We’re excited to be launching a new grant program exclusively for student clubs. For most clubs, hosting events is a key tool for providing value to current members and recruiting new members. Participating in clubs, especially as officers, is a great way to showcase soft skills on your resume and better position you for your first job or graduate school.
We know from experience, entrepreneurship is a powerful way to develop and demonstrate critical thinking, effective communication and leadership—all skills employers or graduate programs look for to differentiate candidates. We’re hoping to empower more CWRU students through entrepreneurship and this grant is one way to start a dialog.
We are awarding up to 5 grants per semester to support Club programming. Our goal is to provide additional funding for your programs and an opportunity to meet with your members to explore entrepreneurship.
Receiving a financial award from the Club Grant Program provides a valuable learning and life-skills opportunity to develop and experience a number of critical professional practices. These include grant planning and management, budget ownership, and professional reporting.
Eligibility for the Club Grant Program
To be considered for the Club Grant Program, the club must be a university approved organization. Applicants must be an officer for their respective clubs and a full-time CWRU undergraduate student (at least 12 credit hours) or full-time CWRU graduate student (at least 9 credit hours or one credit hour of thesis).
Student Clubs applying for this grant are aligned with entrepreneurship, are interested in exploring entrepreneurial skills, and/or are hosting events and programs that align with entrepreneurship.
Application Timeframe
The Club Grant Program application will be open twice during the 2024-25 academic year.
Round 1 Application Opens: August 18, 2025 at 9 a.m.
Round 1 Application Closes: September 3, 2025 at 5 p.m.
Round 1 recipients will be notified September 10, 2025.
Round 2 Application Opens: January 19, 2026 at 9 a.m.
Round 2 Application Closes: January 30, 2025 at 5 p.m.
Round 2 recipients will be notified February 6, 2025.
Applications are reviewed by the Veale Institute team and grants are awarded within 5 business days of our application closing. Awards are made twice per academic year at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters.
Grant Requirements and Awards
Our application requires typical demographic information, a description of how funds will be used and an itemized budget. We know budgets are estimates and actual expenditures may vary. The budget helps us better understand what adds value to your club and helps ensure funds are used in accordance with CWRU policy and our donor’s intent.
The maximum amount of funding available per request is $500 to cover costs such as:
- Event Sponsorship
- Event Space
- Food
- Guest Speakers
- Event/Program materials
- Merchandise
Review Criteria
The review committee for the Club Grant Program considers all proposals and notifies applicants by email as to the status of their application(s). Proposals are considered based on the following criteria.
- Proposals should have a clear connection to innovation and entrepreneurship.
- SMART Goals: Have you or your team selected goals for your idea that are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-bound)?
- Feasibility: Can you or your team realistically meet the grant requirements within the grant timeframe?
- Monetary Feasibility: Is the requested funding appropriate for your project’s goals?
Fund Disbursement
If you are selected to receive support from the Club Grant Program, you will be required to sign an agreement indicating acceptance of the terms outlined for the Club Grant Program and meet with the grant manager before you receive the award.
At that point, you will receive 100% of the total award value, with the understanding that you are required to complete the requirements of funding.
Participation Requirements
If your club received financial support from the Club Grant, you are required to provide a club roster, including email addresses for all club members in the current academic year.
Additionally, students awarded funding are required to create 1 post on LinkedIn regarding their sponsorship opportunity through the Veale Institute for Entrepreneurship. (Required to tag both: CWRU Veale Institute for Entrepreneurship).