Renyi Student Leadership Funding
Students may apply individually or as a group to request funding. Please be sure to read all information on this page before submitting an application. Applications must be received no later than 15 business days (approximately 3 weeks) before the date that funds are needed or purchases need to be made. Before completing the application form, please prepare all necessary information, including:
- Name and type of activity
- Dates and location of activity
- Links to the activity website, if applicable (for example, conference website, training organization website)
- Rationale for how this activity meets Renyi eligibility criteria, what you will learn from the experience, and how you will incorporate that learning/new leadership skills into your roles on campus
- Information about the specific expenses you are requesting funding for (for example, registration fees, airline travel, ground transportation, meals, etc)
- All proof of cost. Proof of cost must meet the requirements outlined below under "How to Apply for Renyi Funding"
Please note that all applications must be completed in full, including detailed proof of cost and accurate numbers. Incomplete applications may be denied, and you may be asked to reapply.
How to Apply for Renyi Funding
Below are examples of the types of requests you may submit for consideration:
- Attendance at workshops, seminars and conferences aimed at developing or enhancing student leadership skills such as time and budget management, running effective meetings, and team building. Fund moneys may support programming and/or attendance costs including related supplies, meals, lodging, or travel expenses.
- Leadership training for students in specific roles including new student orientation leaders, Community Advisors, and private society and student clubs/organizations officers. This may include, but is not limited to, developing problem -solving and team building skills, as well as training in first aid, drug and alcohol awareness, nutrition and fitness.
- Support for training and activities that may be focused around leadership service with a particular campus-based origination; i.e., canoe/kayaking and wilderness first responder training for Hamilton Outdoor Leadership Center student leaders. Programming activities may occur on- or off-campus.
- Support for training and activities which foster expanded involvement in community service-based organizations including Hamilton Volunteer Outreach Coalition (HAVOC) or similar off-campus, student-led volunteer initiatives.
- Support for training and activities associated with leadership of intercollegiate and intramural athletic activities, as well as club sports.
- Flexibility for the Student Activities office to respond to student-generated ideas/opportunities for personal and group leadership development, through the implementation of student directed initiatives benefiting the campus at-large.
- Support for programming and activities which help identify and cultivate new student leadership. If you or your student group has a project/training/conference/event in mind that supports student leadership development you may apply to the Renyi Endowment for financial support.
*We cannot support senior project research or study abroad and we cannot support seniors after graduation*. We will not retroactively fund a project/training/conference/event.
To apply for Renyi Funding, please complete the online Renyi Funding Application. Requests will be reviewed and processed on a rolling basis until all funds are exhausted, but applications must be received in accordance with the deadline information listed below. Students will receive confirmation of full or partially funded proposals or be notified if they did not receive funding.
Funding is capped at $1500 per student, and will be distributed until funds are exhausted. A student group or organization may submit a request for multiple students at one time (for example, members of a group who want to attend a conference or training together), but all student names must be listed in the application.
All requests for funding must be received at least 15 business days (approximately 3 weeks) prior to the date that funds are needed or the date of the event/conference/activity, whichever is sooner. For example, if you need funding to pay for a conference registration, your application must be submitted 15 business days before the date you plan to book and pay for the conference registration. This is to allow for adequate time to review and process applications and make necessary purchases after funds are approved. Early application is highly encouraged!
We ask that events sponsored by the Renyi Leadership Endowment credit the Endowment in any and all publicity.
To submit proof of costs for Renyi funding, gather all relevant receipts and documentation that detail your expenses, this includes invoices for conference registration fees, travel expenses (including any ridesharing), lodging, and receipts for meals and supplies related to your experience. Proof of cost must be obtained from the original or other verifiable source: this means from a business website, app, or invoice. Screenshots or PDF images of an online shopping cart (prior to checkout) often work well. These documents MUST clearly show the following:
- Vendor: business name or web address
- Amount: both itemized costs for individual items and the total cost
- Date(s): If you are traveling, the proof of cost should reflect your actual travel dates and locations
- Brief description of the expense
Examples of valid proof of cost (click on link to view example):
Airfare proof of cost:
Ground transportation proof of cost:
Conference registration proof of cost:
Note: Screenshots from a notes app, a spreadsheet, or images that do not include vendor, amount and a decryption of the cost will not be accepted.
All Renyi funding recipients are required to complete a reflection activity after completion of the funded experience/conference/training/etc. The goal of the reflection activity is to allow funding recipients to further consider ways in which the funded activity contributed to their own leadership, development, and/or learning, and how they plan to apply (or are applying) that learning at Hamilton. Students may propose their own reflection activity, or may complete a short online form. Proposals for reflections or the completed reflection form will be due within 6 weeks following the funded activity.
All applications must be received no later than 15 days prior to the date funds are needed. This means that if you need to purchase tickets or conference registration, you should apply at least three weeks before those purchases need to be made. This timeline allows the committee appropriate time to review your application, communicate with you, collect any additional information needed, and make purchases/process funds to ensure a smooth experience for you/your group.
In order to ensure timely review of your application and approval of funds, please be sure to read and complete the application in full, and ensure all proof of cost meets the requirements outlined on this page. Incomplete applications may be denied, and you may be asked to reapply. Please note that a reapplication due to incomplete/missed steps would still need to be submitted 15 business days in advance of the date funds are needed, and so failure to review and complete all parts of the application may risk your overall eligibility.
After applications are reviewed, you will be contacted directly via email with the committee's decisions, and next steps if applicable.
If you have questions or would like to meet with a member of the Renyi Committee before submitting your application, please email us at involve@hamilton.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Renyi Fund covers programming and attendance costs, such as meals, lodging, travel expenses, and related supplies.
Funding is capped out at $1500 per student per application.
Yes, a student group or organization can apply for funding for multiple students as long as all student names are listed in the application.
Applicants must submit all requests at least 15 business days (about 3 weeks) prior to the date funds are needed or the date of the event, depending on which is sooner. Early application is encouraged.
Estimates for an expense are only permitted when that estimate is backed up by sufficient proof of cost. For example, if you require group transportation during travel, you can look up the cost of a rideshare, and submit the screenshot of that cost as proof, even though the actual cost at the time of your visit my vary slightly. The Renyi committee allows for some variation in final costs, and will cover these as long as the nature of the approved expense is the same as originally approved (for example, if travel between the airport and hotel was approved, that cost would be covered. If, however, you took additional rideshare trips to other locations that were not included in your original application, those may not be covered).
Please see "Steps for submitting proof of cost" section for more details.
Yes, meals are eligible for Renyi funding if you are traveling to an approved event/activity that does not provide meals. Funding for meals is limited to the Hamilton student travel per diem rate of $35/day. In most cases, students will pay for their own meals out of pocket, save all receipts, and submit those to be reimbursed. In some cases, especially during group travel, your group may request a travel credit card from the Student Activities Office in advance, and meals may be charged to the card during your travel. You will still be expected to remain within the $35 per person limit each day for all meals.
If you do not want to or are unable to pay for meals up front, please reply to your Renyi approval email to discuss other options. In some cases, a cash advance may be issued, and you will be able to turn in receipts after you travel.
Renyi funding only covers expenses directly related to the approved leadership development activity and associated travel. This includes, but is not limited to, registration fees, lodging, airfare, train travel, ground transportation, and meals (within the approved college per diem rate for student travel). Renyi will not cover personal expenses, such as additional ground transportation, food, or outings/tickets not related to the function of the activity.
After an application has been reviewed, a member of the Renyi Committee will reach out via email to notify you of the committee's decision. If your application is approved, purchases may be made in a variety of ways.
- If you wish to make payments out of pocket for an approved expense, please be sure to keep all receipts, and submit them for reimbursement.
- If you do not wish to or are unable to make payments out of pocket, the Renyi Committee can assist in purchasing for you. This may be done in a few ways:
- You can share direct links and details for fees like conference registrations, entry fees, etc, and the committee can make payments online and send your the confirmation.
- You may request a credit card from the Student Activities Office, and use that to purchase tickets, etc. Please be sure to keep and turn in all receipts.
- You may make an appointment with a member of the Student Activities staff to make the purchases online together.
No, seniors cannot apply for funding after graduation. Senior project research and study abroad are not eligible for funding.
No, the Renyi fund does not allow for retroactive funding for any opportunity a student has already completed.
