AGS is required by its constitution and bylaws to provide funds for use by graduate students and graduate student groups.

Under Article V (5), section 6 the rules are covered as to who is eligible for AGS funds and for what purposes. AGS can not fund schools, departments, cost of education and projects which form a central part of a degree project. AGS can fund events which are intended to promote and improve the social and academic environment of the UCI campus for graduate students. Examples of such events would be funding a graduate student club to put on a performance, modest funding for graduate student housing associations for social events, funding campus centers which promote social events and assisting in funding graduate student organized conferences.

AGS, insofar, has not funded an event where graduate students are not a targeted audience or events where graduate students are charged a fee. The AGS Council has never seen it fit to fund an event whose audience did not include graduate students in some way. Furthermore, asking for AGS to fund the procurement of entertainment for a social event, yet charging graduate students for food or admission has never happened.

The mechanism for requesting Special Projects funding is in the bylaws. Specifically, the Budget Provisions chapter, sections A and D speak directly to how the process works.

As a first step, you should contact the Vice President of Financial Affairs with the who, what, where, when and the budget. For example, you could send an email introducing yourself, your organization, your role in the organizing, what is being organized, where and when will it take place, and the budget for the event. The budget should include all your projected expenses as well as any supporting documentation such as information from previous events (receipts, statistics, etc.). The budget should also include all your funding sources. It is also important to note that you should contact AGS BEFORE your event takes place. There is no guarantee that AGS will fund your event. As such, it is best to contact AGS as early as possible.

After speaking to the Vice President of Financial Affairs, you should have all your material squared away. The Vice President of Financial Affairs will place your Special Project Funding request on the AGS Council's agenda and you or your groups designee will be asked to attend the meeting.

At the meeting come prepared to present your funding request and answer questions council members may have. The AGS Council may fund you in full or in part. It is entirely up to the AGS Council.

To receive your funds, you will need to present to the Vice President of Financial Affairs original receipts as well as a manifest describing the expenses. Once this is done, a check will be prepared for whomever submitted the receipts. Arrangements can be made to have the check made out to a person other than the submitter, however only a single check will be written.

AGS is in no way required to fund an event unless original receipts are provided. Failure to do so will undoubtedly jeopardize your funding.