Faculty Overview of ELN Undergraduate Student Funding

The Experiential Learning Network offers three unique funding opportunities for UB undergraduate students. Each requires students to work under the guidance of a faculty mentor. This page outlines key details you need to know as the faculty mentor.

ELN Undergraduate Student Funding Opportunities

Maximum funding for individual conference presentations: $750.
Maximum funding for group conference presentations: $1,000.

This funding opportunity aims to support students who have been accepted to present their work at a conference. Students must show proof that they have been accepted to present.

We are unable to give funds directly to students. We transfer the funds from our ELN account to your departmental account as indicated on the required signature form. Once the funds are transferred via IDI, you and your departmental financial administrator will oversee the spending of the funds according to the approved budget. These are IFR state funds and must follow state procurement guidelines. The funds may be used to reimburse for any prepaid expenses.

For full details and application instructions on this funding opportunity, visit the ELN Conference Funding page.

Maximum funding for individual projects: $750.
Maximum funding for group projects: $1,000.

This funding opportunity aims to make faculty-mentored projects possible for undergraduate students who otherwise wouldn't be without this funding.

For full details and application instructions on this funding opportunity, visit the ELN Project Funding page.

Maximum funding for the PEARL Award: Up to $2,500.

The Pearl Award is an individual award opportunity for current juniors and seniors to support experiential learning activities that build upon a completed ELN project and digital badge in transformative ways.

To be eligible, students must have earned an ELN Digital Badge for the project they wish to build upon through their proposed activities.

Funds can support research, travel, participation in conferences, workshops, or other approved activities that build upon their initial projects and integrate with their academic and professional goals.

For full details and application instructions on this funding opportunity, visit the ELN PEARL Award page.

What You Should Know As The Faculty Mentor

General Information

Applicants must be current UB undergraduate students.
All students are required to complete signature forms, which must include signatures from:
- You (their faculty mentor)
- Your department chair
- Your departmental financial administrator (the person responsible for managing your departmental IFR accounts).
Students will be directed to you for help in obtaining these signatures.
Students will be given detailed instructions in their applications for creating an itemized budget and submitting proof of the exact cost of each item.

Use of Funds

Funds must be used to support student projects directly and cannot be used to build out faculty lab or research infrastructure.
ELN funding cannot be used to purchase gifts or to compensate anyone, including research participants, for their time.
This funding opportunity is not intended to subsidize courses. Senior design projects and projects required for a course are NOT eligible for this funding.
Please contact our office if you are unsure if a specific budget item is allowable.

Timeline

After the funding deadline, ELN staff will review all submitted applications.
Students will receive a funding decision via email, and the faculty mentor will be copied.
Decisions can take 1-2 weeks, depending on the volume of submissions.
After funding decisions are announced, the IDI (transfer of funds) may take several additional weeks to complete.