The Associated Student Union will be reviewing Grant for Support applications starting Friday until Oct. 16 for the first time since the 2013 spring semester.

Contra Costa College programs, departments and clubs will be able to apply for additional funding of up to $2,500 for campus events or purchases that will benefit a large percentage of students.

“The deadline to submit applications for review is by (noon) on Oct. 16,” ASU Director of Training and Recruitment Luanna Waters said.

Student Life Coordinator Ericka Greene said the ASU Board will only be approving 10 applications for the fall semester.

As of press time Tuesday, there are seven members in the ASU. All, but one, hold executive positions. 

Waters said upon submitting the application at the Student Life and ASU Offices in AA-109, it will take about two weeks to process through the Finance Committee and bring it up for ASU Board discussion.

“Any Grant for Support application that is approved must be done to benefit students,” Greene said to the ASU Board during its meeting on Sept. 9. “And it better be — the money is coming from the students.”

The $5 student activity fee that is charged to students at the beginning of every semester funds the Grant for Support.

ASU Treasurer, and Internal Finance Committee Chairperson Jun Chen said the total budget of the Grant for Support for the fall 2015 semester has been set at $25,000.

ASU Vice President of Club Affairs and Inter-Club Council President Safi Ward-Davis said this budget is $10,000 less than what was offered the last time the ASU had the Grant for Support operational.

Ward-Davis said because of where the monies are being funneled from, applying for a Grant for Support should be a program’s “last option” after fundraising and using institutional funds.

She said, “Last year (the Grant for Support) was not open because former (ASU) president Antone (Agnitsch) wanted to re-word the applications because only certain departments were utilizing the funds, and the rest were unclear with the process.”

“The ASU will only review reasonable requests, and even then we may approve or deny — but we will make sure the process is clear on both ends.”

Ward-Davis said, “We need everyone to realize that this is student activity fee money.”

“It’s what students pay the $5 for, so we have to be fiscally responsible with our decisions and make sure they benefit as many students as possible.”

Greene agrees with Ward-Davis when she said, “If you ask for $2,500 it doesn’t mean that you are guaranteed to get that much. Any applicant has to bring proof that the ASU is not the first place they came to ask for more funding.” 

Chen said she met with Business Office’s Senior Accountant Clerk Jacqueline Lopez to ensure that the revisions to the Grant for Support Application are in compliance with the Finance Code on Sept. 18, which was the third read according to ASU’s minutes.

The ASU meets weekly on Thursdays in LA-204 at 2:15 p.m.