Operations Grants provide funding for the routine operational and recruitment expenses of student organizations. Award categories include funding for postage, printing, office supplies, advertising, equipment and space rental, subscriptions, graphic and web design and other operational expenses. Any registered student organization in good standing with the Office for Student Organizations, Leadership & Involvement (SOLI), may apply for an Operations Grant. The application for the following academic school year opens at the end of the fall semester.
The ASM Operations Grant application for the 2025–2026 academic year is now closed.
The ASM Operations Grant application portal for the 2026–2027 academic year will open on Monday, December 28, 2025, and close on Saturday, February 8, 2026. Grant hearings will take place during the spring semester, at which time grants will be awarded for the upcoming academic year. Please note that applications are reviewed in the order they are received. While the Grant Allocation Committee (GAC) strives to support as many organizations as possible, funding is limited. For questions, please contact the ASM Grant Allocation Chair at grants@asm.wisc.edu.
Information for Current Operations Grant Organizations
Remember to re-register your group with the Office for Student Organizations, Leadership & Involvement (SOLI) before October 13th. Your organization must be in compliance with SOLI’s requirements in order to spend grant funds.
The ASM Operations Grant provides funding for Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) for routine operational expenses and recruitment of new members. After applying and attending a hearing before the ASM Grant Allocation Committee, groups are notified of their award status. The RSO would then need to attend a grant workshop with the ASM finance staff the following fall to review grant policies and procedures.
Click on the tabs above to learn more about each step in the grant process.
Only UW- Madison Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) in good standing with the Office for Student Organizations, Leadership & Involvement (SOLI) may apply for the ASM Operations Grant. Individuals, departments, or other non-RSO entities seeking operational funding support are ineligible to receive ASM Grant funding.
The ASM Operations Grant can fund:
- Printing & Advertising: Covers costs for operational and recruitment-related materials. Printing may not be used to promote general events, except those directly tied to recruitment, such as a group kick-off or the Student Organization Fair. All printed materials must feature the ASM Logo and Disclaimer. This category also includes funding for SOLI mass emails, social media promotions, and newspaper advertisements.
- Office & Program Supplies: Includes essential operational supplies needed for the functioning of your group.
- Digital Tools & Subscriptions: Covers software, web services, and online platforms used exclusively by your group—not by a department. This category also includes expenses related to website hosting, design services, and domain renewals.
- Space/Equipment Rental & Transportation: Provides funding for member meetings and recruitment kick-offs, with appropriate justification. This can include rental of spaces or equipment and necessary transportation for group activities.
Important notes on the application:
- RSO officers are the only members of an RSO who can apply for a grant. They will need to log in with their Net ID.
- RSOs can only apply for ONE Operations Grant per academic year.
- RSOs are not eligible to receive the ASM Open Fund Grant if they receive an Operations Grant award.
ASM Operations Grant hearings will be held during the spring semester. Your group will be notified of your assigned hearing date once the application process has closed. All groups are heard in order of submission.
The grant contacts will receive notice of award or denial within 5 business days of the assigned hearing date.
- If a grant applicant is denied funding, the GAC Chair will inform your RSO of the reason for the denial.
- If a grant applicant is awarded funds, at least two RSO officers must complete the mandatory Operations Grant Workshop Canvas Course in the following fall semester before any funds can be accessed. The Operations Grant is prohibited from funding any expenses incurred prior to grant approval and prior to completing this workshop. This workshop is mandatory and provides crucial information to the RSO on how to appropriately spend the awarded grant funds.
The Operations Grant workshops will be held via a Canvas course. A Microsoft Form will be included in your Operations Grant Award notice email. Please complete the form to indicate which RSO officers will participate in the Operations Grant Workshop. Only the officers listed on this form will be added to the Canvas course and authorized to expense Operations Grant funds for your RSO after completing the course.
During the workshop, you will review the Operations Grant Policy, procedures for spending grant funds, and additional funding resources available to your group.