L&S Gift Management: How to support a student organization

This document describes how an L&S department/program can support a UW-Madison registeredstudent organization. Step-by-step instructions are provided. This document includes a link to the form: Five Questions for Student Organizations. Last updated February 2026.

Background: Supporting Registered Student Organizations

L&S departments and programs may support registered student organizations with UW Foundation funds. Funds must be disbursed directly from the UW Foundation to the student organization through a disbursement request. Payments to student organizations are made exclusively via ACH (electronic transfer).

Funds from campus worktags / 233 funding cannot be transferred to the RSO. This process ensures that the student organization's financial activities remain separate from UW, and it provides members with hands-on experience managing their own finances.

Process for L&S Departments/Programs

Complete the two required documents and upload them to the L&S Gifts form. Detailed instructions for the disbursement are below.

1) Verify that the organization is registered on WIN

WI Involvement Network 

2) Complete a Disbursement Request on the UW Foundation's website

UW Foundation - Gift & Fund Management 

3) Download and complete the 'Five Questions for Student Organizations' form

Five Questions for Student Organizations 

4) Upload both documents to the L&S Gifts form; select action 'Student Org'

L&S Gifts Form 

Next Steps

One of the L&S Gift SME's will review and process your request and send to the Foundation for processing.

Instructions: Disbursement Request - Student Org

  • Log into "Gift and Fund Management" on the UW Foundation's website: https://uwadvancement.org/
  • Navigate to "Fund Management" > "Disbursement Request"
  • Complete the prompts
    1. Requester info
      • Add your name, phone number, and email address.
      • Select Letters and Science, and your Department name.
    2. Expenditure & Payee Info
      • Purpose of Expenditure: Add any additional info that will help you keep track of the purpose.
      • Payment type: Other
      • Vendor name: Name of RSO
      • Electronically Deliver Payment to:
        • Name: Financial Contact for the RSO
        • Deliver to / Attention: Name of RSO
        • Address: Campus address for the RSO (often listed for the RSO on https://win.wisc.edu/)
      • Additional info
        • Vendor Invoice Number: n/a
        • Vendor Invoice date: Today
        • Vendor Email address: Email for the RSO (often listed for the RSO on https://win.wisc.edu/)
    3. Fund number: Select the Foundation account(s) and the amount to be disbursed.
    4. Review & Print: save the .pdf
  • Collect Signatures
    • The form should be signed by someone with financial oversight at the department. This may be the Chair/Director, Associate Chair, or Department Administrator, depending on the units internal practices.
    • The second line is for L&S divisional approval by one of the L&S Gift SMEs. CCMs do not need to sign.

Related Links

L&S Contacts

See Also


Keywords:
Student organization, support student organization, student org, registered student organization, disbursement request, UWF, UW Foundation, foundation funds, check request, five question document, gift management, RSO 
Doc ID:
46455
Owned by:
Amanda M. in L&S KB
Created:
2015-01-27
Updated:
2026-09-09
Sites:
L&S KB
Policies, procedures, and links to campus offices related to financial administration and budget operations Information related to supporting the research mission of the college, including research administration, Institutional Review Boards for Human Subjects, and grants/financial operations.