SFC Budget Guide

1. SFC Budget Guide 2008-2009 Budget Allocations

2. 08-09 Budget Process Timeline • March 16 – Preliminary Budgets deadline • April 3 – Last ad-hoc allocation session • April 2 – Final Budgets deadline

3. Budget Checklist • Turn in the budget on time! • Follow the SFC budget format • Use Portrait, instead of Landscape page setup • Use a “standard” font (Times, Arial) • Have page numbers • Do not resubmit the same exact budget from last year (include changes, updates, corrections, etc.)

4. Preliminary Budget Submission • All organizations have to submit a preliminary budget by March 16th. Committee Members will be available to meet with organizations for 10 minute appointments at the following times in the SFC Office (Wilder 316): Sunday March 16th 4pm-7pm Monday March 17th 3:30pm-7pm As well as during regular Office Hours that week: T,Th: 12:30-1:30 W,F: 1:00-2:00 Please sign up in advance on the sheet outside the office.

5. Submitting your Budget • This year, you will be required to: • E-mail one electronic copy as an attachment in a .doc, .pdf, or .xls format to: oberlinsfc@gmail.com • Submit two complete hard copies to a box that will be placed outside the SFC office. NOTE: Both the electronic and the hard copies must include the SFC Cover Sheet. However, to avoid having to scan the page, only the hard copies need to have signatures on the Cover Sheet. NOTE: We will only view the latest budget that you submit to us before 12AM on April 2nd.

6. Budget Content • Cover Sheet • Introductory Page • Budget Summary / Table of Contents • Itemized Budget • Inventory • Additional Information / Appendices If you need a sample budget to look at, please come to the office and we will help you find the budget of a similar organization that you can use as a reference.

7. 1. Cover Sheet • Available online • Required in order to receive an allocation • Do not include an additional title page after it

8. 2. Introduction

9. 2. Introduction (cont’d) • Organization information • Name of Organization • Type of request (2008-2009 Budget Allocations) • FULL name and e-mails of Treasurer and Advisor • Full FOAP consisting of “90000-Org#-xxxx-99” • Mission • This can be taken directly from the organization’s charter. If your charter has, or will change in the future, please summarize the changes relevant to the budgeting process here.

10. 2. Introduction (cont’d) • Summary of past year’s activities • List and briefly describe the major activities of your organization over the past year. The description for each activity should be no more then two or three sentences, and preferably just one. • Objectives for next year • Evaluate the effectiveness of your organization over the past year in meeting the goals as outlined in your charter. Consider how your organization can improve next year. No more than one paragraph.

11. 3. Budget Summary

12. 3. Budget Summary (cont’d) • “The table of contents for your budget” • List of the budget categories • Specific to your type of organization • Should fit on 1 page

13. 4. Itemized Budget

14. 4. Itemized Budget (cont’d) • The “body/heart” of the budget • A breakdown of your request for each of the Budget Categories listed in the summary • SFC will not approve funding for any items, which are not explicitly listed and explained in the budget

15. 4. Itemized Budget (cont’d) 1. Supplies 2.Copying Costs • handouts, publicity, etc. 3. Printing for Publications 4. Phone Tolls 5. Equipment (buy/rent) 6. Media Resources • books, magazines, subscriptions, etc. 7. General Meetings Food 8. Programming • speakers, events, tournaments, etc. 9. Conferences • which you will attend 10. Fees • registration, membership, etc. 11. Paid Positions 12. Subtotal 13. Expected Income • Required order for Budget Categories:

16. 4. Itemized Budget (cont’d) • Your budget does not have to include every single Budget Category • When requesting tangible items (i.e. long-term equipment) you must indicate where it will be stored. • Different aspects of an item might belong to separate categories • ex.: enter the speaker’s honorarium under Programming, and the event publicity under Copying Costs

17. 4. Itemized Budget (cont’d) • The format of your itemization is key!! • Outline format: 1. Budget Category A. Item Title Descriptive paragraph i. Component(s) “Table of information goes here” • Descriptive paragraph: • what, when, where, why • price sources, definitions, etc.

18. 4. Itemized Budget (cont’d) • Your budget is flexible! • You can update the content of your budget by submitting a memo to the office Funds can be moved around, as long as they are spent for the same Budget Category.

19. 4. Itemized Budget (cont’d) • List of items that SFC does not fund: • Summer break activities, explosives, firearms, weapons, drugs, or other illegal items • List of items that SFC does not fund, but will allow to be purchased with funds from organizational income: • Mailings, banners, spray paint, gifts, outside donations, silk screens, t-shirts and bulk-order clothing (except uniforms), and rent

20. 4. Itemized Budget (cont’d) • Table Format

21. 5. Inventory • A table of what your organization ‘owns’. • All items bought with SFC funds belong to the entire student body. • SFC needs to track your previous purchases, when new requests are considered. • You must have an inventory page in order to request equipment. • You must also make sure that the location where your inventory is stored is made clear to us on this page.

22. 5. Inventory (cont’d) • Table Format

23. Changes in this year’s process • Mandatory communication with the committee. GOAL: To increase awareness and transparency. • Electronic submission of budget requests. GOAL: To avoid unnecessary use of paper. • New Appeals/Ad-hoc Process. GOAL: To facilitate accessibility to funds. • Tabled budgets re-issued before the end of May. GOAL: To minimize the tabled budgets in the fall.

24. QUESTIONS??? Office of the Student Treasurer Wilder 316 (440) 775-8119 http://oberlin.edu/stuorg/sfc/ Office Hours: Monday 3:30 - 4:30 Tue & Thu 12:30 - 1:30 Wed & Fri 1:00 - 2:00