and programs planned by recognized student organizations that increase the interaction between Drexel students and alumni, enhance the student experience, promote tradition, support academic excellence, reconnect alumni to the university, create a greater awareness of the Alumni Association, and promote the Association as a relevant and integral part of the university community.

Below are some examples of successful programs that were supported with funding from the Grants Program:

• Campus to Careers: The Interfraternity Council and the Order of Omega annually hosts a panel of alumni professionals who answered questions and offered advice to current Drexel students. The annual event includes opportunities for students to network with alumni, as well, and engaged 51 students and 16 alumni in 2009.

• Alumni Theatre Reception: The Drexel Players received an Alumni Association Grant to support a networking event for students and alumni before its performance of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” The event engaged 40 students, 16 alumni, 5 faculty members and 10 other members of the Drexel community.

• “Beyond the Glass Ceiling” Women in Leadership Conference: The Drexel Women in Business hosted this second annual event which featured a keynote speaker and panelists who shared insight into organizations, taking risks, charting career paths, and managing brand image. The event engaged 30 students, 5 alumni, 5 faculty members, and 10 members of the business community.

• ASCE/AEI Alumni Dinner and Reception: The Drexel student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) received an Alumni Association Grant to support a networking reception that brought together students and alumni, followed by a dinner and presentations that provided an overview of the academic year and future outlooks. The event engaged 17 students and 10 alumni.

• Senior Show Reception: The Drexel Interiors Group planned a pre-showing of the Interior Design Department’s senior show, which provided opportunity for 43 alumni, 20 members of the Drexel faculty and professional staff, and 250 members of the community and student families to network and interact with the 24 seniors who displayed work.

• Annual Alumni Dinner: Upsilon Pi Epsilon received Alumni Association Grant funding to support its annual alumni dinner. In 2010, the event engaged 12 new members of the honor society with 16 students and 24 alumni, along with faculty members and guests.

• Earth Day Service Project: The Sacramento Graduate Student Association engaged 86 students and 14 alumni, along with faculty , professional staff and community members, in a park beautification community service project at Bannon Creek Park and Preserve in Sacramento, CA.

• WKDU Reunion: The Drexel radio station, WKDU, hosted a reunion event for its current student and alumni members during Alumni Weekend 2011 coinciding with the 40th anniversary of FM radio. The event engaged 10 students and 50 alumni.