Line-Item Funding

Updated August 2026

Line-Item Funding is money allocated once a year from the Student Senate Activity Fee and the Community Development Fund Fee, both Fees collected from the Required Student Fees, to support student organizations at KU (§ 05-05-01). Organizations apply in advance, and the Student Senate reserves funding for their specific events and projects. They then submit purchases and payments against that reserved funding throughout the year.

In FY 2027, over $45,000 was allocated to 22 organizations, and $15,000 from the Community Development Fund Fee was allocated to 8. Line-Item Funding is administered through the Line-Item Funding Committee, which is chaired by the Vice Chair of the Finance Council, and its voting members are elected by the Student Councils of the Student Senate.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible organizations must:

  • Be recognized by the University and registered with the Student Engagement Center (§ 05-05-02); and
  • Abide by the oversight provisions in § 05-01-07.

CDF Line-Item Funding. “Organizations receiving Line-Item Funding who are eligible for Community Development Funding must comply with all regulations for Community Development Funding... Otherwise, organizations receiving Line-Item Funding must comply with all regulations for Wednesday-Night Funding” (§ 05-05-07), meaning:

  • Organizations that promote community and/or intercultural education follow the CDF rules in § 07-02-10 through § 07-02-13, including prohibited uses, food limits, required policies, and reimbursements. Read more about those requirements here.
  • All other organizations follow the Wednesday-Night Funding rules in § 05-06-06 through § 05-06-11. These cover prohibited uses, the $500 per year food limit, travel, required policies, and reimbursements. Read more about those requirements here.

Maximum funding. “No student organization shall receive more than $10,000 in funding from the Student Senate,” in a given year, including Line-Item Funding, Wednesday-Night Funding, and Community Development Funding together. This maximum may be exceeded with a two-thirds vote of the Finance Council or the Students’ Assembly (§ 05-01-04).

General Funding. Organizations may request $100 of General Funding for office supplies, printing, and other expenses tangibly related to a Line-Item request. General Funding cannot be requested on its own, and approval is at the Committee’s discretion (§ 05-05-04).

Duration of allocations. “Allocations of Line-Item Funding shall be effective for the University fiscal year for which they are allocated. After this time, the outstanding portions of all allocations shall be considered expired and be returned to the Student Senate” (§ 05-05-10).

Reductions. The Student Senate may reduce a Line-Item allocation only by a two-thirds vote. This also requires the Treasurer’s written consent, and a reduction may not leave the organization with a deficit (§ 05-05-11).

How to Apply

Apply for Line-Item Funding

Applications will open December 1.

The Line-Item Funding Committee will review applications and prepare an allocation proposal. The Chair of the Committee will then present the proposal to the Finance Council, and then to the Students’ Assembly. Each body must pass it by a two-thirds vote. The Finance Council may amend the proposal by majority vote, but the Students’ Assembly may not. If a body does not pass the proposal, it is sent back for revision (§ 05-04-05). Meeting documents and final decisions can be found on the Student Senate Teams workspace.

Spending your Allocation

After organizations are allocated funding, they can request their specific purchases through the Line-Item Funding purchase submission form.

  • Submissions for Line-Item funding are reviewed by the Treasurer. Submissions for CDF Line-Item funding are reviewed by the Fund Development Director.
  • Each submission is checked for compliance with the applicable regulations and for fair adherence to the information in your application. Reasonable allowances are made for differences between your application and your actual events (§ 05-05-09).
  • Invoices, taxpayer information, and other financial forms may be required to complete a transaction.
  • If a submission is rejected, your remaining allocation is unaffected, and you may make further submissions.
  • The submission form closes at the end of each academic year.

Purchases are made through the University’s financial systems, so allow time before your event.

Questions?

Reach out to the Treasurer at senatetres@ku.edu with questions about eligibility or application.