This year, the grant percentage was set at 63.75 percent-- over $79,000.

With the funds rolled over from last year and an additional $10,000 grant from Harvard Dining Services, the total amount of Council funds reserved for student group grants this school year is $100,090.30--about half of the money student groups request from the council.

"There simply is not enough funding on Harvard's campus to adequately support the outstanding groups that Harvard students dedicate their time, efforts and often financial resources to," Darling says.

So when the grant gods do not favor student groups in search of funds, these undergraduate organizations often turn to their own alumni for a helping hand. It is the job of the Associate Director of the Harvard College Fund Nancy Couch to help student groups better target their alumni and their alumni dollars.

"The Signet Society met with her to raise funds from its alumni to increase its endowment and provide for the upkeep of its building," says Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III, who works with Couch. Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum also worked with Couch when planning its international tours, Epps says.

According to Epps, the University maintains strict guidelines regarding student group solicitation of funds from alumni. Groups can either conduct annual appeals, a means of fundraising that does not require permission from Epps' office, or they can seek alumni funds for a specific project, for which they must first obtain Epps' permission.

Harvard-Radcliffe Hillel is one organization that relies heavily on alumni donations and has found success in soliciting them.