Apply for a grant today!

Apply for a grant today!

The College of Biological Sciences Student Board is happy to facilitate your events with funding!

Grant applications are now closed for the Spring 2025 semester. They will reopen in September 2025!

Required Grant Logo

Upon funding, it is required that the CBS Student Board Grant Initiatives Logo is included in the funded event and its corresponding advertising. Click the button below to download our the logo!

Grant Policy Information

01

To apply, student groups must fill out the online CBS grant application.

We request that you submit your request at least two weeks prior to your event so we are able to process it accordingly (Please note that this period excludes holiday breaks!)

02

After receiving confirmation and scheduling information from our treasurer, you will be asked to appoint a representative to give a brief presentation about the project or initiative at a CBS Student Board meeting.

03

Upon funding, we require acknowledgement of sponsorship by the CBS Student Board in all advertising and publications for the event. Download our logo (see Download CBSSB Logo button above) or email cbssb@umn.edu !

Frequently Asked Questions:

  1. My organization’s event is taking place in less than two weeks or has already taken place, can we still receive funding?

    • Exceptions can be made in consideration of special circumstances! Please reach out, including information regarding urgency, and we will see what we can do. We can also ‘reimburse’ your organization after the event in the case that your event has already taken place. Be ready to be asked about this during your presentation to the board!

  2. Is there a maximum or minimum grant amount?

    • There is no maximum or minimum grant amount awarded, but grants are awarded to the discretion of the CBS Student Board. You can expect to have your grant fully funded, partially funded, or (in rare cases) not funded. Available funds and the nature of the request will play a role in our ability and decision to fund.

    • Due to limited resources, we ask that each organization plan on applying for no more than one grant each semester. If you are unable to find alternative options for funding, please reach out and we will do what we can to help!

  3. What are the application dates for the year?

    • Fall semester applications are considered until the first of December. Spring semester applications are considered until the first of May.

The specifics of our selection criteria:

  • Groups affiliated with CBS, or groups that have shared interest to those of CBS students, are eligible for funding.

    This includes:
    1. Campus Life programs affiliated with a CBS department,

    2. Student groups associated with a CBS major, or

    3. Other student groups with academic, career exploration or research initiatives that are related to the interest of CBS students

  • Completed grant applications are required for us to provide you with funding.

  • Groups requesting grants must be a registered student group through the University of Minnesota Student Activities Office.

  • Your grant application will be approved more easily if a thorough budget breakdown is provided.

    Additionally, a grants with low cost per attendee ratio are more likely to be fully funded. In general, we are less likely to fully fund grant applications costing more than $5.00 per CBS student in attendance.

  • Grant applications that aim to fundraise are likely unsuccessful. The CBS Student Board does not fund items to be used for fundraising purposes (for example, the CBS Student Board will not fund roses for an organization’s rose sale fundraiser). However, student groups can apply for grants that cover costs associated with organizing a fundraiser (for example, renting a facility, prized, food for attendees, etc.)

  • Grant applications are more successful if they are welcome to all members of the CBS community. This includes CBS faculty, staff and/or students. Grant applications that do not aim to contribute to and include any members of the CBS community will likely be unsuccessful. Grant applications that aim to contribute to and include only a subset of CBS faculty, staff and/or students will not receive priority over events that include all members of the CBS community. Many successful grant applications have events aimed towards CBS students.

  • Grants will be awarded only to events which all people have access to without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

Have a question about grants?

Please fill out this form with any questions about grants and our staff will reach out to you within 24-48 hours.