Fine Arts Funding Board

 

The Fine Arts Funding Board (FAFB) is a student-run umbrella organization. Annually, FAFB allocates student funds to support its member entities:

  • ECU Gospel Choir
  • ECU Marching Pirates
  • ECU/Loessin Playhouse
  • Student Forum for Musical Organizations (SFMO)
  • Wellington B. Gray Gallery
  • Visual Arts Forum (which funds and governs 15 student guilds)
    • Art History, Animation/Interactive Design, Art Education, Ceramics, Design Associates, Film and Video Production, Illustration, Metals, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, Textiles

Seven students comprise the Fine Arts Funding Board (one representative per organization plus a president). The FAFB is charged with equitably allocating funding to member orgs.

 

Two paths to funding:
  • Each member organization receives an allocation. Decisions about expenditures are made by student leadership within each org.
  • Funding can be requested of the FAFB at any time. Submit a proposal with a detailed justification for the funds, schedule of activities, complete budget, and any additional relevant information to support the request. Note that the FAFB rarely supports a full request: they expect students to commit to a portion of the budget.

 

Organization funding

To learn how your organization’s funding processes work, ask your advisor. For travel and purchases, send a query to artscomm@ecu.edu listing the details of the request. For travel, be sure to include the dates, full legal names of students intending to travel, conference website (if relevant), schedule (including departure and return), and additional details.

 

Retaining a guest artist

Only a few ECU employees are permitted to enter into contracts. If you seek the services of a guest artist, you will be asked to provide certain details so that a contract can be extended. Use the following document to guide your planning:

Download the Microsoft Word or PDF version of the Guest Artist Contract paperwork. Return to artscomm@ecu.edu.

 

Requesting opportunity funding

Limited opportunity funding can be requested of the FAFB by any member organization and/or by an individual student affiliated with a member organization. Requests are often granted to support projects and situations that are novel, could not have been included in an organization’s budget due to timing, that reflect honorably on the institution, and/or warrant special consideration because of merit. Examples of previous support include funding to send the ECU Chamber Singers to an international competition (that they won) and hotel support for actors invited to a national audition.

To submit a proposal, please contact your Unit Administrator.

 

How the money works

Once a member organization allocates funds in support of a project (extends permission), the project leader should send an email to artscomm@ecu.edu explaining the desired transaction. FAFB funds are primarily used to make restricted purchases, pay guest artist honoraria and support elements of student travel. In other words, students, when your project is approved, you need to connect to ECU employees get the items purchased/make the contracts happen/execute your project. Talk to us!

 

How the payment process works for visiting artists
  • ECU issues a contract to visiting artists via email.
  • Artists return the signed contract via email.
  • Financial Services calls the artist to outline the following step:
  • An email arrives from “Sciquest.” This portal takes about 10 minutes to complete. It asks that you upload a new W-9 (the correct form  reads 2018 in the top right corner, it is available here). You may select payment by check or direct deposit. If you need help or do not complete the steps in the software, Financial Services will try to contact you to assist.
  • On successful completion of the Sciquest portal, Financial Services issues a vendor ID number.
  • Your contract is routed for approval at the Department, College, Human Resource, Materials Management and Financial Services levels.
  • Once you have completed service to ECU, payment is issued.
  • The process can take 4-6 weeks and is often delayed by either a tardy return of the contract and/or failure to engage with or complete the Sciquest portal.

 

Six-week rule

FAFB money isn’t ATM money. Member organizations that request funding for an activity that will take place in fewer than 30 business days may be denied. Bylaws for the org can be found here.