Student-led projects
The plan starts with a student and the work stays with students. The club funds what you'll build, run, and own.
Stars Grants
A $2,500 pool for student ideas.
Every school year, the Fathers Club puts $2,500 on the table for Universal students with a plan — a project, a team need, a competition, a gear ask. You pitch it; the club funds it.
What the money does
Four lanes, one $2,500 pool.
Team & club needs
Materials, supplies, and costs a student group can't cover on its own. Name the need and price it honestly.
Competition fees
Entry and registration costs that stand between a Universal team and a competition. You compete; the pool covers the door.
Equipment & gear
Tools and gear with a school-year lifespan. The kind of purchase a group makes once and uses all year.
Who can apply
Any Universal student with a plan.
Every current Universal School student can pitch. Teams can too — a club, a crew, a group of friends with one idea.
A faculty sponsor helps you present. Ask one early, bring them the one-pager, and they'll help you make the case at the meeting. The idea and the work stay yours.
How to apply
Three steps to funded.
No application portal. A one-pager and a monthly meeting are the whole process.
1. Write your pitch.
Say what you want to do, why it matters, and what it costs. One page is plenty.
2. Present it at a monthly meeting.
Bring your one-pager and make the case in person. Meeting dates are on the 2026-27 calendar.
3. Build it and show the club.
Once the club funds it, build it. Grantees share photos and a line at a later meeting, and the finished work lands on the showcase wall below. The by-laws keep it open: officers can allocate up to $500; anything larger passes a vote of the membership and the school’s executive committee.
The rubric
Scored on the same four questions.
The club scores every pitch on the same four questions.
Student-led
Is the idea driven by students? The plan, the pitch, and the work stay theirs.
School impact
Who does it help? The more of the school it reaches, the stronger it scores.
Feasible
Can it happen this school year? A real timeline beats a someday idea.
Funds needed
Right-sized for the pool. The $2,500 is shared across the year's pitches.
Cycle dates
The first cycle starts at a meeting.
Cycle dates: the first grant cycle is announced at the November 10 meeting — that's a verified date on the club calendar.
Pending: Application window and decision dates will be posted here as soon as the club sets them — announced first at a monthly meeting.
Funded by the Fathers Club
The wall is waiting.
Nothing to show yet — the first Stars Grants are announced winter 2026-27. When they land, this wall fills with what students built.
Questions
Asked and answered.
How much can I ask for?
The pool is $2,500 for the year, and it's shared across every pitch. Right-size your ask — the club may part-fund. Under the by-laws, officers may allocate up to $500 directly; a bigger ask simply goes to a vote at a meeting.
Do I need to be on a team?
No. A single student with a plan can apply.
Can I apply with friends?
Yes. Student teams are welcome — decide together who presents.
When are decisions made?
At the monthly meeting that reviews pitches. Decisions happen in the meeting itself, so present in person.
What do you ask of grantees?
Build it, share it, and thank the people who funded it. Photos and a short update at a later meeting do the job.