Community Program Fund

This funding line is intended to help houses build community within their house or neighborhood in meaningful ways by supporting programs and related equipment that foster the neighborhood core principles and cannot be covered solely by house dues or Resident Fellow Program funds. 

More About the Community Program Fund

• New and creative program ideas, especially when they are also collaborations between neighborhood houses, or with student groups, academic departments and outside experts, are strongly encouraged; duplicated or traditional programs are likely to endure more stringent scrutiny and be redirected to other funding sources.
• Application is required to access these funds, and requests can be made for individual house programs, house+house programs and house+neighborhood programs, as well as house programmatic equipment needs. 
• The amount available in this fund varies from year to year because it is funded by prior year house dues surplus. This funding is equitably distributed across the neighborhoods (based on number of neighborhood residents). 
• Within each neighborhood, each house starts off the year with a certain allocation that is “reserved” for them to apply to through the end of winter quarter. This is to ensure all houses have ample opportunity to access these funds (as opposed to first-come first-served, which often advantages houses with resident fellows and returning resident assistants). These “reserved” allocations become available to all houses at the start of spring quarter to ensure the greatest use of the funds.

Inappropriate and Appropriate Use of These Funds

Inappropriate Use of These Funds (Will Not Be Approved)

• Neighborhood funding contribution over $150 per participant (this is the maximum that a council can approve).
• Any participation incentive more than $50 per person, or any gift cards of any value.
• Flights for students (flights for guest speakers and performers are acceptable).
• Alcohol for students.
• Equipment:
  • Row house kitchen equipment (needs to be requested from Dining)
  • Furniture, equipment, and other items typically provided and funded by Housing, such as house permanent and communal furniture like couches and tables; or resident fellow apartment furniture/equipment (needs to be requested from R&DE Housing or Resident Fellow Program)
  • Facility improvements (which is loosely defined by a certain dollar threshold, R&DE project status, approval requirements, construction and includes costs over $5000 and permanent installation).
• House events:
  • Traditional “Snow Trips” or “Ski Trips”, frosh house Scavenger Hunts, and other house events historically funded by house dues (houses should use their current year house dues for these)
  • End of year banquets and special dinners (houses should use their current year house dues for these)
  • Merch (houses should use their current year house dues for these)
  • VSO event wanting co-sponsors (please refer to guidance on collaborations with VSOs and other groups)
  • Recruitment events for student organizations (including housed Greek recruitment events)

Examples of Appropriate Use of These Funds

• House events:
  • Off-campus events (laser tag, top golf, performances, festivals, etc.)
  • Social events (formals, movie nights, craft clubs, etc.)
  • Educational events (learn how to…, guest speaker, tastings, etc.)
  • Frosh house reunions
• House+house and house+neighborhood events/programs:
  • 680 + Storey Formal
  • Sequoia Boat Dance
  • QUOM (Queer Prom at Terra)
  • Laker Day (Kappa Alpha, Jerry, Narnia and EBF)
• House equipment:
  • House programmatic equipment/upkeep that is intended to be multi-year use (pool table maintenance, new TV or speakers, exercise equipment, soft/flexible seating like bean bag chairs/hammocks) - must have a summer storage plan attached
  • Neighborhood programmatic equipment/upkeep (e.g., outdoor inflatable movie theater screen, outdoor mobile lighting) - must have a summer storage plan attached
  • Appropriate items for neighborhood funding are things that can be stored, occasionally involve minimally invasive installation, and typically do not require approval beyond the R&DE Housing Building Manager or Assistant Director-level (e.g., bean bag chairs, hammocks, projectors, TVs, string lights).
  • Additional guidance:
    • Cost is less than $5000.
    • This programmatic equipment is not permanently installed.

    • This programmatic equipment doesn't​ require going through an involved R&DE project process, campus planning approval, or construction.