Funding Application

Welcome to APASA’s home for all things finance! This is our landing page for funding applications, documents, and other key resources. To make things as easy as possible, we’ve centralized all the important information you need about the funding process into a few convenient, user-friendly documents. If you’re looking for:

How to Request APASA Funding for Your Club

Your club can request up to $400 per year from the General Funding pool, $250 per collaborative event, and a larger amount from our culture night pool. Follow these steps to submit a finance application:

Have a room and date in mind for your event
Request a quote/official invoice from a USC-approved vendor (see here for a list) AND/OR make an Amazon wishlist
Fill out the APASA Funding Application
Wait for our Finance Director, Luisa, to contact you within 24-48 hours
Present your application in front of the assembly. A majority vote of member org representatives will be needed to approve your funding application
Host your event and fill out the Post-Event Evaluation within 3 days

Deadlines

Applications must be submitted seven weeks prior to your desired event date

Criteria for APASA Funded Events

Be approved by APASA
Be free, open, and accessible to all USC undergraduate students
Be funded by only one USG source (no double-dipping between multiple USG-administered funding sources, e.g. ISA, BSA, USG)
Be advertised with APASA branding (i.e. our logo)

Funding Pools

See this Funding Tracker to see how much money is left in each pool

General Funding
- Intended for general-purpose events that do not fall into a more specific pool. Organizations may apply for $400 per year
Collaborative Funding
- Intended for collaborative events hosted by two or more Member Organizations, of any theme. Organizations may apply for $250 per event, with no per-org or semesterly limits. Only one application should be submitted for each collaborative event, from any of the involved organizations.
Advocacy Funding
- Intended for events with a specific and demonstrable advocacy purpose. Organizations may apply for $200 per year, with no semesterly limits.
Culture Show Funding
- Intended for large-scale cultural shows or performances with high necessary costs. There is no set limit. Organizations are encouraged to exhaust all alternative funding options (USG, etc.) prior to applying for this pool. Applications are accepted starting in the Fall semester.
Asian Pacific American Heritage Festival Funding
- Intended only for APAHF events in the Spring semester, following any APAHF criteria outlined by APASA's Executive Board. Organizations may apply for $150 per event, one event per organization.

And that’s everything. If you need any help with your application or have any questions not covered by the resources above, reach out to APASA’s 24-25 Finance Director, Luisa Luo, on Slack or via email.

Funding Application FAQs

What is a funding application?

A funding application is how APASA’s Member Organizations can tap into our Member Org. Budget, a collection of funding pools allocated specifically to support Member Orgs. in their events and programming. Applications begin with just two forms, followed by an official Assembly vote, and then your event is funded!

When are funding applications due?

Funding applications are open year-round! Currently, all applications are due at least 7 weeks in-advance of your event date. Note that deadlines are subject to change at the discretion of USG and Campus Activities. Check out the Funding Application Guide for more details.

How much can APASA fund?

APASA’s five funding pools — General, Collaborative, Advocacy, Culture Show, and APAHF — each come with their own funding limits, depending on what kind of events they’re catered towards. Member Orgs. may have to abide by per-org, per-event, or semesterly limits based on what pool they apply to, but funding can cover everything from snack purchases to venue bookings and concerts.

How many times can I apply for funding?

Funding applications can be submitted for events year-round, but some of APASA’s five funding pools come with per-org, per-event, or semesterly limits. This means that once you hit a limit, you can’t apply for more funding from that specific pool — either for the rest of semester, or the rest of the year. In practice, our limits are designed to be generous and flexible, allowing every Member Org. to hold multiple funded events each academic year.

How long does a funding application take to process?

Processing times vary depending on the details of the application. On APASA’s end, reviewing your submission and conducting an Assembly vote at the next available GM typically takes a week or less. We then pass your application to USG, who do the behind-the-scenes payment processing. This can take up to six weeks — but rest assured, we make sure your funding is fulfilled.

What do I do if I need to make changes to my application?

If anything in your application changes, contact Luisa, APASA’s Finance Director, immediately. Specify exactly what needs to be updated, and we’ll revise your application. Note that funding may be delayed if APASA is not notified in a timely manner and that some changes may not be possible if an application has already received Assembly approval.

Can I apply if I already have funding from USG or another Assembly?

Unfortunately, no. USG’s funding policies prevent Member Organizations from “double-dipping” using multiple USG-administered funding sources. Funding from non-USG sources, however, such as external organizations or internal funds, is allowed.

Where can I see current balances and total allocations for funding pools?

Check out our handy Member Org. Finance Tracker! It’s linked up above and gives you up-to-date information on current balances across our five pools.