Neighborhood Funding

How neighborhood programming happens. Neighborhood funding is available to support programs that develop neighborhood identity and foster core principles among neighborhood students. Here you can learn more about the purpose of different types of neighborhood funds and how to apply.

Two Funds

Each neighborhood council manages two categories of funding: 

1. The endowed funds for house-hosted programs: Riddell, Off the Farm and Faculty Small Group Dinners. These funds are available to neighborhood member houses through the neighborhood funding application.
2. The Council Program Fund, which supports annual events hosted by the neighborhood councils.

We encourage students with program ideas to explore these funds in more detail below.

Collaboration with VSOs and other Groups

The purpose of neighborhood funds is to foster neighborhood principles in our undergraduate houses and neighborhoods​. Therefore, neighborhood councils are encouraged to collaborate with Voluntary Student Organizations (VSOs) and other groups on co-hosted events and programs, but do not sponsor VSO and other groups’ events and programs.

Program Sponsorship

• Typically framed as, “contribute to our event, program, or group’s costs and we'll give you a token in exchange (e.g., tickets or merch, being listed as a sponsor on the program, providing exclusive access to something, or being associated with the event/group).” 
• Typically the token has a lesser dollar value than the requested contribution. 
• Typically no decision-making authority or compromise is offered, or is minimal or last-minute.
• Typically any neighborhood component is superficial or tangential.

Program Collaboration

• All collaborators are involved in the decision-making from the planning phase and typically involves compromise on part of all collaborators.
• Final event or program represents all collaborators equitably and uniquely.
• Typically involves equivalent amounts of money, time, effort, expertise, or other resources from all collaborators (equal/equivalent exchange).
• Typically involves listing the neighborhood council as primary host or sponsor in marketing materials, though in special circumstances may  involve neighborhood council listed as sub-host or sub-sponsor.
• Typically event or program location is in or easily accessible to the neighborhood.

Neighborhood councils are encouraged to collaborate​ with VSOs and other groups, where the council and the group work together to create events and programs that have a uniquely neighborhood aspect to them and meet the purpose of neighborhood funds.

Examples of Successful Program Collaboration

• Hyperion Dragfest, a collaboration with Stanford Drag Troupe
• Frosh Council Music & Mocktails, a collaboration with frosh council and all neighborhoods (eight different mocktails, each representing one of the neighborhoods)