One of the functions of the Graduate Representative Organization (GRO) is to provide funding opportunities for activities and events that are of interest to graduate students at Johns Hopkins. In the past, the GRO has sponsored social, cultural, athletic, and educational events, as well as unique services that have been created and administered by graduate students. The GRO also makes funds available to support the operation of recognized student groups and departmental graduate student associations.
Special Events
Any student group on the Homewood campus with graduate student members or participants may request funds from the GRO for social, cultural, athletic, and educational events and activities. Requests for $250 or less will be decided by the GRO Executive Board and without presentation before the General Council. Full disclosure of awards, however, will be made at each GRO General Council meeting.
Please note that $250 requests for interdepartmental events are given priority. This is especially true for social events. Other types of requests are handled on a case-by-case basis. If you are submitting a request for an interdepartmental event, be sure to specify the co-sponsor on the request form.
Requests for more than $250 may be submitted at any time during the semester, but no later than two weeks before the event is to take place. Requests will first be reviewed by the GRO Treasurer and Chairman, then final decisions will be made by the GRO General Council. Contact the GRO Treasurer at ynouri (at) jhu (dot) edu for more details.
Applicants must follow these guidelines:
- The GRO may cover up to but not more than 75% of the total cost, with a maximum of $750 for non-academic events and $500 for academic events.
- The amount of funding spent on food must not exceed $12 per person.
- We cannot reimburse for alcohol.
- Groups that receive GRO funding must publicize to the entire Homewood Campus (mentioning the GRO as a sponsor), and submit a completed evaluation form to the GRO office within two weeks of the event, which may be published in the Grad News. Any pictures of the event that may also be published in the Grad News are appreciated.
- All receipts must be submitted within one month of the event or funding may be withdrawn. Unspent funds must be reported to the GRO.
When evaluating the merit of funding requests, the General Council or Executive Board will consider the extent to which the event or activity includes the Hopkins graduate student community; promotes contact between graduate students, undergraduates, faculty, and staff at Hopkins; encourages cooperation among student groups on and off the Homewood campus; and reaches out to the greater Baltimore neighborhoods surrounding the university.
Funding request applicants and student group leaders are strongly encouraged to attend the General Council meeting in which their request will be discussed. They will be allowed a short period (about two minutes) to discuss and pitch their event to the council. They can answer questions from the council that might arise but cannot vote or raise objections. Groups that receive funding will be required to submit a short event summary sheet to the GRO office no later than two weeks after the event, which may be published in the Grad News. Any pictures of the event that may also be published in the Grad News are appreciated.
Receiving Funding
Groups will be notified of the results of General Council or Executive Board meeting and will be instructed further about reimbursement. Student groups with Student Activities accounts can receive funding transfers. Other groups or individuals can be written checks (by the University), however all receipts will be required. Receipts from restaurants need to be the itemized one, not the credit card one, since the University will not pay for alcohol.
The GRO is here to support graduate students and graduate student activities on campus. Please contact us with any questions, comments, or ideas at gro@jhu.edu.