• For students that are not Cornell student employees:
  • Fill out the ACH Authorization Form
  • Send it using the Secure File Transfer system (https://sft.cornell.edu/) only. No banking information should be sent through email. It can be filled out and signed electronically, so there is no need to print it out.
  • It must be sent directly to Jennifer Fraboni jf427@cornell.edu or Eric Banfield jb10@cornell.edu, as it cannot be sent to a listserv email.
• For students who are Cornell student employees:
  • You should be set up for direct deposit already.  It is managed in Workday.
• For non-Cornell payees including Independent Student Orgs with outside checking accounts:
  • Contact dfa-ach-ap@cornell.edu and request a vendor ACH (direct deposit) form
• How to Tell if You’ve Already Signed Up for Direct Deposit
  • Employees (including current students that are employed by Cornell):
    • Check Workday: Benefits and Pay > Payment Elections.
    • If you need more help, contact Accounts Payable.
  • Students, Alumni, Former Employees:
    • Email Accounts Payable or call (607) 255-1236

• A list of participant's names and emails must be provided if less than 10 for in-person activity.
• All events with catered food (Brought and served by a third party) on campus should be approved in via Scheduling@Cornell.

Donors to Cornell Alumni Affairs and Development (AA&D) receive a 501(c)(3) Tax Deduction/Credit acknowledgment from Cornell. Gift funds can be not donated outside of the Cornell Community or to another 501(c)(3).

• University Registered Student Organizations have to contact their Department's AA&D Officer about setting up a Gift Account.
• Independent/External Student Organizations (ISO/EOs) automatically have Gift Accounts available to them.  Donated funds to ISO/EOs are to be used to further the "educational, research, and community service missions of the University as well as enhance the educational experience for students at Cornell".  These funds can be used as long as the financial transaction is beneficial to the entire organization, follows the Business Expense Policy, and is not restricted by the donor for a specific purpose.  Cornell holds the money in a gift account that is established and designated as your organization’s money to use and managed by SOBO.
  • On a weekly basis, the Accounting Book tab in CampusGroups will be updated to show any newly donated funding so you can track your income, expense, and remaining balances under this tab.
    • Click here for a resource on spending Gift Funding in CampusGroups
  • How ISO/EOs Receive Gift Funding/Donations:
    • Payment by Check - Send to Cornell University, Box 37334, Boone, IA 50037-0334. For tax credit purposes, checks should be payable to Cornell University.  On the memo line of the check, or in an enclosed letter, it should specify your Student Organization Name (as registered in Campus Groups) and the acronym if you have one established.
    • Payment by Credit Card - Go to: https://giving.cornell.edu/give. Click on Other, and again on Other below that to receive a checkmark.  When you choose Next Step, it takes you to another page to enter your Student Organization Name and the acronym on the next page.

• All Cornell University registered student organizations can use the Student & Campus Life Student Organization Contracted Rate for Daily Sun expenses regardless of the Cornell funding source (Cornell Dept., Gift, or Non-Cornell).  The current rate on the contract is $7.90 per column inch for hard copy printing and 10% off for online advertising.
• When contacting the Daily Sun, let them know the ad is on behalf of a Cornell registered student organization and copy SOBO@cornell.edu so we can confirm it with their Office Manager Amy Wilson (awilson@cornellsun.com).

• SOBO can set vendors for payment by Accounts Payable ACH/EFT Authorization or Wire Transfer so they can receive their payment as a direct deposit into their bank account the next business day after the service has been confirmed as completed.
• Submit a payment request to pay the vendor for food (This must be done with a minimum of at least 3 weeks before the event)
• Cornell generally discourages prepayment but may be allowed depending on the funding source.

• ALL gift cards given to students or staff must be reported to the tax office and the recipient may be taxed on the income.  The same applies for tangible Prizes that cost >$75.
• Complete this form when purchasing a gift card or gift certificate (or tangible prize >$75) for any person or group, and before the gift card/certificate or prize is presented. For further guidance, visit the Gift Cards and Certificates page.
• Reimbursements for purchases of gift cards or prizes (over $75) will not be processed without this form filled out ahead of time and submitted with the Payment Request.

In-person events on campus need to be scheduled through Scheduling@Cornell.

• if attendees are under 18 years of age (excludes Cornell registered students)
• uses the University logo
• is photographed or recorded for distribution
• invites an outside performer/speaker/musical artist
• is a hosted conference
• distributes any items to attendees before the virtual event/meeting, e.g., DYI kit, food, or alcohol (alcohol eligible to Graduate Student Organizations only)
• invites a dignitary or government official

All events must be entered in Cornell CampusGroups regardless of the above information.

• How to enter events in CampusGroups.

• University Registered Student Organizations are not allowed to have an outside bank account with their own Federal Employee Identification Number (EIN) or set up a separate 501(c)(3) Tax Exemption Status for their use.  Registered as University confirms that you are supported by a Cornell Dept., following Cornell’s purchasing policies and methods, such as using Cornell University Contracts, Procurement Card, Cornell Preferred Vendors, and Purchase Orders for Services and/or Goods.

• Independent Student Organizations (ISO) are allowed to set up a bank account to manage their (non-Cornell) financial activity, which can include dues collection and paying for program/event expenses.  To do so they must apply for their own Federal EIN and use it to set up the account.  The accounts are not controlled or monitored by Cornell and are only accessed by your organization.  
• One option Independent Organizations can use is Crowded Banking.   
  • They are a virtual bank (completely separate from Cornell University) that provides assistance in obtaining the required EIN and a downloadable letter that you need to set up direct deposit from Cornell if you are going to seek reimbursement from Student Org funding.  
  • To meet with them about setting up an account, you can use this link.
• Other options are local banks CFCU and Tompkins
•  
• To sign your student organization checking account up for ACH/Direct Deposit send an email to dfa-ach-ap@cornell.edu and request a “Vendor ACH (direct deposit) form” 
•  
• Note:  Even though you may receive a Federal EIN for your organization, it does not mean you qualify for 501(c)(3) Tax Exemption Status.  Cornell cannot offer advice about this process because of your ISO status, so you must contact a tax attorney independently if you have any questions about tax exemption.  The Federal EIN application can be found here.

• Student Organization Naming and Branding Guidelines outline the University Policy for organization naming and logos for review and approval by University Relations.  Completion of the Use of Name or Logo form if applicable.