Get Funding

BGSA wants to make planning and funding your event(s) as easy as possible! Please read this page carefully to see what type of funding opportunity is right for you.

Feel free to contact the BGSA Finance Chair with any questions.

Applying for BGSA Funding

This section explains the three sources of funding: 

  1. Merit 

  2. Discretionary

  3. IPF (formerly known as GAP) 

Merit Funding

Requirement: Events are open and of interest to all BGS students.

  • If your funding request is more than $300, it needs to be approved by a general assembly vote. Submit your request at least 7 days before the next general assembly meeting (which is typically the first Tuesday of every month).

Submit By:

Meeting On:

March 21, 2024*

March 26, 2024

April 4, 2024

Apri 9, 2024

April 18, 2024*

April 23, 2024

May 2, 2024

May 7, 2024

*Requests above $300 will only be voted on at general assembly meetings

*Merit request applications will reopen in the fall. For interim funding needs, please reach out to the BGSA Chair

    • You must attend the following general assembly meeting to present the request before it will be voted on by the BGSA student body. Please consult the Merit Request Guide when forming your request.

  • If your funding request is $300 or less, it will be voted on by the BGSA Executive Board. Please submit your request.

  • If you or your organization regularly requests merit funding, you may be interested in requesting a bulk amount of funds to use throughout the semester. This may save you the time of having to wait for a vote each time you need money. See Bulk Requests for more info.

Discretionary Funding

Requirement: Events that are of primary interest to a specific graduate group (e.g. CAMB, IGG, Pharmacology, etc).

  • Before approving an event for discretionary funding, program reps will contact bgsa.finance@gmail.com to make sure that there is enough money in the specific graduate group's discretionary account to fund the event.

  • Please follow the purchase order and reimbursement guides for best utilization of program funds per event. Email bgsa.finance@gmail.com for any questions regarding this process.

IPF (Interpartnership) Funding

Requirement: Events that are of interest to BGS students IN ADDITION to students in other schools at Penn (e.g. Wharton, Dental, Vet, Education, etc).

If your IPF request is for more than $2000, it needs to be approved by a general assembly vote. Submit your request AT LEAST 7 DAYS BEFORE the next general assembly meeting (the first Tuesday of every month).

You must attend the following general assembly meeting to present the request before it will be voted on by the BGSA student body.

If your funding request is $2000 or less, it will be voted on by the BGSA Executive Board. Please submit your request.

Explore other funding opportunities through GAPSA. 

After you have approval for your event(s), please read these two resources for help with purchase orders or reimbursements.  

Details about Merit and Discretionary funding mechanisms are described in the BGSA Constitution.