Concessions Board

The Concessions Board is allocated $100,000.00 annually from the Office of the President to disperse for the purpose of “making life at Auburn better for faculty, staff, students, and the community.”  The funds come from auxiliary enterprises, such as campus vending machines. Recommendations to the President may range from no funding to partial funding to full funding. The typical funding limit for each proposal is $10,000. When possible, board members help identify alternative or more appropriate sources of funding for proposals that are not fully funded or are deemed unsuitable for the use of Concessions Board funds.

Proposals typically require no matching funds, although evidence of attempts to secure alternative sources of funding will be viewed favorably. Funds are more likely to be allocated to one-time expenses for which stable revenues or alternative funding sources are unavailable and involve items that are sustainable over time. In addition, with some exceptions related to the nature of the proposal (e.g., its impact, attempts to secure alternative sources of funding), the Board usually will not fund a group that has been awarded Concessions funds within the preceding two years.

What the Board Can and Cannot Fund

 Any proposal must be from officially chartered/recognized student organizations or academic/administrative units. Requests from an organization without an official charter, even if represented by a large number of students and accompanied by an advisor, will not be funded. AU Sports Clubs filter their proposals through the Campus Recreation department.

The Board cannot fund:

• Projects with an obvious link to University NCAA athletics. However, student groups that support school spirit, such as the Aubie program or the AU Band, may be supported.
• Tuition, stipends, salary, honoraria, or fellowships (i.e., any requests for cash disbursement to individuals).
• Although labor for construction projects cannot be funded, the Board can consider financing the cost of materials.
• Any form of travel, rentals, food, T-shirts, or similar clothing items.
• Faculty, staff, and student improvement opportunities that have limited applicability to the campus as a whole. This includes requests for golf carts, which the Board has become increasingly hesitant to fund, except in circumstances that clearly align with the purpose of the Concessions Board funds initially stated in this document.

Suggestions for Creating Your Proposal:

1. There is no prescribed format for written proposals; however, the cover sheet and line-item budget must accompany all requests.
2. The proposal should be prepared as if it were going to an unknown panel with no special need to reference individual members. Graphics, posters, photos, or examples may be used to clarify details or explain needs.
3. Although only the cover sheet and the budget breakdown are required, the inclusion of some (or all) of the following will help support  proposals:
   1. 1. Letters of support from the administrative/academic/advisor next in line above the person(s) making the request. For example, a student club should have a supporting letter (or a copy of an email) from the faculty advisor, a department head or chair, a Dean, and a staff member from the unit administrator or immediate supervisor.
      2. A discussion about the estimated number of people impacted by the activity or request. Explain who will benefit from the project, show or explain matching dollars, and describe how the requested amount would put you in a position to do something positive for Auburn that couldn't be done otherwise.
      3. A discussion of additional/alternative funding if applicable. Indicate if there are matching funds.
      4. d. A line-item budget. Discuss the complete costs of the project, even if some of the items cannot be covered using Concessions Board funding. For example, if a project needs funding for both salaries and equipment, include both, even though the Concessions Board cannot fund salaries. Note: Sales tax does not need to be added to the line-item budget.
      5. An indication that requests for furnishings or architectural alterations have been approved by the Director of the Department of Planning, Design, and Construction in the Facilities Division (334-844-4810).
      6. Quotes from vendors, if available, or links to websites showing the items. Indicate if vendors are already registered as university vendors.
      7. Include a description of the method proposed to publicize that  Auburn University Concessions Board funds made the project possible, etc.
4. Complete the “Concessions Board Proposal Cover Sheet”
   1. 1. Ensure that you complete the form from the “Date” down to the double line. Fill out the applicable sections of the checklist and include a departmental/unit ship-to address, if necessary.
      2. Obtain all appropriate signatures. Digital signatures are acceptable.
5. Submit the original proposal, cover sheet, and any other material in ONE DIGITAL PACKET (Microsoft Word or PDF) by the stated deadline. Email the document to the Concessions Board chair, who is currently Steve Shapiro, at shapisk@auburn.edu.