»Student Funding

Before submitting a funding application to the Student Activity Fee Advisory Committee, please read the SAFAC Funding Criteria and review the SAFAC Funding Rubric, to ensure your application meets necessary criteria and university policies.

SAFAC Funding Rubric

Submit the 2026-2027 SAFAC Funding Application via Panther Connect.

Please Note: This application is not for conference sponsorships or graduate and professional exams. Review the below panels for additional steps.

Applications for funding must be received at least three (3) weeks before the event or desired purchase date. Any application submitted less than three (3) weeks before the event shall be denied.

All funding applications must be submitted by Fridays at 11:59 p.m. to be reviewed the following week. Applications submitted after this time will be reviewed the week after next.

Once submitted, the Student Activity Funding Team will prepare the application to be reviewed by SAFAC. Afterly weekly reviews, a funding notice email will be sent to the submitter.  

After funds have been awarded, you will need to fill out the 2026-2027 SAFAC Payment Request Form via Panther Connect to access the funding through the direct payment or reimbursement process.

Payment Methods:

• Reimbursement: Payment via check to a student who made purchases on their own.
• Budget Transfer: Funds transferred internally to an on-campus department or club account.
• Direct Payment to Vendor: Payment for an agreement and/or invoice via check or PO to a vendor.
• P-Card: Utilize a purchase card to make payments on behalf of the organization for smaller expenses. Schedule an appointment here to meet with the Student Activity Funding Team.  
• Sodexo Catering: If you are working with Sodexo Catering for your event, the Student Activity Funding Team will directly pay and sign the finalized Sodexo contract. Reach out to safac@chapman.edu for the appropriate budget code to provide to the Sodexo Catering team.

All payment requests must be received within two (2) weeks of the funded event date or purchase date. Failure to do so may result in the removal of funding and payment privileges.

Once the Payment Request Form is complete and has made it through the full review and approval process, your payment will be processed.

The Student Activity Fee Advisory Committee may award funding for events, meetings, and expenses coordinated by all categories of Student Clubs and Organizations, as defined in the Student Group Policies.

All events must be submitted via Panther Connect for SAFAC to properly review a funding application. Applications for events not submitted in Panther Connect will be automatically denied.

All Student Clubs and Organizations must work with the Student Organizations Team in the Department of Student Engagement (studentorgs@chapman.edu) to ensure that all event details and activities (eg. waivers, contracts/agreements, etc) are in accordance with university policy, including for off-campus events. Please contact the Student Organizations Team to ensure your event abides by all university policies.

If you are working with an outside vendor, Student Clubs and Organizations cannot make any form of payment themselves. Within two (2) days of receving the fully executed contract/agreement from the Student Organizations Team in the Department of Student Engagement, submit the payment request form for SAFAC to pay them directly.

All undergraduate students are eligible to receive funding up to a maximum of $250 for exam registration required for graduate school and professional programs.

Exam registration does not require a funding application. It must be submitted as a payment request within the same fiscal year in which the exam is paid for.

Proper documentation can be submitted to the 2026-2027 Payment Request Form (Conferences & Graduate Exams).

Before applying for a conference sponsorship, review the SAFAC Conference Funding Rubric linked below, to ensure your application meets necessary criteria and university policies. 

SAFAC Conference Funding Rubric

Step 1: Go to Submittable to submit your application. 

• Review the links for funding information/requirements of all participating sources of funding.
• The applications for both individual and group conference funding are located at the bottom of the page.
• Press the SAFAC application and follow the instructions provided.
• Your application should be submitted at least three (3) weeks before your conference date. Refer to Submittable to review the specific eligibility and requirements of other funding sources.

• Reminder: 
  • The maximum amount that SAFAC can grant to each student per term is $750. 
  • If a student is planning on attending multiple conferences throughout the year, they may apply for a separate award for each conference; however, the amount will still be limited to $750 per term. The Committee will also take into consideration previous awards granted when making their decision.

Step 2: Processing Reimbursement 

All SAFAC funds that are awarded can be accessed through the direct payment or reimbursement process. Once your application has been approved and you have spent the allocated funds, please fill out the 2026-2027 SAFAC Payment Request Form (Conferences & Graduate Exams).

Please Note: If you received funding from SAFAC and either another department, school, or college, please ONLY submit payment information to the Center for Undergraduate Excellence.

• Payment Requests must be submitted within two weeks after returning from the conference.
• You will only be reimbursed for the items and amounts approved in your funding decision.

The Student Activity Fee Advisory Committee may provide funding for events, meetings, and expenses coordinated by Department Student Groups and university departments, schools, or colleges that do not have access to student organization funding, as defined in the Student Group Policies. To determine if your organization is considered a Department Student Group, please check your status on Panther Connect.

To apply for funding, follow the steps outlined in the "Funding Application Process" tab.