Introducing the AMSS's

The Funding Process

Background

The Adelaide Medical Students’ Society (AMSS) Initiative Funding Process (IFP) was established in 2011 to provide a Member-driven mechanism for the application of the financial capital of the Society towards its objects. In simple terms, the IFP is a procedure that Members of the AMSS can follow in order to direct the Society to spend money on valuable new projects. Funds spent through the IFP should therefore enrich the lives of medical students at the University of Adelaide whilst simultaneously facilitating the active involvement of Members in the Society.

Proposal

Any medical student at the University of Adelaide who is a Member of the AMSS may submit an application. Proposals should be made in writing to the Treasurer of the AMSS via the prescribed IFP Application Form. Applicants are encouraged to consider the criteria against which applications will be assessed, as is outlined below. Applicants are also advised that specifics of proposals should be well researched, and that multiple financial quotations for proposed expenditure is considered due diligence.  The Executive recognise that this application is very intensive and invite potential applicants to email the AMSS Treasurer with a brief outline of the initative, who will liase with the AMSS Executive to provide feedback and suggestions prior to the submission of the Application Form.

Completed forms and request for initial feedback may be submitted to the AMSS Treasurer via email (treasurer@amss.org.au).

Consideration

Inititatives to be implemented during the 2012 calendar year must be received no later 5pm, TBA, which will be considered at the upcoming committee meeting on TBA.   Applications will remain open after this date, with submissions to be considered by the 2012 AMSS Committee.

Receipt of all applications will be acknowledged as soon as possible. All submissions will be reviewed by the AMSS Executive against the following criteria:

1. Capacity of the proposal to further the primary or secondary objects of the Society (as stated in the AMSS Constitution, which is available online [AMSS Constitution]);
2. Number of Members of the Society likely to engage and/or benefit from the proposal;
3. Financial and logistical viability and sustainability of the proposal;
4. Any other benefits of the proposal, such as:
   1. Opportunities provided by the proposal to up-skill Members; or
   2. Long-term financial benefit to the Society.
5. Current financial position of Society, particularly the remaining funds available for the appropriate spending category into which the relevant proposal falls (short- or medium-term).

Response

The Executive will provide a formal response to each applicant as soon as practicable. The Executive reserves the right to request a meeting with an applicant, in which case the time for response may be longer.

For proposals requesting funding of $1,000.00 or more from the Society, the Executive will respond in one (1) of the following three (3) ways:

1. Support the proposal and provide directions for a presentation to the Committee for consideration;
2. Suggest changes to the proposal before it is presented to the Committee; or
3. Reject the proposal and provide a detailed explanation as to why this resolution was made.

For proposals requesting funding of less than $1,000.00 from the Society, the Executive will respond in one (1) of the following three (3) ways:

1. Support the proposal and move forward with implementation;
2. Suggest changes to the proposal before it will be approved by the Executive; or
3. Reject the proposal and provide a detailed explanation as to why this resolution was made.

Decision

As detailed above, proposals requesting funding of $1,000.00 or more from the Society will be subject to additional approval by the Committee. Applicants are encouraged to work with the Executive towards this goal. Proposals will typically be put to the Committee with detailed pre-reading (including the formal response of the Executive) and in the context of a dichotomous ‘yes / no’ motion. This should occur at the next available Committee Meeting, provided there is adequate room in the given agenda. Applicants will be strongly encouraged to come to the relevant Committee Meeting to present and argue for their proposal.

Proposals requesting funding of less than $1,000.00 from the Society can be approved by the Executive. These proposals will be reported to the Committee by the applicant at the next available Committee Meeting, and applicants should develop appropriate pre-reading for such a presentation.

It is important to note that applicants that are also Officers of the Committee and that receive a response in the second and third categories from the Executive as detailed above (suggest changes or reject) can ignore this response and insist that the matter be considered by the Committee. It is hoped that this would not eventuate, but it is within the rights of an Officer of the Committee to do so.

Implementation

Proposals that are approved by the Committee will be implemented by the individual nominated in the proposal. They will be responsible for the proposal and will be required to report to the Committee on a basis determined by the Executive.

Questions

Please contact the Treasurer (treasurer@amss.org.au) should you have any questions regarding the IFP.

Notes

The AMSS is unable to distribute cash directly to applicants and will distribute allocated funds by either directly purchasing goods for the project, or alternatively reimbursing the applicant for purchased goods by cheque or electronic funds transfer.

The contents of this page are available as PDF download below.