Proposal Process

Am I Eligible?

Before applying, confirm your project meets STF eligibility requirements:

• Applicants must be a UW–Seattle affiliated department, unit, or Registered Student Organization (RSO). RSOs must have a departmental advisor.
• The project must be unique and not already exist on campus.
• The project must not be necessary to the essential business or operation of a department, unit, or RSO.
• The project must not be necessary to the provision of regular classroom instruction and learning.

Tip: Attend a Proposal Workshop if you’re unsure about eligibility.

Watch for the Call for Proposals

Calls for Proposals are posted quarterly and include the timeline, requirements, contact information, evaluation criteria, and proposal forms. Award types include:

• Single Award — one-time funding.
• Block Award — recurring funding that auto-renews annually.

Gather Your Materials

• Budget. Solicit recent bids or price estimates (dated within 90 days) for all equipment. Include tax, shipping, warranties, and insurance.
• Authorization. Obtain sign-off from your chair, dean, or director. Confirm storage location, staffing, and who will cover maintenance costs.
• Your Team. Identify your budget contact, student contact, and department contact before submitting.

Write and Submit

Draft and submit your proposal via Submittable using your UW NetID.

Committee Staff Review

After submission, committee staff review your proposal for eligibility and policy compliance. If any issues are found, you will be notified and given the opportunity to correct them.

Fast Track (≤ $25,000)

Proposals requesting $25,000 or less may qualify for fast track review. If fast tracked, the committee votes on the proposal without requiring a hearing. The chair decides; the full committee may overrule.

Proposals over $25,000 or for Block awards proceed to a standard Stage 2 hearing.

Appearing Before the Committee

Applicants must appear before the STF Committee to answer questions about their proposal. This is required for:

• All proposals requesting more than $25,000
• All Block award proposals

Important: Failure to appear or respond to committee questions may result in denial of your proposal.

Committee Vote

At the end of winter and spring quarters, the STF Committee convenes to vote on award amounts and any stipulations for all reviewed proposals.

The award granted may be less than or equal to the amount requested in your proposal.

Approved

You will receive an email from the STF team detailing your award amount, any stipulations, and instructions for accessing your funds. All decisions are final. Congratulations!

View the Award Packet, your complete guide to fulfilling your obligations as a funded project and making the most of the resources available to you.

Denied

If your proposal is denied, you are eligible to reapply in a future cycle. There is no appeal process for denied proposals.

Annual Reporting

All funded projects must submit annual reports including an expenditure breakdown, equipment location, student impact statement, and a compliance statement. Reports must be retained based on award size:

• ≤ $9,999: 2 years after budget closes
• $10,000–$49,999: 3 years
• $50,000–$99,999: 4 years
• $100,000+: 5 years
• Block Awards: Annually until the block award expires

Amendments

Need to make a change to your award? Submit an amendment request. The level of review depends on the scope of the change:

• Small change (≤ 12-month extension or ≤ 15% budget change): the chair can approve.
• Larger changes: require full committee review.
• Change to project intent: denied with no appeal.

Auditing

The chair may request an audit of any funded proposal at any time. An ad hoc committee of at least one ASUW member and one GPSS member conducts the review. Violations may result in a budget freeze, return of funds, or probation. Audit findings are appealable.