Club grants

Club Grants: guidance and criteria

The Clubs Committee can provide financial assistance to University clubs, societies and publications registered with the Proctors. The Committee meets termly to decide on the award of small sums to registered non-sports clubs to support their activities. The Committee will decide among eligible applications with reference to its overall annual budget and to its aims of encouraging a lively, creative and inclusive range of activities in student life at Oxford. 

Applications for a grant may be made by submitting Clubs grant application form by Friday of 4th week each term.

Types of Grants

(a)  Start-up grants (up to £200) - available to newly registered non-sports clubs

(b)  Special purpose grants and loans (up to £200) - available to established non-sports clubs  (continuously registered for at least three terms)

(c)  Special purpose grants and loans (up to £800) - available to larger non-sports clubs  that are long-established (continuously registered for at least three years with a membership of at least 30 for the entire period)

What would make a club eligible?

Only registered non-sports clubs that continue to meet the registration criteria may apply for the awards specified above. Clubs, societies and publications are expected, as a matter of general principle, to be self-financing and to meet their day-to-day expenditure, including travel expenses and the cost of meetings, etc. from subscriptions and/or other contributions from members, or from other sources of revenue. Consequently, the Committee does not ordinarily make grants to cover running costs, but awards grants mainly for non-recurrent or capital expenditure, for example towards the purchase of an item of equipment that would be of long-term benefit to members, and which a club/society/publication cannot reasonably or realistically be expected to meet from its normal revenues.

What would usually make a club ineligible?

If the club/society/publication:

(a)  does not appear to be sustainable, i.e. does not charge a membership fee, or have any other alternative sources of revenue,

(b)  if the application is for long-term running costs, rather than start-up costs, or unforeseen circumstances,

(c)  supports political activities,

(d)  supports private social activities,

(e)  support activities that, in the University’s opinion, may breach equality or other relevant legislation, or where the provision of support may be inconsistent with the University’s obligations under such legislation,

(f)   do not fully explain how the money will be spent,

(g)  do not have the explicit support of the club’s Senior Member,

(h)  are for large sums and do not show evidence of having first pursued other appropriate sources of funding.