Frequently Asked Questions

HOW CAN I REQUEST BTU FUNDING SUPPORT?

  • Your engagement should first be captured in the BTU Database, if you are unsure if your engagement is already captured, contact Tess Heron at .
  • Once your engagement is in the Database, you can make a request through the Ongoing Support Request form. To complete the form, you will need to utilize your TUID, the 7-digits, in bold, located at the bottom of your TU OneCard. 

WHEN SHOULD I SUBMIT MY REQUEST? 

  • Requests should be submitted at least 30 days in advance of the date funding is needed by. 

WHAT DO I NEED TO INCLUDE WHEN REQUESTING CATERING OR MEAL TICKETS?

  • You will need to provide an event date, location, time, number of estimated attendees, and post-event a list of actual attendees after the event has concluded. If your request is approved, the Office of Partnerships and Outreach will purchase the meal tickets and have them delivered to the lead faculty/staff member.

WHAT DOES BTU NOT SUPPORT?

  • Activities that are solely for the recruitment of potential students to TU or when the primary activity is a campus tour/visit
  • Curricular enhancement activities such as field trips or experiential learning opportunities that are not focused on extending partnership or community engagement work
  • Faculty research not connected to community engagement or partnership projects
  • Transportation off-campus not connected to community engagement or partnership projects
  • Transportation to public events on campus not connected to community engagement or partnership projects

WHAT IS THE REVIEW PROCESS AND TIMELINE FOR BTU FUNDING?

  • Requests for BTU support will be reviewed on a rolling basis with decisions made based on the criteria above. Notifications will be made on a weekly basis.

ONCE APPROVED, WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR RECEIVING BTU FUNDING SUPPORT?

  • BTU enrichment support is done via department transfers and faculty/staff members should coordinate with their departments to make any purchases or be reimbursed for purchases. BTU does not reimburse faculty/staff members directly. In the case of meal tickets, BTU will place the order and have the tickets delivered to the faculty/staff member. 
  • After all related purchases are made or have been reimbursed by the department, any invoices/receipts must submitted for review along with the Stratus cost center and account information for which the funds should be transferred to. BTU funding support is not a grant, so funds will be transferred to the department based on actual expenses within the approved request. Transfers will only be made to state departments and will be submitted after all purchases have been made. 
  • For approved transportation support for requests that include groups of 20 or more individuals, BTU will coordinate with Parking & Transportation to reserve TU shuttles if they are available. If TU shuttles are not available, BTU funding may support up to $1,000 to reserve a bus from an outside vendor. If an outside vendor is used and the cost exceeds $1,000, the faculty/staff member will coordinate this trip with Parking & Transportation, and BTU will submit a budget transfer up to $1,000 to the faculty/staff member's department after the event to support this.
    • For groups with less than 20 individuals, BTU can support van rentals through Fleet Services to utilize either TU vans or a rental through Enterprise. The faculty or staff member will work with Fleet Services to coordinate the rentals and provide BTU with the estimated cost. After the trip, BTU will submit a budget transfer to the faculty or staff member's department to support the rental costs.

WHAT HAPPENS IF MY REQUEST FOR SUPPORT IS NOT APPROVED?

  • If a BTU request is not approved for any reason, the Office of Partnerships and Outreach will make every effort to assist you in locating other institutional support for your efforts.

CAN I USE BTU RESOURCES IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER INTERNAL TU RESOURCES OR EXTERNAL SOURCES?

  • Yes, BTU resources are meant to be used in conjunction with other resources to support community engagement and partnership work. Individuals requesting BTU resources are obligated to report other sources of support for their project in the BTU Database.

CAN I REQUEST BTU SUPPORT MORE THAN ONCE PER FISCAL YEAR?

  • Yes, pending frequency, feasibility, and budget limitations.