Description
The Samueli School of Engineering is accepting proposals for funds from the Experiential Learning Projects Fund (ELPF), which has been established to support engineering student projects, teams, or organizations. These funds are to enable and expand the teams’ creative activities and to bring national/international recognition to The School.
Conditions
Awardees may use ELPF funds for project supplies, project-specific travel, and other direct project expenses; funds may not be used for team member compensation. Undergraduate engineering student groups may request up to $3,000 for their projects, with the requirement that a one-to-one cost share is secured. This means that, for example, to request $2,000, the student group must have already secured $2,000 matching funds through either external fundraising or support from their academic home departments. These matching funds must have been raised during the same academic year as the request.
Evaluation
The Experiential Learning Projects Fund is managed through the Office for Experiential Learning in the Samueli School of Engineering and projects will be evaluated based on:
- How many engineering students will directly benefit from the funds
- How the funds will be used to elevate the group’s activities
- The creative and intellectual merit of the team’s work
- Demonstrated activities or concrete plans that enhance the reputation of The School
- The team’s current financial standing and immediate need for funds
Questions: oel-eng@uci.edu
Proposal Due Date: Fall TBD
Award Announcement: Fall/Winter TBD
To apply, please complete the proposal template below and send to oel-eng@uci.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions
General ELPF Questions
When and how often does the ELPF happen?
The Experiential Learning Project Fund is released once a year during the fall quarter.
Who can apply for the ELPF?
All student organizations, societies, and project teams are welcome to apply for the ELPF. The goal of the ELPF is to heighten and
ELPF Template Questions
How do I show proof of funding/cost-share?
Screenshots of emails, Zotfunders, accounts, and budget sheets will suffice.
Post-ELPF Award Questions
How do I submit a Purchasing Request?
How do I submit a Reimbursement Request?
If I purchased something before my team received an award, could the ELPF reimburse it?
Supplies purchased before receiving the award can not be reimbursed. However, travel expenses purchased before receiving the award may be reimbursed.
Does our spending of the ELPF award have to exactly match the budget we proposed? (i.e. spending more or less on a category or item than what was written in team proposal)
We are not too strict about this as long as you do not stray too far from your proposed budget, your fund usage still benefits the team, and you keep us notified and updated on your changes.
What purchases can be reimbursed?
All travel and entertainment expenses go through reimbursement. For supplies, only last-minute and local pick-up can be reimbursed or if the item is small ( <$500 with shipping and handling included).
What vendors are approved for purchasing requests?
UCI allows purchases from a large percentage of online and quote-based suppliers. However, auction websites, like eBay, are restricted and would require detailed explanations and pre-approval from accounting to process orders (no guarantee they will approve it). Alibab/Aliexpress are not allowed with little to no exceptions.
How long does it take for a reimbursement or purchasing request to finish processing?
After submitting your reimbursement or purchasing request, I will review your submission and approve it. Once approved by me, it is sent to the Purchasing and Reimbursement team where a team member will fill the order. This process can take as little as a day or over a week depending on the workload of the team member and the complexity of the request. After the Purchasing and Reimbursement team member officially submits the order, the process is in its final stage in the system which, again, can either be very quick or take a week to complete.
What is the deadline to use the funds?
Funds must be used by the end of the fiscal year. We will not approve any purchasing or reimbursement requests after June 30th. To ensure your submission is approved, you should submit your requests before June 27th.