Student Opportunity Fund - Faculty/Staff Application

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The Ellyn A. McColgan Student Opportunity Fund supports Feliciano School of Business students by providing up to $2,500 for NEW Faculty or Staff-led immersive, experiential learning opportunities that build business leadership skills.

Eligible expenses include:

– Group travel and transportation costs for faculty-led trips benefiting 25 or more students.
– Materials and program development costs for faculty-led experiential offerings.
– Experiential workshops or speaker events involving presenter or materials costs.

Questions about eligibility? Email

Faculty/Staff/Student Clubs

– FSB faculty or staff may apply for one-time grants of up to $2,500 per academic year to support new student-focused experiential learning programs.
– The proposed experience must benefit a minimum of 25 students for group-based activities.

Further guidance 

Application Process

All funding requests must be submitted at least 30 days prior to the date funds are needed. Awards are granted on application merit and impact, financial need and fund availability.

To apply for group funding:
– Review all requirements and guidelines.
– Complete the application form below and upload an itemized budget.
– Agree to submit a post activity report.

Faculty and staff application form. Faculty may also apply on behalf of Student Clubs here.

Individual student applications

The Selection Committee meets monthly to review applications and applicants will be notified soon after. All funding requests must be submitted at least 30 days prior to the date funds are needed to allow time for review.

Funds are dispersed via:
4) Course-related costs (e.g., study abroad) will be applied directly to tuition.
5) Direct purchases via university-approved vendors (e.g., bus hire, catering).
6) Reimbursements for out-of-pocket expenses (e.g., travel, food). Receipts are required and must follow university guidelines.

If an application is approved, further instructions regarding payment and fund disbursement will follow.

Further details

Recipients must submit a post-activity report (within 30 days) which may include:
● Written or video testimonial describing the activity and how it advances your students
● Photo diary
● Participation in recruitment events
● Creative formats encouraged
● Donor thank you letters are recommended

Post-experience reporting helps the Feliciano School of Business measure impact, share success stories and encourage additional applicants.

I need financial support for an experiential learning opportunity that is not listed above. May I still apply?
– Email with an outline. We will let you know if the experience is eligible for funding.

May I apply for more than $2,500?
– Support for group experiences is capped at $2,500. Email to explore if other funding options are available.

I have less than 25 students for my proposed activity, may I still apply?
– Email with an activity outline.

May I apply for funding for an experience that is completed?
– No. All funding must be approved in advance. Retroactive funding is not permitted.

What does a NEW experiential learning experience mean?
– The goal of the Fund is to expand experiential learning opportunities to students. If you already regularly run a program/field trip, this should be funded through existing means. For existing programs, students are able to apply individually.

I have a group of graduate students, may I apply?
– At this time, the fund is only open to undergraduates. We hope to expand the fund in future years.

The experience is in less than a month, can I still get funding?
– We strongly recommend submitting your proposal at least 30 days before your experience. If your timeline is shorter please email to let us know your application is time-sensitive.

What happens if the actual cost is different from my proposal?
– If the cost is lower than estimated: You will only be reimbursed for the actual cost.
– If the case that the cost is higher than estimated: Email to determine whether the additional expense can be approved; reimbursements are generally limited to the approved amount..

Can I claim sales tax?
– Montclair State University is tax-exempt. Sales tax cannot be reimbursed.

Further guidance

– A post-activity report or digital summary is required within 30 days (see above).
– Funds must be used only for approved expenses related to the experiential learning opportunity. Any unauthorized expenses are the responsibility of the awardee.
– If the awardee is unable to complete the approved experience, the funds must be returned within 30 days.
– Financial reporting and receipt submission must be completed within 30 days of the incurred expense.
– Unspent funds must be returned within 30 days of the experience’s conclusion.