Funding Use Guidelines

Once your funding application is approved, what does that mean for your media platform? How should you use your funding? How do you access your funding? And what else do you need to know about the policies surrounding your funding? Read on below!

Any questions about the process may be submitted to Melanie Hooten ([email protected]) or Josh Petersen ([email protected])

“Student media are intended to keep the community informed; serve as independent means of journalistic, artistic, cultural, and scholarly expression; provide access to that content; and provide students with professional work experience.”

Student Media Council Policy & Procedures - May 2015

Important Info

What to use your funding for:

The actual production of your media. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Printing costs
  • Hosting fees
  • Necessary software licenses
  • Anything you can think of in regards to actually producing content and the finished product

The distribution and promotion of your media. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Mailing costs
  • Digital services like e-newsletters, etc.
  • Any advertising or promotions

Some equipment may be necessary to produce your media. This is generally not something that Council funding should be used for, however, you may make a special request. Please note that all equipment purchased with Student Media funding is the property of the Student Media Council. All equipment is subject to annual inventory by the Director Student Media. Any equipment no longer in use is to be returned to the Council. If your media ceases operations or is discontinued, all purchased equipment must be turned back into Student Media. Some examples are:

  • Computers
  • Hard Drives
  • Camera equipment, etc
What NOT to use your funding for:
  • Staff salaries, stipends
  • Travel
    • The Council may approve funding spent for certain reasons, but in general, any media wishing to travel must procure different funding to do so.
  • Food or other rewards for staff
Ways your funding pays for stuff:
There are three methods to make purchases/pay invoices, listed in order of preference:
  1. Student Media purchase either with E-Journal, E-Payment, or P-Card
  2. Supporting departmental purchase either with P Card or E-Journal
  3. Personal purchase
What we need to process payments:

For direct purchase by Student Media – must be provided BEFORE purchase:

  1. A quote, bid, invoice or similar document from the vendor to purchase from.
  2. A link to an online product.
  3. Specific instructions for something purchased locally.

For reimbursement to purchase made by supporting department – request must be made within 60 days of purchase:

  1. Student Media will reimburse the department in the best way for both departments.
  2. Must provide evidence of payment through receipt, paid invoice or similar.
  3. Anything submitted after 60 days will not be reimbursed.

For reimbursement of a personal expenditure – request must be made within 30 days of purchase:

  1. Student Media will reimburse you directly.
  2. Please note that per University rules, we cannot reimburse the sales tax paid on personal purchases.
  3. Must provide evidence of payment through receipt, paid invoice, or similar.
  4. Anything submitted after 30 days will not be reimbursed.
Deadlines for funding use:

With the financial year running July 1-June 30, we need all receipts/invoices turned in by May 23, 2025. This will assure reimbursement in a timely matter and for your funds to be used in the correct fiscal year. Without advanced notice and permission from Student Media staff, any purchases turned in after May 23, 2023 will not be reimbursed. Any funds not use will be reimbursed back to Student Media Council Funding.

Other important stuff to know:

Council policy requires each media platform receiving funding to annually report to the Council during a general Council meeting regarding the use of these funds. Josh and Melanie will coordinate with each platform to communicate the available dates and to finalize the schedule.

Josh and Melanie will regularly send you account balances for your publication. This will keep you updated on your balance and the use of your funds. You can email Melanie at any time to receive a balance update.

Student Media Contacts

Josh Petersen
Manager and Advisor
[email protected]
801-581-6397

Melanie Hooten
Auxiliary Business Development
Office Admin
[email protected] 
801-585-1634