# How UChicago clubs get money: USG, SGFC and Annual Allocations

> USG funds UChicago's clubs from a budget of over $2.1 million in 2026-27, paid for by the Student Services Fee every College student pays, $559 a quarter. Most clubs get money two ways. Annual Allocations funds next year's events in one spring round, and SGFC funds events week by week during the year. Theater, film, academic teams, sports clubs and community service groups have their own committees.

By Victor Hardt. Published October 6, 2026. Canonical: https://pooluchicago.org/blog/uchicago-rso-funding

Checked October 6, 2026, on USG's and the University's own pages.

## Where the money comes from

Every College student pays a [Student Services Fee](https://bursar.uchicago.edu/tuition-and-fees/tuition-and-fees-2026-27/tuition-and-fees-2026-27-college), $559 a quarter in 2026-27, up from $541. The [Student Manual](https://studentmanual.uchicago.edu/administrative-policies/quarterly-mandatory-fees/) says the fee supports the Undergraduate Student Government and funds Recognized Student Organizations.

[USG](https://usg.college.uchicago.edu/) calls itself the primary funding body for every RSO and says it manages a budget of over $2.1 million. College Council, its 20-member legislature, approves the funding. It meets Mondays.

## The 2026-27 budget, by committee

College Council passed the 2026-27 budget in April. Under the CLEAR Act, passed in spring 2026, USG publishes each RSO's requests and allocations on [uchicagousg.org](https://www.uchicagousg.org/), and SGFC keeps a ledger of this year's decisions.

| Committee | Who it funds | 2026-27 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SGFC | Most [RSOs](https://pooluchicago.org/blog/uchicago-clubs-how-to-join), during the year | $818,574 |
| PCC | Programming groups like Doc Films and WHPK | $551,839 |
| CAT | Academic teams like Mock Trial and Debate | $430,000 |
| Sports Club Fund | Sports clubs | $220,000 |
| CSF | Community service RSOs | $53,926 |

Smaller lines cover USG's own admin, CORSO and a COMSA grant fund.

## Annual Allocations

[Annual Allocations](https://leadership.uchicago.edu/registered-student-organizations/your-rso-financial-account/funding-for-recognized-student-organizations-rsos/annual-allocations/) funds next year's events in one round, late Winter to mid-Spring, and the money lands in your Blueprint account when Fall Quarter starts. Your RSO has to be at least a year old. It also has to be active in Blueprint. Sports clubs and PCC groups apply elsewhere, and academic teams can only ask for on-campus activities.

In 2026 the training opened February 27, budgets were due April 10 and final allocations came out May 4. The 2027 dates are not posted yet, so check the [timeline page](https://leadership.uchicago.edu/registered-student-organizations/your-rso-financial-account/funding-for-recognized-student-organizations-rsos/annual-allocations/annual-allocations-timeline/) in February. CLI says the committee has hundreds of groups to support with limited funds, and that Annual Allocations is not meant to be any club's only money.

## SGFC

[SGFC](https://usg.college.uchicago.edu/entities/committees/student-government-finance-committee/) funds events that come up during the year. It meets weekly, and CLI posts which Friday deadline covers which event dates. Groups assigned to PCC, CAT or the Sports Club Fund cannot use it. Its per-person food limits and autumn deadlines are in the guide to [ordering food for a club event](https://pooluchicago.org/blog/how-to-order-food-uchicago-student-event).

## Theater, film, academic teams and sports

[PCC and CAT](https://leadership.uchicago.edu/registered-student-organizations/your-rso-financial-account/funding-for-recognized-student-organizations-rsos/program-coordinating-council-pcc-coalition-of-academic-teams-cat/) fund groups with a set classification, mostly in Spring Quarter. PCC covers groups like COUP, Doc Films, University Theater and WHPK. CAT covers teams like Mock Trial, Moot Court, ChoMUN and Debate. The [Sports Club Fund](https://usg.college.uchicago.edu/entities/committees/) works with Athletics, and the Community Service Fund backs community service RSOs. All CSF budgets have to show 10 percent of the cost raised by the group.

## Starting a new club

The [RSO application](https://leadership.uchicago.edu/get-involved/recognized-student-organizations-rso/https-docs.google.com-spreadsheets-d-1ou4rvwqjekejd6fdnnbtmc2o2mombvqkbv1-vkjhjl4-edit-1/application-requirements/) for this cycle opened September 28 and is due Sunday, December 6, 2026. You need a faculty or staff sponsor, seven other students and bylaws. Approved clubs go active in the first week of Spring Quarter 2027. A new club can ask SGFC for money but has to wait a year for Annual Allocations.

Existing RSOs [re-register](https://leadership.uchicago.edu/registered-student-organizations/benefits-and-responsibilities/maintaining-organization-status/re-registration/) by October 15, 2026, with at least seven members on the Blueprint roster.

## Booking a room

RSOs book [Student Centers rooms](https://studentcenters.uchicago.edu/student-groups/) through EMS at reserve.uchicago.edu, up to 365 days ahead, and Student Centers asks for at least 10 business days' notice. Most of its rooms are free for RSOs.

## Food for the event

The easiest way to get the food is [Pool's catering form](https://pooluchicago.org/catering), one form for several Hyde Park restaurants with no account, and you pay the restaurant directly. Pool is also the food deals app for UChicago, with [2-for-1](https://pooluchicago.org/2-for-1-hyde-park) 12 oz açaí bowls at [Deep Purpl](https://pooluchicago.org/restaurants/deep-purpl) and 2-for-1 subs at [Subway 53rd Street](https://pooluchicago.org/restaurants/subway), plus deals at 12 more Hyde Park restaurants (one from October 8).

## Questions people ask

**How does USG fund RSOs at UChicago?**

USG manages a budget of over $2.1 million and splits it across committees. SGFC funds most RSOs during the year, Annual Allocations funds next year's events in spring, and PCC, CAT, the Sports Club Fund and the Community Service Fund fund their own groups. College Council approves the funding.

**Where can I see UChicago USG allocations?**

On uchicagousg.org, which USG launched in May 2026 under the CLEAR Act. It lists each RSO's requests and allocations. SGFC's page keeps a ledger of this year's decisions.

**When is the UChicago Annual Allocations deadline?**

In 2026 budgets were due April 10 and final allocations came out May 4. The 2027 dates are not posted yet. An RSO has to be active and at least a year old to apply.

**How much is the UChicago Student Services Fee?**

$559 a quarter for College students in 2026-27, up from $541 in 2025-26. The Student Manual says it supports USG and funds Recognized Student Organizations.

**When is the UChicago RSO application due?**

The 2026-27 application opened September 28 and is due Sunday, December 6, 2026. You need a faculty or staff sponsor, seven other students and bylaws, and approved clubs go active in the first week of Spring Quarter 2027.