Club Sport Advisory Board

The revised CSAB allocation process is designed to: 

• Set clear expectations for teams before they apply 
• Improve accuracy and comparability of applications 
• Create consistent review standards across board members 
• Reduce inflated or ineligible request 
• Reward engaged, well-organized, and sustainable clubs 
• Make the process easier for new treasurers to navigate 

The Club Sport Advisory Board (CSAB) will consist of the following positions and appointment guidelines: 

Employment Status 

• All CSAB positions are paid employee roles within the Department of Campus Recreation. 
• Appointment to the CSAB is contingent upon meeting all university student employment and eligibility requirements, where applicable.  

CSAB Chair (1 Position) 

• Solicitation Source: Current CSAB General Members are invited to apply. 
• The CSAB Chair is not required to have previously served as a CSAB General Member; however, prior service will be strongly considered during selection. 
• Selection Authority: Applications are reviewed and the Chair is selected by the Department of Campus Recreation – Associate and Assistant Athletic Directors. 

CSAB General Members (8 or 10 Positions) 

• Solicitation Source: Current Club Sport officers and active participants are invited to apply. 
• Selection Authority: Applications are reviewed and members are selected by the Department of Campus Recreation – Associate and Assistant Athletic Directors in consultation with the CSAB Chair. 

Representation and Eligibility Rules 

• Single-Seat Rule: No individual Club Sport may hold more than one (1) General Member seat at any time. 
• Dual-Role Restriction: No Club Sport may simultaneously hold both a CSAB General Member seat and the CSAB Chair position. 

Term Limits 

• CSAB General Members and the CSAB Chair may serve no more than two (2) terms. 
• Term Definition: 
  • A term begins in February–March of the year preceding the funding year. 
  • A term concludes in February–March of the funding year. 

Expectations 

• CSAB will meet monthly throughout the year
• CSAB may meet more during October to discuss yearly allocations

Centralized Dues Collection - Beginning as an optional model in FY26–27 and becoming mandatory in a future cycle, the Club Sports Office will collect dues on behalf of teams. This will: 

• Improve financial transparency 
• Prevent underreporting of income 
• Ensure dues are used for operational rather than social expenses 
• Standardize financial practices across clubs   

All teams will be instructed to maintain a Treasurer Transition Sheet that is formally passed down each year to reduce knowledge gaps and financial inconsistency. 

A recurring issue in prior funding cycles has been misunderstanding or incomplete review of funding guidelines, resulting in unrealistic or ineligible budget requests. The updated instructions are intentionally simplified, example-driven, and rule-forward to promote clarity, fairness, and consistency. 

General Guidelines and Expectations 

• The Ford Endowment Allocation Pool may change each year based on available funding.  
• Yale Campus Recreation is not currently accepting new club petitions or applications, in order to prioritize support for existing clubs. 
• Increases in funding allocations require clear, written justification and supporting documentation and are not guaranteed. 

Eligible Funding Categories (What the CSAB Supports) 

The Ford Endowment Allocation intended to support shared, competitive, and operational expenses for Club Sports including: 

• League and tournament entry fees 
• Referees and officials 
• Shared team equipment 
  • Example: Bag of team balls
• Transportation and reasonable lodging 
• Essential safety or compliance equipment 

Ineligible Funding Categories (What CSAB Does Not Support) 

Fund will not be approved for the following: 

• Social events, banquets, or retreats 
• Individual or team meals or food purchases 
• Personal gear (shoes, jackets, backpacks, base layers, etc.) 
• “Emergency” or contingency funds 
• Spectator events or non-competitive travel 
• Apparel upgrades without a league or rule-based requirement 

Nationals and Tournaments 

• Participation in Nationals or high-level tournaments is considered a privilege, not a right. 
• Travel or entry costs may only be considered after official qualification is confirmed. 
• Teams must demonstrate responsible budgeting, accurate reporting, and consistent dues collection before funding is considered. 

Dues Expectations 

• Teams are expected to collect reasonable dues that contribute to operational expenses. 
• Teams collecting minimal or no dues should anticipate reduced allocations. 
• Social dues or funds collected solely to support social activities of clubs will not factor into allocation decisions 

Roster Accuracy 

• Roster numbers must match the official Fusion Club roster system 
• Reports throughout the year 

  • Team rosters, Travel Requests, Campus Departure/Arrival from Travel, End of Year report, Re-Recognition report, etc. 

• Inflated, outdated, or inconsistent roster counts will negatively impact funding decisions and may result in reductions. 

Example: Club Budget

Expenses

Income

Net Need: $8,020 – $3,500 = $4,520 

A CSAB request of approximately $4,500 would be considered reasonable. 

If the same team instead requested: 

• $3,000 for warm-up jackets 
• $1,500 for a team banquet 

Those costs would be removed during review. 

The following items will be listed explicitly in team instructions, so expectations are clear prior to submission. Requests that include these factors are likely to be reduced or adjusted during review: 

• Request significantly exceeds the previous year’s allocation without strong written justification 
• Uniform or apparel purchases requested repeatedly without a rule, safety, or league-mandated requirement 
• Personal items miscategorized as “team equipment” 
• Nationals or championship travel costs included before official qualification is confirmed 
• Minimal or no dues collected relative to team size and expenses 
• Roster composed of a majority graduate students (over 33%), where undergraduate participation is expected 
• Yale facility rental fees that are funded or covered through other university channels 
• Inflated or unnecessary travel choices (for example, requesting flights when van or ground transportation is reasonable and customary) 

To reduce inequity caused by varying levels of treasurer experience across club teams, the following support measures will be implemented: 

• A Treasurer Workshop will be held in person shortly after the funding application is released. 
• Workshop content will include: 
  • What CSAB funds versus what it does not fund 
  • How to calculate true financial need 
  • How to build a clear, defensible budget 
  • Common application mistakes and how to avoid them 
• The session will be recorded and shared with all teams for future reference
• Optional office hours or a short Q&A window may be offered during the application period to provide additional clarification and individualized support. 

Reviewer guidance is designed to reduce ambiguity, improve cross-reviewer consistency, and ensure equitable allocation decisions across all club teams. 

Reviewer Role 

Each reviewer is expected to: 

• Review assigned applications independently prior to any group discussion 
• Apply CSAB rules and funding principles consistently across all teams 
• Provide a revised recommended funding amount, if applicable 
• Include a brief bullet-point rationale summarizing key adjustments or considerations 

Core Reviewer Guidelines 

Reviewers will apply the following steps in order when evaluating each application: 

• Confirm Demonstrated Need: If a team’s total request exceeds documented expenses minus verified income, the request should be reduced to the demonstrated net need. 
• Remove Ineligible Costs: Eliminate all non-permitted expenses, including but not limited to: 
  • Social events, banquets, or retreats 
  • Individual or team meals or food purchases 
  • Personal gear (shoes, jackets, backpacks, base layers, etc.) 
  • “Emergency” or contingency funds 
  • Spectator events or non-competitive travel 
  • Apparel upgrades without a league or rule-based requirement 
• Compare to Prior Allocation: Significant increases from the previous year must be supported by clear documentation tied to: 
  • Verified membership growth 
  • Increased competition or travel schedule 
  • New league or compliance requirements 
  • Essential safety or equipment replacement 
• Consider Engagement and Financial Responsibility: Positive indicators include: 
  • High level of active undergraduate participation 
  • Consistent and reasonable dues collection 
  • Evidence of fundraising or alumni engagement 
  • Clear, realistic, and well-documented budgets 
• Equity and Proportionality 
  • Conduct a per-player funding sanity check relative to comparable clubs to maintain fairness and prevent disproportionate distribution of limited funds. 
• Soft Maximum Principle 
  • No single club should receive a dramatically outsized allocation that restricts the CSAB’s ability to support the broader club sports ecosystem. 
  • Reviewers should balance demonstrated need with overall resource stewardship. 

To ensure clarity and accountability in the CSAB allocation process: 

• Written Rationale: Allocation decisions will include a brief written explanation to the team, summarizing key factors influencing the funding outcome. 
• Clarification Requests: Teams may request clarification on their allocation, but formal appeals are only considered in the case of a documented procedural error. 
• Summary Trends: Aggregate trends and insights (excluding individual club-specific data) may be shared annually to promote education, transparency, and understanding of funding patterns across all Yale Club Sports. 

The revised CSAB allocation process and guidelines are designed to: 

• Reduce inflated and ineligible budget requests by providing clearer instructions and stricter review standards 
• Improve fairness and cross-team consistency through standardized reviewer guidance and proportional allocation practices 
• Encourage responsible financial planning by emphasizing dues collection, accurate budgeting, and documentation 
• Provide clearer education for new treasurers via workshops, recorded sessions, and accessible guidance materials