CSA funding is designed to support student-led activities, projects and opportunities that benefit your club, society and the wider student community.

As funding is limited, applications are assessed against a set of criteria to ensure funding is allocated fairly and where it can have the greatest impact.

Don't be too extravagant when composing your funding request as the CSA is given a fixed sum to cover clubs/societies expenses for the whole year. This money must be shared out among estimated 45 Clubs and Societies, pay for personal sporting insurance, pay for the first aid training and some must be held back for new Clubs and Societies which set up during the year.

If your funding is insufficient and you can make a good case for extra funding, your society can bid for extra funds. This should be done in a similar way to the original funding bid, with a revised budget and an explanation of why you need more money. Any decision will also depend on your performance throughout the year. 

As part of receiving funding, clubs and societies are expected to deliver at least one open session or event that is accessible to the wider student body. This helps create new opportunities for students to get involved, try something new, and engage with the activities your group offers.

Take into account unexpected costs and consider where any extra money will come from, if you need to cut another activity etc. If your plans change, make sure you let us know in order to differ significantly from your budget and proposed activities.

If you are the new President/Treasurer, try and enlist the help of the officers you have taken over from and discuss your aims for the year with the other officers. Take a good look at the CSA Grant application, your society submitted last year and compare this to what the society actually received and what it actually did, as the two will inevitably be different. You need a clear idea of what events you want to run, whether you want to run more events or fewer events, and how much they will cost. 

Your application will need to show clearly all proposed expenditure and how you plan to pay for it. You will need to demonstrate how much money you plan to raise from membership and other activities, as this will count as income. You will be expected to raise a certain amount of money through membership, and / or charging for events. Your ability to raise money will depend on the nature of the society, but you are encouraged to make yourselves as financially independent of the CASC Grant as possible.  

The amount of money you receive will depend from year to year on the number of other active societies and the overall amount of money available. 

Before applying, we encourage you to consider how your proposal will benefit students, support the aims of your club or society, and contribute to a more active and inclusive student experience at Cranfield. 

Who Can Apply 

• Any CSA-affiliated Club or Society or cultural group in good standing. 
• Clubs/Societies must have submitted their annual registration and constitution before applying. 

What Funding Can Cover: 

• Purchase of necessary equipment and kit, first aid supplies 
• Guest lecturers & speakers' expenses   
• Sports coaching fees for sports clubs  
• Printing, postage, stationery etc. (note, most printing can be done for free by sending to csa@cranfield.ac.uk)  
• Insurance costs (not personal)   
• Affiliation fees to relevant bodies  
• Film / video hire relevant to your club/society's interests   
• Competition entry fees  
• Subscriptions to appropriate publications  
• Hire of sports facilities for sports clubs  
• Hire of meeting rooms for clubs & societies (if the event can’t be held in the CSA meeting rooms)  
• Up to 50% subsidy of entry tickets to relevant organisations/places of interest 
• Guest speaker or coaching fees (at 50% - capped at £50 and with justification)

Funding will not normally cover: 

• Travel expenses 
• Food and drink 
• Personal items or clothing (unless essential and shared) 
• Prizes, gifts, or charitable donations 
• Private functions - i.e. for committee or other selected members only 
• Payments to individuals representing ideas or policies which are contrary to CSA policy or constitution  
• Functions not within the societies or CSA’s aims or which might bring the CSA into disrepute 
• Activities that exclude members unfairly or duplicate existing provision 

Membership money and fund raising can be used for: 

• Social events &food/drink for socials 
• Travel 
• To subsidise your grant 
• To subsidise / pay for presents / gratuities to instructors, lecturers, coach drivers etc. 

Assessment Criteria: 

• Student Benefit (30%) – how many students benefit and how the activity enhances student life. 
• Alignment with CSA Aims (25%) – supports inclusion, engagement, and personal development. 
• Value for Money (20%) – clear, reasonable budget and other funding contributions. 
• Planning & Feasibility (15%) – realistic and well-organised proposal. 
• Wider Impact (10%) – long-term benefit to students or the community. 

Application Process 

1. Download the Grant Application Form from the resources page
2. Complete the form. 
3. Submit the form to CSAclubsandsocieties@cranfield.ac.uk in time for the scheduled review. 
4. Applications are reviewed by the CSA Community Support Officer and/or Clubs & Societies Committee. 
5. You will receive a decision within 72 hours of the committee meeting. 
6. Once approved, a date for a wider engagement session is set within 4 weeks. 

Grant Application Form

Decision-Making & Appeals 
Funding decisions are made transparently and recorded by the CSA. If you wish to appeal a decision, please speak to the student community’s coordinator first then contact the CSA Manager on Lorraine.wright@cranfield.ac.uk should appeals not be rectified informally. 
All formal appeals must be received by the CSA Manager within 10 working days of receiving your outcome. 

Please ensure you apply a minimum of 14 days before the event or activity for which you are seeking funding. 
Once you have submitted your application, you will receive a confirmation email. The panel decision can take up to 14 days and, once a decision has been made, you will be notified by email whether your application has been successful. 
If your application is successful, payment can take up to 14 days so please ensure you leave enough time for the application to be approved if you need the funding by a certain date.