As of last week, the OUSA grant budget has run out of money early, with just over $3400 left out of an initial pool of $80,000, according to OUSA Recreation Officer Josh Smythe.
OUSA grants are typically available throughout the year for groups or individuals who need money. This can range from running cultural events and conferences, to buying club banners and equipment, to individuals needing help paying for travel costs to national and international competitions.
According to Sarah Taylor, OUSA Clubs Development Officer, “OUSA Grants is treated as first in first served, once the funding is gone, that’s it”. Which is bad luck for clubs or individuals who have not yet applied for an OUSA grant.
The July grant round received over 70 applications. There was going to be at least one more grant round for the year. It is unsure if there will be a round to distribute the remaining money.
Taylor said that part of the reason grants funding ran out early this year was that there was only $80,000 allocated to the grants budget this year, which was a 20% decrease from 2017’s 100,000.
Last year, $61,303 was awarded to clubs, and $35,915 was awarded to individuals. However, $17,926 was not collected by recipients. This could have been the logic behind the $20,000 decrease in 2018. Taylor noted that the overall budget for OUSA had also been reduced for 2018, which limited how much could be allocated for grants.