Operations Grant Rubric

This page pertains to the Operations Grant offered by the UASU Student Group Granting Program. For more information on the program and how to apply, please see the overview page.

The purpose of the Operations Grant is to support a student group’s general operations. Costs affiliated with specific events are not eligible for this grant and should be requested through an Event Grant application. This grant is recommended to student groups in their start-up period (typically the first two years of operations), and for groups who are experiencing extenuating circumstances which have begun to cause problems with financial health and security of the club.  The Student Group Granting Program will prioritize those grant applications which best meet the standards and expectations of the rubric below.

Rubric Categories

Group Growth

• Student Groups should always be looking forward, planning for their future. In this category the Granting Program will prioritize applicants who have clearly outlined the short-term impact -- that is, within 1-2 years -- of the grant would be on their club operations, as well as the long-term vision for the club’s operations, to aspire to self-sustainability.

Strategic Planning

• When setting goals, it is important for a club to set their sights on foreseeable challenges and needs of the student group that are likely to come with the attainment of short- and long-term goals. The Granting Program will prioritize applicants who can identify strategies and best practices that will allow their student group to flourish, if their application is successful.

Fiscal Responsibility

• Documentation is provided on the fiscal management of the group, and they demonstrate that the group has plans beyond the current year. The application also demonstrates the considerations the executive has taken to ensure the financial health of the student group.

Details of Application

• Details provided in the application are relevant and specific. The application does not leave out major details and the specific items or services that will be covered by the grant funds, if the application is successful, are identified in the application.

Rubric

Weight	Criteria	4- Excellent	3 - Good	2 - Fair	1 - Poor
25%	Group Growth	Short Term Impact: Specific and significant impact on the group’s operations and success for the year are intentionally planned in relation to how they will feed into the long term vision.  Long Term Vision:  Goals and plans outlined in the application indicate that the group will likely not need to apply for Operational funding in the future.	Short Term Impact: Specific and significant impact on the group’s operations and success for the year are outlined; the connection between this impact and the long term vision is articulated.   Long Term Vision:   The application gives specific and realistic goals for the group over the course of five years.	Short Term Impact: The application identifies potentially significant, positive impact on the group’s operations for the current year.  Long Term Vision:  The application implies some goals beyond the current year, but the goals are unrealistic or vague.	Short Term Impact: The application identifies unclear impacts of the grant on the group’s operations for the current year. Long Term Vision:  The application demonstrates little to no long-term planning or goals for the group.
30%	Strategic Planning	Challenges & Needs: See criteria for score 3. Strategies & Best Practices: The application provides robust descriptions of strategies or practices that will help the group effectively manage challenges into the future, and internal accountability plans to ensure goals are always relevant as the group grows.	Challenges & Needs: The application identifies realistic challenges and needs that could arise from the group’s realization of goals and vision. Strategies & Best Practices: The application provides relevant strategies or practices that will help the group effectively manage challenges into the future.	Challenges & Needs: The application identifies challenges or needs which are too broad and general, and fails to explain the connections to the goals and vision of the group.  Strategies & Best Practices: The application provides examples of strategies or practices but the effect(s) on the challenges are unclear.	Challenges & Needs: The application does not identify realistic challenges or needs, or those identified are not connected to the group’s short and long term vision.  Strategies & Best Practices: The application does not identify strategies that will contribute to attaining the goals or vision of the group.
30%	Fiscal Responsibility	Budgets: See criteria for score 3.  Financial Planning:  See criteria for score 3. Budget is very detailed, and demonstrates  that group has taken all measures to reduce costs. Plans for the year contribute to the financial sustainability of the group.	Budgets: Required budgets are included on the application, and include details that are clear and agree with the purposes of the student group.  Financial Planning:  The budget suggests that the group is financially sound; that is, the listed expenses are reasonable, and/or justified, with evidence that the future financial health of the group is feasible.	Budgets: Required budgets are included on the application. Budgets are unclear in places and/or describe some “miscellaneous” costs that are undefined.  Financial Planning:  The budget suggests that the group will not run a deficit, but some practices or financial choices may be leaving the group somewhat financially unstable for the future.	Budgets: Requested budgets are not present, or if they are present, leave out significant details.  Financial Planning:  The budget suggests that the event will run a large deficit, or will otherwise leave the group in poor financial health.
15%	Details of Application	Clarity:  See criteria for score 3.  Specificity:  Items and services to be covered by the grant funding are specified; their relevance to the goals of the group have been described clearly.	Clarity:  Application details are clear, informative, and include all major details and additional context provided.  Specificity:  Items and services to be covered by the grant funding are specified.	Clarity:  The application is readable, though disjointed. Some questions may have been answered in sentence fragments, and is difficult to understand.   Specificity: Items and services to be covered by the grant are described generally.	Clarity:  Application details are lacking, vague and general. Some questions may have been answered in sentence fragments, and is difficult to understand.   Specificity: No specific items or services are mentioned.