Student Philanthropy Council Award

Student Philanthropy Council (SPC), sponsored by Alumni Relations and Development (ARD), supports undergraduate student organizations that align with our mission of educating the student body about the importance of philanthropy and community engagement at Northwestern. Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) with upcoming events or programs that positively impact the wider Northwestern community in a meaningful and inclusive way are encouraged to apply for the SPC Award.

Additionally, funding priority will be made based on the following:

  • Events/activities occurring within the next quarter of the application cycle
  • Student organizations that are under-resourced and B-status groups as well as student organizations not receiving other Alumni Relations and Development funding support within the same academic year
  • Compliance with health and community standards set by relevant agencies including, but not limited to, Northwestern, Evanston, Cook County, and Illinois.

Northwestern-affiliated organizations seeking funding must meet the following requirements:

  • Student groups must have a Student Organization Finance Office (SOFO) account or gift account
  • Student groups must be recognized by and in good standing with one of the recognizing bodies on campus: Student Affairs, Associated Student Government, University Housing Office, University Chaplain’s Office, or the Northwestern Alumni Association.

The Student Philanthropy Council Award cannot be used to fund:

  • Requests from individuals, parties, or social gatherings
  • Individual use or payment reimbursement for an individual
  • The purchase of alcohol
  • Politically affiliated organizations and events

The Student Philanthropy Council is committed to funding up to ten student group initiatives in the Fall, Spring, and Winter quarters that meet the guidelines stated above. The chosen organizations will receive $250 in funding. If 10 successful applications are not identified during any given cycle, additional awards may be given out in the following award cycle within the same academic year.

If your group accepts an award from the SPC, you may be asked to provide updates about your events to be shared with the wider student body through the SPC’s social channels and newsletter.

All groups will be notified whether their application has been accepted or declined within the last week of the corresponding quarter. Groups who have been declined in an application cycle are welcome to apply for another cycle, including in the same academic year. Groups who have been granted the award in an academic year are welcome to apply again in the next academic year. Only one application per group is allowed for each cycle.

For general questions, please contact the Student Philanthropy Council advisors at nufundraising@northwestern.edu. If you have more specific questions and would like a one-on-one meeting, you can request a Zoom meeting with an advisor here through calendly.

 

Apply Now

 

Transfer of Funds to SOFO


Once your group has been notified that you have been granted the award, the award will be entered into the accounting system by our office. Our office will then work with SOFO to transfer funds to your SOFO account. This process can take up to a month.


2024/2025 SPC Award Timeline


Fall Cycle
  • Application Opens | Nov. 11
  • Application Closes | Dec. 2
  • Student Groups Notified Week of Dec. 9
  • Estimated Distribution to SOFO | January

Winter Cycle
  • Application Opens | Feb. 10
  • Application Closes | March 3
  • Student Groups Notified Week of March 10
  • Estimated Distribution to SOFO | April

Spring Cycle
  • Application Opens | May 12
  • Application Closes | June 2
  • Student Groups Notified Week of June 9
  • Estimated Distribution to SOFO | July

 

Past Award Winners

Winter 2025

  • Emerging Coders
  • Freshman Musical
  • Kesem at Northwestern
  • North by Northwestern
  • Phi Delta Epsilon Medical Fraternity IL Gamma Chapter
  • Rotaract
  • Second Stage - For Members Only
  • Seesaw Theatre
  • StageStrat
  • Women in Computing

The events include community-building activities, a musical created and performed by first-year students, a student magazine, a fashion show featuring anatomy-inspired garments, Dillo Day, painting of a philanthropy-themed mural in Downtown Evanston, a touring theatre show for local elementary schools, a comedic musical, a career panel on diverse industries, and charity fundraising initiatives.

Fall 2024

  • Advancement for the Undocumented Community (AUC)
  • All In
  • Design for America
  • Kappa Phi Lambda Society
  • Locket Cybersecurity
  • Project MED
  • Remote Area Medical
  • Shia Muslim Association
  • Wild Roots
  • Women in Computing

The events include a dumpling-making event to celebrate Asian language and culture while raising awareness about food insecurity, a speaker event addressing inequities in healthcare, a communal storytelling event, a suture workshop to introduce high school students to medical skills, a design showcase to highlight projects impacting local Evanston organizations, a garden revitalization initiative to provide healthy fruits and vegetables to the community, creation of a low-cholesterol cookbook to address health disparities in marginalized groups, a community hacking event teaching coding and debugging skills, an educational session focused on immigrant justice movements, advocacy strategies, and rights for undocumented individuals, and a professional panel featuring women in diverse tech fields.

Winter 2024

  • Asian Pacific American Coalition (APAC)
  • Emerging Coders
  • Deeva Dance Troupe
  • Design for America Be the Match
  • Hospice Patients Care Club
  • Jewish Theatre Ensemble
  • Kaibigan
  • Neuro Club
  • Northwestern Global Brigades
  • Northwestern University Dance Marathon

Some of the events include creating cards for hospice patients, uplifting diverse stories through theater, dance, and a zine, a fundraising bake sale, and a coding workshop.

Fall 2023

  • All Paws In
  • Be the Match
  • Griffen's Tale Theatre Company
  • Muslim-cultural Student Association
  • NU to Benefit Special Olympics
  • Physicians for Human Rights
  • Rotaract
  • Splash
  • SWAN
  • University Bible Fellowship

Some of the events include Installing birdhouses for endangered prairie birds, a collaborative mixtape cohort program for musicians, a brunch for off-campus ministry house for interested members, Special Olympics, a volunteer/ pet therapy event at local animal shelter, theatre performances at elementary schools, a communal cultural storytelling event, a marrow donation registry event, and educational classes for socioeconomically disadvantaged students in the Chicago area.

Spring 2023

  • Campus Kitchens
  • Lovers and Madmen
  • Muslim Cultural Student Association
  • Neuro Club
  • Northwestern Wildside
  • Rotaract
  • Taiwanese American Students Association

Some of the events included providing food supplies to low-income Evanston residents, a educational workshop for elementary school aged students, a bingo party for a senior living community promoting meaningful community service, a field day community fundraising event, a networking event, and cultural events.

Winter 2023

  • Club Ski Team
  • Cookology
  • Lumi Tutors
  • Northwestern to Benefit Special Olympics
  • Northwestern Undergraduate Prison Education Partnership
  • Phi Delta Epsilon Medical Fraternity
  • Project MED

Some of the events included Special Olympics, charity fundraising events, a speaker panel focusing on diversity in healthcare, educational cooking classes, and community development.

 


Please note this is a pilot program and anything listed above is subject to change, as needed.


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