Student Government Association

• To be eligible for funding, events must be 1) held on campus and 2) admission must be free for all students. 
• Events that have already occurred prior to the SGA hearing the request, events involving alcoholic beverages, and activities that benefit only the members of a specific organization will not be considered.
• Only registered student organizations may request SOLO funds.
• For fall and spring semesters, no more than $2,000 per application and a maximum of $2,000 per semester will be allocated to any registered student organization. 
• A registered student organization may apply to receive more than $2,000 for an event if deemed an exceptional benefit by two-thirds vote of the SGA Senate. Only one application for exceptional benefit per registered student organization per academic year will be considered.
• Please read carefully the SOLO fund articles of the SGA constitution (articles XV and XVI).

• Online application submissions must be completed before 4:30 PM the Wednesday before the S.O.L.O. session prior to your event.
• SOLO Applications must be submitted according to the deadlines described below. These deadlines are established to ensure that awarded funds can be utilized by the organization.
• SOLO Applications are submitted via Eagle Engage.
• Applicants should be prepared to provide the following:
  • Contact information for the organization member serving as the point person for the event.
  • A detailed budget document (see SOLO Toolkit below)
  • A complete event flyer or social media image. The flyer/image must include the organization’s or organizations’ name(s), the event date and time, the event location, and a description of the event. The flyer/image must include the SGA Logo in a size that is at least 1.5”x1.5” on an 8.5”x11” flyer, as well as the SOLO Funding statement provided in the SOLO Toolkit below. For social media images, the SOLO Funding statement must be included in the caption once posted.  
• Please review the Using SOLO Funds section below to learn more about how SOLO Funds may be used before submitting the application.
• Requests or events for which less than $1,000 is requested (half of the maximum allocation) may be approved by the SOLO Funding Committee. Requests or events for which $1,000 or more is requested must be approved by the SOLO Funding Committee and the SGA Senate.  
• If multiple organizations are requesting funds for the same event, each organization must submit a SOLO Application. The total amount requested by all organizations for the same event will be used to determine whether the requests must be approved by the SGA Senate. All requests pertaining to the same event must be heard by the SOLO Funding Committee and/or SGA on the same date.  
• Applicants are responsible for responding to questions posed by applicant reviewers via Eagle Engage, and for ensuring that the organization’s advisor has approved the request. 
• Applicants will receive an invitation to the appropriate SOLO Funding Committee and/or SGA Senate meeting(s) at least twenty four hours prior to the meeting. 
• The organization’s advisor must approve the request prior to the scheduled hearing. 
• An organization representative must be present at the SOLO Funding Committee and/or SGA Senate meeting(s) to briefly present the request and answer questions. Failure to appear will automatically result in denial of the request. 
• The SGA President and SGA Advisor have the authority to approve or veto the application for good cause. 

A detailed event budget should accompany the application. Failure to provide sufficient detail may result in a delay in the process and/or dismissal of the request. Helpful budget documents will include the items to be purchased, the cost per each item, the quantity of each item to be purchased, and a description of items that the committee members may not be familiar with. ALL event costs should be described, including shipping costs, art setup for t-shirt printing, decorations, etc. Only items described in the budget document will be purchased or reimbursed.

The SGA Logo should be included on all printed materials promoting SOLO-funded events.  Download the SGA logo »

The SOLO Funding statement should be included on the event flyer: “This event has been financially sponsored, either entirely or partially by the Tennessee Tech Student Government Association (SGA) and its SOLO Fund. The views contained herein at this event or program does not represent the views of the Tennessee Tech Student Government Association, the SGA President or other members, the University, or the Tennessee Tech University Board of Trustees. The Tennessee Tech Student Government Association is fully in accord with the belief that all events and programs should be afforded the same opportunities that all US Citizens receive from the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.”

SOLO Applications must be heard by the SOLO Committee and/or SGA Senate at least two weeks prior to the event date to ensure that all purchases may be made in accordance with University policies. Other deadline exceptions may be granted in special cases as approved by the SGA Treasurer and SGA Advisor. An organization may not be granted more than one exception during an academic year. 

SOLO Applications may be submitted in advance of the stated application deadline.

In order to accommodate all organizations requesting SOLO Funds, organizations may only be present one request per meeting. Organizations are encouraged to plan their requests for the semester accordingly. 

SOLO Application Deadline Information

Event Date	Last day to submit application (by 4:30pm)	SOLO Funding Committee Hearing Date	SGA Senate Hearing Date (for requests of $1000 or more)
Sept 9 – Sept 29	Aug 28	Sept 3	Sept 9
Sept 30 – Oct 13	Sept 11	Sept 16	Sept 23
Oct 14 – Oct 27	Sept 25	Sept 30	Oct 7
Oct 28 – Nov 10	Oct 9	Oct 14	Oct 21
Nov 11 – Nov 24	Oct 23	Oct 28	Nov 4
Nov 25 – Dec 6	Nov 6	Week of Nov 11	Nov 18
January 16 – February 2**	Nov 25	Dec 2

** Only requests of less than $1000.

The SOLO Application is accessed via Eagle Engage using the link below or via the Student Government Association group in Eagle Engage. Students must be listed as an officer of their student organization in Eagle Engage.

FILL OUT THE SOLO APPLICATION

For assistance with Eagle Engage, email engagement@tntech.edu. For questions related to the SOLO Application, email sgatreasurer@tntech.edu. During business hours, call 931-372-3123.

Please review the information below to ensure that your organization is able to utilize awarded funds and host an amazing event.

Getting Started. Organizations awarded SOLO Funds must meet with Susan Henry, the Center for Student Engagement’s Administrative Associate, before ordering items, making purchases, etc. To schedule a time to meet with Susan, email shenry@tntech.edu.

Expense Considerations. Using University funds can be more complicated than making personal purchases. Please be ready to discuss the following.

• T-shirts and other promotional items. The use of SOLO Funds for promotional items with the University name or trademarks must be approved by the University and purchased through a licensed provider. Artwork for t-shirts may need to be approved prior to placing an order.
• Prizes. Prizes may be purchased, but certain conditions exist that the organization must agree to. NOTE: SOLO Funds may not be used to purchase, or reimburse the purchase of, gift cards.
• Posters and printed materials. The University’s Printing Services must be used for SOLO-funded printing projects.
• Food. SOLO Funds may be used for food as approved by the SGA. Organizations may not spend more than $500 for food provided by off-campus restaurants or retailers. If spending more than $500 for an event, the food must be purchased through Campus Dining. The purchase of food that must be cooked and/or otherwise prepared is prohibited.
• Reimbursement vs. Direct Purchase. In many cases, Student Engagement can purchase the items you need directly. This process is much more efficient than the reimbursement process. Often, the organization can get more for less by using the University’s accounts (with Staples, for instance). Reimbursement can take up to three weeks. Purchases made without permission from Student Engagement may not be reimbursed. Receipts for reimbursement must be submitted within 10 days of the event or purchase (whichever comes first). Receipts submitted after this deadline may not be reimbursed.
• Taxes. Food orders and other expenses can often be purchased directly by Student Engagement, making the purchases tax-exempt. Some retailers will allow you to use a personal card and still remove the taxes from the purchase, but usually personal purchases will be taxed. STUDENT ENGAGEMENT WILL NOT REIMBURSE TAXES. Only before-tax amounts will be reimbursed.
• Receipts. Receipts must show that the payment was made. Sometimes students bring an invoice or quote for reimbursement. The receipt should indicate the payment method and show PAID or a $0.00 balance. Receipts should also indicate the company name and show the itemized expenses. “Credit Card Receipts” that only show the total amount of the transaction may not be accepted.
• Event Expenses vs. Operating Expenses. All expenses should support the proposed event. Expenses must not be for organization members only, and should not be used for equipment and materials unrelated to the event or primarily intended for use by the organization outside of the proposed event.

Promoting The Event. All SOLO-funded events may be promoted by SGA via social media and on Roaden University Center signage.

Improper Use of Funds. Organizations may lose their eligibility to request SOLO Funds if the organization (a) fails to adhere to the procedures described here, (b) uses the funds for purposes not expressly approved by the SGA, or (c) uses the funds in a manner that violates SGA or University policies.