One of the main ways that Clubs benefit from being affiliated with Arc is through funding and grants. We know that running awesome events that get your Club members excited costs money. In order to support the rich diversity of Club events held continually throughout the year, Arc provides an array of funding options to best suit the needs of your Club.
The number of Active Arc Members a Club has determines their maximum amount of funding via the Activities & Asset Grants a Club can receive from Arc in a year. Funding provided by Arc through Competitive Grants (e.g. SCDG & Elevation) or other Arc Events (e.g. Games Galore & Clubs Takeover) do not contribute to your Annual Limit.
| Active Arc Members | Club Type | Annual Funding Limit |
|---|---|---|
| 5 - 74 | Bronze | $1500 |
| 75 - 249 | Silver | $2500 |
| 250+ | Gold | $4000 |
Get funding for things like your BBQs, workshops, speed friending, paint n’ sips, cruises, camps and parties etc. etc!
Get a 50% discount on Club Equipment, Merchandise, Subscriptions, Publications & Training costs!
Every Club has access to free printing, laminating & badgemaking through their Secretarial Allowance
Supporting Clubs that primarily operate on campuses outside of Sydney!
To help newly affiliated Clubs to get started more quickly!
Collaborate with us to make your biggest and best event ideas happen with ~$5,000 in funding per event available!
Compete for a large pool of funding for events that help improve Graduate Capabilities!
Activity Grants do not apply for Clubs participating in Arc events. This means that expenses incurred to run your O-Week stall are not eligible for Grants funding. Similarly, running a stage performance, small activation or similar at an Arc event will not receive funding via the Activity Grant.
However, Activity Grants will still apply for Clubs running events that happen at the same time as Arc events. For example, your Club hosting a Welcome Party during O-Week would be eligible for funding.
For grants involving expenditure, grants require a valid receipt to be submitted that contain ALL of the following details:
Receipts that do not contain one or more of the items listed above will usually be omitted from the grant. Exceptions to this can be found at the end of this section. All copies of receipts must be clear and complete (i.e. the whole receipt is visible) – where copies are unclear or incomplete,
It is recommended that Clubs make copies of receipts as soon as they receive them (before they have a chance to fade). Make sure you’re providing a copy that it is a scan, photocopy or a clear image with all details readable.
Proof of payment may be requested for any payment included in a grant application.
The necessary components of a receipt are highlighted in the above examples:
If you are submitting a receipt that contains both Club purchases and personal purchases (such as snacks for a Club event purchased in the same transaction as groceries), you must distinguish between the two categories of purchases (either by annotating the receipt or by explaining in the Income and Expenditure spreadsheet).
Remember that all expenses ###all expenses<="" b="">must be documented by receipts. This includes, for example, paying coaches or instructors for lessons that your Club is running, even if the instructor is not providing their service in the course of a regular business. If, in this case, they do not have an ABN, they should complete a ‘Statement by a supplier not quoting an ABN’ form which is available
If you receive an invoice from a supplier, you will likely pay by direct deposit rather than with cash or by card. Note that this example contains all the requirements of a standard receipt. If your invoice does not, you can usually request that the supplier re-issue the invoice with additional information.
For large purchases (over $500), you will need to submit a screenshot of your online banking records showing that you did make the payment required by the invoice.
This receipt is printed by an EFTPOS machine and would accompany a standard store receipt. Note that several essential components are missing:
If your application contains this type of receipt, it will be reopened, and you will have the opportunity to resubmit the application with the store receipt. If you cannot provide it, this expenditure will not be considered when processing your grant.
Grants must be submitted no more than 30 days after the event has concluded for Activity Grants and 30 days after the purchase was made for an Asset Grant.
If your Club suspects you cannot meet this deadline, please contact Arc before the 30-day deadline has lapsed and provide the reason. As long as there is a good reason (e.g. waiting for an outstanding invoice), most likely we will be able to extend the deadline. Extensions are generally not granted if you contact us after the deadline has passed.
Some Clubs may wish to make purchases internationally. In these cases, the invoices and receipts will not contain an ABN, and the Club’s payment may be made in a foreign currency. It is the responsibility of the club to provide a translation of receipts or purchasing documents when applying for Grants from international purchases. This should be submitted alongside the original receipts.
When processing the grant application, the value of the purchase will be calculated at the exchange rate on the day of the purchase (i.e. the date stated on the invoice or receipt).
The following additional charges are eligible for grant funding (where invoices end/or receipts are provided):
The following examples are additional charges that are ineligible for grant funding (this is not an exhaustive list):
For any Australian purchase where the supplier is unable to supply an ABN on their invoice, they will need to complete a ‘Statement by Supplier – reason for not quoting an ABN to an enterprise’ form available HERE or from the Australian Taxation Office website. This form must be completed by the supplier and they must still provide an invoice with all of the other required details such as the name of supplier, date, breakdown of products supplied and total charges.
For the most part, in section A-3 of the form, the reason for not quoting an ABN will be because ‘The supplier is an individual and has given the payer a written statement to the effect that the supply is made in the course or furtherance of an activity done as a private recreational pursuit or hobby’. Keep in mind that the reason and the subsequent legal declaration made will be at the discretion of the supplier. If a supplier declines to provide an ABN or complete this form, your Club should not make purchases from that supplier and should pursue other alternatives.
This form should only be used as a last resort if you are unable to find a supplier that has a registered business and ABN. Only in unique circumstances (such as purchases of niche or unique items) will this option be plausible for your Club.
If the seller is in Australia you'll need to contact them for a proper GST + ABN Receipt. If they're overseas then follow the instructions above for International Purchases.
See: ATO Tax Invoices
There are two parts to the Clubs Grant calculation:
For events that have made a profit (the goal of all fundraising events), there is no funding for the first part of the calculation. While your Club may be raising money for charity and might consider the donation to be an expense of the event, Arc Clubs funds events for the benefit of students rather than charities, so these payments are not included in the calculation.
The specific nature of the event will determine whether the second part of the calculation is applicable. For events such as a bake sale, students making purchases would not be considered to be “attending” an event – they are simply making a purchase and continuing on their way. On the other hand, for events such as a Trivia Night where individuals are at the event for an extended amount of time, your Club would receive funding for attendance.
In order to receive an Activity Grant, there are some important steps to complete in order to be eligible.
Click here 🔗 for your step-by-step from start-to-finish guide on how to get Arc Clubs funding for your events!
| What is Covered? (Including but not limited to) | What is NOT Covered | |
|---|---|---|
| Food & drink | Alcohol* | |
| Venue hire costs | Payments, wages or salaries for Club Executives & Contributing Club Members | |
| Decorations, audio, lighting | Cash prizes | |
| Photographers, DJs, performers | Transport & Parking costs | |
| Prizes & gifts for presenters, judges, hosts etc | Fines & other fees | |
| Marketing |
*Expenditure grants apply for alcohol purchased at UNSW Roundhouse
The Activities Grant is the most commonly applied for grants and helps subsidise the costs of your events. There are two attributes used to calculate your Activities Grant: Attendance and Income/Expenses.
If your Club incurs expenses running an event, the Activities Grant will cover 50%* of these costs up to breakeven.
*For events that make a loss, the current ‘50% of expenses up to breakeven’ is a TEMPORARY measure as Clubs adjust to this new system.
This portion of the grant will be reduced to 40% on the 25th of May 2025 and then returned back to 35% on the 7th of September 2025.
If you have alcohol at your event these expenses will be deducted from the final total expense, meaning your breakeven amount will be lower. Events held at Roundhouse may claim alcohol expenditure as normal expenditure.
The grants from attendance AND expenses will be combined in your Activities Grant payment.
| Grant | Calculation | Maximum Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Activities Grant (Step-by-step guide HERE) | 50%* of Expenses up to breakeven on events that make a loss PLUS $2 per Attendee on events that make a profit or breakeven $1 per Attendee on events that make a loss | $750 (Bronze)
$1125 (Silver) $1500 (Gold) (Per Event) plus attendance |
The Nicolas Cage Appreciation Society has just held a very successful event: ‘Nicolas Cage: Good or Bad?’ held on campus in Colombo LG01.
They had 40 attendees at the event and spent $50 on food and drinks. The event was not ticketed and was free for all member to attend. Below is an example calculation of the grants received after the event.
| Event Attendance & Expenses | Resulting Grant |
|---|---|
| 40 Attendees x $1 per attendee | = $40 |
| $50 F&D Expenses x 0.50 reimbursements | = $25 |
| Total | $65 |
As a result of the event, the Nicolas Cage Appreciation Society has made a net income of $15.
Now take the same example, but instead your Club ticketed the event at just $5 per person, meaning you made $200 in sales revenue.
| Event Attendance & Expenses | Resulting Grant |
|---|---|
| 40 Attendees x $2 per attendee | = $80 |
| Expenses Grant = N/A - Profit Made | = $0 |
| Total | = $80 |
As a result of the event, the Nicolas Cage Appreciation Society has made $200 from sales and $80 from the Activity Grant resulting in a net income of $280.
The Nicolas Cage Appreciation Society has just held a very successful ball: ‘National Treasure: NCAS Ball’ held off-campus in Darling Harbour. NCAS is a Gold Tier Club.
They had 120 attendees at the event and spent $20,000 hiring the venue. The event was ticketed and made $18,400 in ticket revenue. Below is an example calculation of the grants received after the event.
| Event Attendance & Expenses | Resulting Grant |
|---|---|
| 120 Attendees x $1 (CAPPED AT 100) per attendee | = $100 |
| $20,000 Venue Expenses - $18,400 Ticket Revenue = 1600 loss | = $1600 |
| Uncapped Total = $1720 | = $1600 |
The maximum amount a Gold-tier club can receive on a single activity is $1500. Therefore, the Club will be award $1500 in Activities Grants, plus $120 attendance equaling $1620. Meaning the Club has made $20 in profit from the event.
Events that have alcohol present will have that amount subtracted from the final expense. Let's say that NCAS bought a drinks package for the Ball.
Of the $20,000 venue hire cost, $5000 was set aside for a drinks package for attendees.
| Event Attendance & Expenses Resulting Grant |
|---|
| 120 Attendees x $1 per attendee (CAPPED AT 100) = $100 |
| ($20,000 venue expenses - $5000 drinks package) = $15,000 expenses. Ticket sales = $18,400 = $3,400 profit = $0 |
| Total (attendance only) = $100 |
When planning your budget for your event, make sure you take this into consideration! It can mean the difference between receiving a grant or it being declined.
Events at Roundhouse that have alcohol expenses will be treated as normal expenses for the purposes of grant calculations.
Arc recognises that many Clubs hold regular events, such as weekly classes or monthly meetings. A separate Clubs Grant Application may be submitted for each re-occurrence for which you would to apply for a grant, however where a Club holds multiple activities per week, Arc Clubs Staff must be consulted prior to applying for funding. If these activities are similar, Clubs may be asked to consolidate Grant Applications.
If your Club teams up with another Arc-Affiliated Club for an event, you may still apply for one Activity Grant for the event. Arc will pay the Club that applied for the grant and it is the Club’s responsibility to split this funding once it has been paid out.
Events that are not publicly accessible to General Members of the Club are not eligible for grant funding. For example, Team Meetings, Induction Days, Internal Road Trips and Team Bonding activities cannot be submitted for the Activities Grant.
Your Club should be primarily run for your members.
General Meetings of your Club are not eligible for Activity Grants.
However, if you host an event or activity that is significantly distinct from the procedures of a General Meeting, this will be eligible for a grant.
For example, you may host a Boardgames Night during the same time as your General Meeting, you may hold your elections / present your reports during the event, however, all expenses incurred must be relevant to the Activity being held.
In order to receive an Asset Grant, there must be a Arc Clubs Logo on the item (i.e. print the logo on custom items or use one of our Arc Clubs stickers).
The Arc Clubs logo must “appear in a prominent, visible position in your designs”. If you’re worried about the size or placement of the Arc Clubs logo, run it past the Clubs Staff before your purchase by emailing clubs@arc.unsw.edu.au
Click here 🔗 for your step-by-step from start-to-finish guide on how to get Arc Clubs funding for your assets, equipment, merchandise, subscriptions, publications and training!
| What is Covered? | What is NOT Covered | |
|---|---|---|
| “Equipment” refers to purchases made by the Club that are integral to the Club’s aims or activities, are durable and for the long-term use of the Club. This equipment must remain the property of the Club - examples include cash boxes, music stands, eskies, sports equipment. | Equipment that is already provided by Arc for Club use. For example, Clubs can borrow speakers from Arc, so purchases of similar items will generally not be eligible for Arc funding. | |
| “Merchandise” refers to items produced by the Club to promote the Club’s aims or activities. This includes custom T-Shirts, hoodies, pens, membership stickers and membership cards. | The equipment must have a continued future use that is aligned with the aims of the Club, and that will allow the Club to grow substantially. For example Social Soccer Society buying soccer goals would be eligible for funding, but Photo Club making the same purchase would not receive funding. | |
| “Subscriptions” refers to on-going paid services which are integral to your Club's activities - for example, game server hosting for game societies, website hosting fees, design software (i.e. Canva) or other online service subscriptions. These subscriptions must be in the name of your Club, and not in an individual member's name. You can do this by signing up for the service using your Club email address. | Merchandise that is for a specific activity (e.g. T-shirts that feature a design for a specific tournament, production, camp) is not eligible for funding under through the Merchandise stream. Instead these should be included in the costs for the event/activity in the Activity stream. | |
| “Publications” refers to items published by the Club to promote the Club’s aims or activities. Examples include: Printed First Years Guides, Annual Journals, Year Books etc. | ||
| "Training" covers the cost of obtaining a First Aid or Responsible Service of Alcohol Certificate. |
The Asset Grant is a simple 50% grant on the cost for the asset up to break-even.
| Grant | Calculation | Annual Limit: |
|---|---|---|
| Asset (Equipment, Merchandise, Subscriptions, Publications & Training) Grant | 50% of cost for assets up to break-even. Maximum of $600 in grants per purchase. | $750 (Bronze) $1150 (Silver) $1500 (Gold) Limit Per Purchase: $600 (All Types) |
If you are selling your merchandise, you can use our handy Merchandise Price Calculator that automatically calculates the lowest cost you can sell your merch for and maximise the grant amount awarded. Access it HERE 🔗
The Nicolas Cage Appreciation Society has decided that they require a Blu-Ray Player to watch National Treasure at the highest quality possible.
They found Blu-Ray player that costs $100 online and purchased it and stuck an Arc Clubs Sticker on to it.
| Expenses | Resulting Grant |
|---|---|
| $100 x 50% | = $50 |
| Total | $50 |
It is really that simple.
The Nicolas Cage Appreciation Society has decided in the lead up to winter to make some Custom Hoodies to stay warm. They don’t seek to make a profit on sales but simply sell them for the lowest price possible.
They ordered 50 hoodies from a supplier which cost $40 per hoodie.
| Expenses | Resulting Grant |
|---|---|
| 50 x $40 = $2,000 | |
| $2,000 x 50% = $1000 ($600 cap) | = $600 |
| Total | = $600 |
Therefore, $600 - $2,000 = $1,400 and the Society can sell the hoodies for $28 each ($1,400 / 50 = $28) and exactly break-even and maximise the Merchandise Grant.
The Arc Clubs logo must “appear in a prominent, visible position in your designs”. The Arc Clubs Space has stickers available to stick to non-customised equipment.
If you’re worried about the size or placement of the Arc Clubs logo, run it past the Clubs Staff before your purchase by emailing clubs@arc.unsw.edu.au
The Secretarial Allowance is designed to assist Clubs in covering costs associated with marketing or administration and it is available for all affiliated Clubs to access exclusively from the Arc Clubs Space.
No need! The Secretary Allowance is applied to all Clubs automatically at the beginning of the year. Simply submit a printing or badge making request and the amount will be automatically deducted from your Clubs Secretarial Allowance
| What is Covered? | What is NOT Covered | |
|---|---|---|
| Printing | Printing done at UNSW Printers (i.e. Main Library) | |
| Photocopying | External printing (i.e. Officeworks) | |
| Laminating | Personal printing (i.e. Class notes etc.) | |
| Badgemaking | ||
| At the Arc Clubs Space ONLY |
The amount is “rolled over” to the following term but is reset in Week 1 Term 1 each year. Clubs are allocated an amount for their Secretarial Allowance based on their funding level as shown in the table below.
Per term:
$50 (Bronze)
$75 (Silver)
$135 (Gold)
In order to check how much Secretarial Allowance your Club has remaining, please email us at clubs@arc.unsw.edu.au
We strongly recommend that clubs submit their printing requests here with at least 2 days' notice: Club Printing Request.
If you come to the Clubs Space to request printing without having first submitted a printing request, we may not be able to fulfill your request (particularly during busy periods). Plan ahead!
Printing:
The pricing list for printing is as follows:
| Black & White Printing | Cost per Page | |
|---|---|---|
| A4 Single Sided | $0.10 | |
| A4 Double Sided | $0.20 | |
| A3 Single Sided | $0.20 | |
| A3 Double Sided | $0.35 |
| Colour Printing | Cost Per Page |
|---|---|
| A4 Single Sided | $0.50 |
| A4 Double Sided | $0.90 |
| A3 Single Sided | $1.00 |
| A3 Double Sided | $1.75 |
Laminating:
Laminating pouches are available in A3 and A4 sizes only and can be obtained from the Arc Clubs Space to use with the in-office laminating machine. Before operating the Laminator, please ask for assistance from the Clubs Space reception.
| Laminating | Cost per pouch | |
|---|---|---|
| A4 paper | $0.50 ea. | |
| A3 paper | $1.00 ea. |
Payment for printing, photocopying, and laminating will be deducted from your Club’s Secretarial Allowance. See above for more information on the Secretarial Allowance.
Badge Making
There are three badge makers available in the Arc Clubs Office. The large badge maker produces 57mm (diameter) badges, and the two small badge makers produce 35mm (diameter) badges. You can refer to the Badge Making Sizes Template that is available on the Clubs Forms & Files page when designing your badges to ensure that the image is compatible with the machines.
Payment for badge parts will be deducted from your Secretarial Allowance. For a compiled list of prices, please see the Arc Clubs Office Resources Price List available on the Arc website.
| Badges | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Small Badge 10 pack | $6.00 | |
| Small Badge 20 pack | $10.00 | |
| Large Badge 10 pack | $8.00 | |
| Large Badge 20 pack | $15.00 |
The New Club Grant is a one-time grant of up to $200 designed to help newly created Clubs get started with events.
This grant is only available to new Clubs that became affiliated with Arc in the last 12 months.
If your Club participated in a Fast-Tracked Affiliation meeting, the grant will be applied automatically once you have provided Arc Clubs with your Bank Account details.
If your Club ran your own IGM, you'll need to provide an estimated budget breakdown of your first few events and how you'll use up to $200. Your event/activity can go over $200 worth of expenses, but just keep in mind that this grant is capped at $200! An important thing to think about is how this grant can be used to kick-start future regular events or other income streams that will let you sustain your Club longer term. You can apply here 🔗
