The development grant is a pot of money which student groups are eligible to apply for during the academic year. Applications will open in the November of an academic year and will be accepted until May the following year or when the funds have been spent, whichever is soonest.

---

What is it?

Development grants are often referred to as a dev grant. They are a pot of money awarded to a student group to help advance its function. Any group can apply for a development grant using the simple form listed below.  This may be working on the development of the group as a whole or with a specific event in mind. 

For example, if you want to buy equipment to help support extra attendance for a Union-wide free taster session week, you can put in a request for money to help support on the purchase of this. Alternatively, if you are a new group and are thus automatically a free group, if you can demonstrate the need for some start-up funds, you may be granted some money.

---

How to Apply?

To apply for a development grant you need to fill out the Development Grant Request form.

You need to remember that you must be realistic when requesting money from the Union's development grant money pot. Don't ask for more than you need as you may be denied as a result! The group needs to demonstrate in the application form how the group's members would benefit as well as how the money for what you've requested advances the development of the group. You need to demonstrate where the money will be spent so that the selected staff dev grant committee can assert that accurate funds are potentially being requested. 

Forms are reviewed based on set criteria by the development grant team as suggested. As the development grant is focused on supporting student groups, applications should focus on benefiting and developing individual student groups. If the application is not considered to be eligible for development grant funds but would be suitable as a wider project, the application will be taken forward by the Project Team for further consideration. The Projects Department is responsive in supporting large scale projects to meet student rights, needs and wants. Should applications be more suited to being managed by the project team, they will then be invited to view the feedback from the original panel before the student group in question is contacted.