What is the Allocations Process?
We recognize that our student organizations on campus play a vital role in shaping everyone’s Pitt experience. The purpose of the Allocations Process is to provide financial assistance by equitably distributing a portion of the $2.7 million Student Activities Fund to student organizations in need. The group responsible for the Allocations process is the Student Government Board Allocations Committee.
Student Organizations may request money through an annual or semesterly budget or they can submit supplemental requests each week by Wednesday at 5pm. The Allocations Committee then meets Thursday nights to hear short presentations from each group that submitted a request. For some requests, the Allocations Committee decision is final, Other requests, as determined by the Allocations Manual, are sent to the Board for further review at public meeting on Tuesday nights at 8:45PM.
COVID-19 Update
In a virtual environment, there are two major changes to the Allocations process. First, all aspects of Allocations (supplemental request hearings, budgets, and office hours) will be held over Zoom. Second, all requests must abide by University policies for Student Activities and Travel. The committee is in session to support the conduct of healthy and safe student activities!
Spring Budgets
Budgets can be submitted at the links below:
Budget Cover form (Start here)
All budgets MUST be submitted by Monday, April 12th at 1pm. One cover and summary per group and at least one Budget Request must be submitted. All hearings and appeal will be conducted remotely (over Zoom). Following submission of your budget, Chairwoman Kesbhat will email you with the details of your hearing and potential appeal to the Board.
Groups are STRONGLY encouraged to reach out to their liaison before submitting their budget -- contact information can be found lower on this page.
In order to submit a budget, start with the Cover Sheet form. When you submit it, you will automatically move to the Budget Request form. Fill out one Budget Request for each event you are requesting funding for, and make sure to include exact prices and documentation showing each of those prices. Finally, you must complete the Summary Sheet, which will keep track of all of the expenses as a whole. If you have any questions, email your liaison or email Chairwoman Aboli Kesbhat. sgb.allocations@gmail.com. All budgets are due Monday, April 12th at 1pm.
Budgets can be submitted at the links below:
If you are a Governance Group, you will need to fill out a budget if you'd like funding beyond $5,000 for the next semester/next year. If you are a non-Gov. Group (almost all organizations) budgets are OPTIONAL. They are a good way to plan ahead, but are recommended for costs that are repeated year-to-year, or for events that you have information for in advance. The other option for funding would be a supplemental request. Governance groups can now receive up to $5,000 from supplemental requests; other organizations are not capped at a specific amount of funding. Supplemental requests are reviewed on a weekly basis, and you can find the submission form above.
Governance Groups are:
- Asian Students Alliance
- Black Action Society
- Engineering Student Council
- Greek Week
- Interfraternity Council
- National Pan-Hellenic Council
- Nursing Student Association
- Panhellenic Association
- Resident Student Association
If you disagree with a part of/all of your budget decision from the Allocations Committee, you have the option to appeal to the Board. All Board decisions are final, and you will be required to sign up for a time slot and present your budget to the Board at a public appeals hearing. Additional information will be sent via email following the submission of your budget.
Budget appeals are mandatory for all Governance Groups -- even if all of your line items are fully-funded.
Budgets are due on Monday, April 12th at 1pm.
Budgets will be reviewed by the Committee on Thursday, April 15th, Friday, April 16th, and Saturday, April 17th 2021.
Budget appeals to the Board will follow shortly, date and time TBD.
Information on dates and time slots for budget hearings and appeals will be emailed out after the submission deadline.
The Allocations Committee
The Allocations Committee is comprised of a chairperson and twelve liaisons, whose role it is to assist student groups in their utilization of the Allocations Process. The Chairperson holds ten office hours per week, and each liaison holds five office hours per week, during which they are available to answer questions, help with requests, and clarify policies and procedures. We strongly encourage every organization to consult their liaison before putting in a request. Please see below for a list of liaison group assignments and office hours.
Please email your liaison if you are planning to attend their office hours. They will send you the Zoom information to join! If you have any issues with submission or have any questions please contact us at sgb.allocations@gmail.com
| Position | Name | Liaison Groups | Office Hours | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Committee Chair | Aboli Kesbhat | sgb.allocations@gmail.com(412) 648-7965 | Governance Groups | By Appointment |
| Committee Member | Alexis Distefano | and203@pitt.edu | #-A | W: 11-1PM, Th: 12-2PM, F: 12-1PM |
| Committee Member | Carson Hawk | cah258@pitt.edu | B, D | W: 2-7PM |
| Committee Member | Ella Hamburger | hamburger@pitt.edu | C | Tu: 12:15-1:45PM, W: 12-2:30PM |
| Committee Member | Jonathan Xiong | jyx4@pitt.edu | E-G | M: 11AM-1PM, Tu: 9-11AM, W: 3:15-4:15PM |
| Committee Member | Mike Zangus | mpz12@pitt.edu | H-L | M/W: 11AM-1:30PM |
| Committee Member | Julia Le | jtl60@pitt.edu | M-O | M: 3:30-5:30PM, W: 3:30-6:30PM |
| Committee Member | Tate Yawitz | tay32@pitt.edu | P-Ph | M: 1-3PM, W: 1-4PM |
| Committee Member | Erin O'Rourke | ero22@pitt.edu | Pi-Pitt Q | M: 9-11AM, 12-2PM, Tu: 6-7PM |
| Vice Chair | Isabel Weir | isw6@pitt.edu | Pitt R-Pz | Tu/Th: 2:30-4:30PM |
| Committee Member | Ivy Chang | ibc3@pitt.edu | Q-R, W-Z | Tu: 5-7PM, W: 5-7PM |
| Committee Member | Nathan McLaughlin | nlm60@pitt.edu | S | Tu: 2:30-5:30PM; Th: 2:30-4:30PM |
| Committee Member | Katie Man | kgm28@pitt.edu | T-V | Tu: 1-2, 4-5PM, W: 1-2PM, Th: 1-2, 4-5PM |
Important Updates
The IRS moving rate has been changed to $0.20 per mile for 2019. Please use this rate for all requests involving personal vehicles.
The Governing Code and Allocations Manual have been revised. Please review the changes to the process prior to submission.
If you have received approval on your activity plan from Student Affairs, please submit it as documentation with your request submission.
Important Resources
Quick Reference Guide
Looking to submit an allocations request?
- We suggest reaching out to your liaison prior to submission- they can help you put together the best request possible.
- The link to the supplemental form can be found above.
- Allocations hearings take place on Thursday nights for requests submitted by 5pm the Wednesday prior. Certain requests will also be reviewed by the Board on the following Tuesday during Public Meeting.