Student Initiative Fund
Do you have a great idea for an activity at U of T but need money to make it happen? The Student Initiative Fund (SIF) offers financial support for projects that enhance the student experience and foster a sense of community at the University. Your project could be eligible for up to $3000 in funding.
Examples of past projects include:
- Art and Mindfulness Exhibition
- Brunch for Breast Health
- How to be a Good Ally Workshop
- Beyond the Brain: A Multi-Disciplinary Conference on Neurodegeneration
Black Student Engagement Fund
The Black Student Engagement Fund (BSE Fund) offers financial support to Black student groups and individuals to support the experience of Black students and foster community amongst Black students across the St. George campus.
About the SIF Committee
The SIF Committee is made up of six students from U of T, two staff members, one non-voting chair and one non-voting secretary.
Committee members are required to stay on for a full year (fall, winter and spring semester of one year). Members will be expected to review all applications on their own time after the application deadline then attend a 2-hour voting meeting soon after to discuss and vote on which initiatives should receive funding.
Benefits to committee members:
- Gain experience reviewing and voting on funding processes.
- Meet other like-minded students.
- Receive CCR recognition.
- Develop connections with Student Engagement staff.
- Free snacks for in person meetings!
SIF Committee applications are now closed for the 2024-25 year.
U of T students and/or student groups from the St. George campus are eligible to submit a funding proposal to SIF.
Students from UTM and UTSC are not eligible to apply.
Read the SIF Guiding Principles and Terms of Reference to ensure your eligibility. At least the primary or secondary contact for the application must currently be enrolled in courses during the semester in which the application is submitted.
The Student Initiative Fund (SIF) is a reimbursement-based funding program. You must be a current student in the semester you are applying to have a SIF-funded event in.
Funding schedule and deadlines
Funds will be allocated in the fall, winter and summer terms. In your application, be sure to identify which funding term you are applying for. Your initiative should take place in the season identified in your application.
Fall 2024
- Apply: July 29 – August 9, 2024
- Events: August 25, 2024 – December 31, 2024
Winter 2025
- Apply: November 24 – December 5, 2024
- Events: January 1 – April 30, 2025
Summer 2025
- Apply: March 31 – April 11, 2025
- Events: May 1 – August 31, 2025
There are two tiers of funding, depending on the amount requested from SIF. A group or individual can only apply for one (1) event per tier each year.
Tier 1
Simple events or initiatives
Tier 1 funding is available for small-scale or simple initiatives that require funds up to $499 CAD for venue and food related expenses. Examples include snacks (with plates, napkins etc.) for an open mic night, a meet & greet session, supplies for a “mocktail” event or a room booking or audio and visual (A/V) fee.
Groups and individuals can only receive Tier 1 funding once in a given year. Receiving Tier 1 funding does not prohibit groups and individuals from receiving Tier 2 in the same SIF year.
Tier 2
Medium-large initiatives
Tier 2 funding is available for initiatives that require funds from $500 – $3000 CAD to enhance the student experience and foster a sense of community on St. George campus. Examples include an alumni night, an art exhibition, a workshop or speaker series, a themed conference or a cultural event for students.
Groups and individuals can only receive Tier 2 funding once in a given year.
Application process
- Before you apply, be sure that you and your project partners read and fully understand the SIF Guiding Principles and Terms of Reference.
- It is important to be clear about the total amount in the budget section of the application. SIF will approve, at most, one Tier 1 and one Tier 2 per independent individual or group per academic year.
- It is the responsibility of the primary and secondary contacts listed on your application to be reachable throughout the SIF process, including the submission of the Post-Initiative Report. SIF will only communicate with the listed contacts.
- Log onto the Student Initiative Fund Portal with your UTORid to apply. Only current students at the St. George campus will be able to enter the platform and successfully apply. Once logged in, press the “New SIF Application” button, and be sure to save your application once complete for it to be submitted.
After you submit your application
- Applications are reviewed by the SIF Committee after the funding term deadline has passed.
- Applicants are contacted by email. This process usually takes three weeks. The Committee’s decisions are final.
- When your initiative is finished, you must complete and submit the SIF Post-Initiative Report Form (PDF), receipts, any invoices and declaration forms (see Considerations and Exceptions) via email to sif@utoronto.ca to receive all of your allotted funds. Only submit over email, you do not need to submit anything in person in an office.
Please note: If you update your application’s budget within the SIF Application Portal while the SIF Committee is reviewing, or there is a change to your budget while preparing for your initiative, it is your responsibility to email sif@utoronto.ca to make note of that change so that it can be accurately reflected.
Record-keeping and completing post-initiative report
Keep a clear record of where you are spending funds and keep all original itemized receipts. Event registration AND attendance list are required when submitting documentation for reimbursements. Any changes to your proposed budget should be approved prior to spending funds on non-approved expenses. Contact sif@utoronto.ca for any budget changes that occur throughout the process.
The primary and secondary contacts should be the students purchasing the approved budget items for the initiative. If a club executive or member who is not the primary or secondary contact purchases approved budget items, please provide the purchaser’s name, club affiliation/membership to ensure reimbursement along with the submission of your Post-Initiative Report and documents.
Download: SIF Post-Initiative Report Form (PDF)
IMPORTANT NOTE: Be aware that failure to submit a complete post-initiative report will result in the project applicant being personally responsible for the project costs.
Please email a complete SIF Post-Initiative Report Form with original itemized receipts and proof of payment to sif@utoronto.ca.
Please be advised that due to the ongoing Canada Post strike, there may be delays in the mailing of reimbursement cheques.
Pre and post-project funds
You can request up to 40% of your approved funding (based on amount SIF Committee allocated) BEFORE the project starts, based on the projected budget included in your approved application. It takes a minimum of 35 days for advancement cheques to be processed once the request is received.
To receive all/the remainder of your allotted funds at THE END of your project, you must submit your SIF Post-Initiative Report, original receipts and proof of payment within one month of your project’s end date. After the Post-Initiative Report is received, the balance of funds will be released. This will also take a minimum of 35 days to process.
Allocating funds to facilitators or participants who assist with your initiative can take three forms:
Prizes
- awarded through success in a contest
- can be won by participants
- maximum of $100 per person (subject to pre-approval) and $100 per initiative
- cannot be cash
- recipient must sign a declaration (PDF) acknowledging receipt of the prize
Honoraria
- symbol of gratitude for assistance with an initiative, not won
- does not require an invoice
- maximum of $100 per person (subject to pre-approval)
- can be cash
- recipient must sign a declaration (PDF) acknowledging receipt of the honorarium
Fees for services
- paid via invoice for a service provided to initiative
- invoice required, upon payment must show that fee was paid
- can be greater than $100 (subject to pre-approval)
- can be cash
Proposals will not be funded if they:
- are for the purpose of fundraising
- are held outside of U of T (e.g. an application submitted by a U of T St. George student on behalf of their external community-based organization)
- involve personal expenses (e.g. SIF funding cannot be used for flights. Funding can be used for local GTA travel up to $100 and gifts/honoraria up to $100.)
- include alcohol-related expenses
- are capital in nature, unless the capital is used for the formation of a new student club
- are for general operating expenses of student clubs or organizations (SIF is intended for projects/events/activities and not business cards, apparel, or compensation for event organizers.)
- are from an applicant who has NOT submitted the post-project reports for any previous SIF-funded project
- exclude any student or student group from participation
- require event planning and risk management practices, and these have not been addressed
Initiatives with sources of revenue or other funding
If your initiative is a ticketed event, please provide the following:
- The cost of each ticket sold, and the grand total of all ticket sales (if you are using a registration website, this information should be available to download)
- Registration or attendance list (providing total number of students or people in attendance)
If items were sold at your initiative, please provide the cost of each item (such as snacks, etc.) and the grand total of all item sales
If you receive additional revenue or funding from another source, please provide the email contact for that source.
Additional funding
We encourage you to seek additional funding, if needed. Here are possible sources:
Student Initiative Fund: Guiding Principles
(August 2022)
The Student Initiative Fund (SIF) offers financial support to projects that enhance the student experience and foster a sense of community at the University of Toronto. The Student Initiative Fund (SIF) is a fund overseen and operated by the Division of Student Life (University of Toronto, St George).
This money is allocated into three terms: Fall, Winter and Summer.
- Applications must be clearly marked with the funding term that you are applying for.
- SIF has two Funding Tiers. Applications must be clearly marked with the funding term that you are applying for:
- Tier 1 – Simple Event or Initiative (External Platforms, not Zoom or Teams): up to $499 funding available
- Tier 2 – Medium-Large Scale Continuous Initiatives with (Virtual) Speakers or Facilitators: $500 – $3000 in funding available.
- The committee will review applications after the deadline for that term has passed.
Honoraria, Prizes and Fees for Services
| Prize | Honoraria/Gift | Fee for Service |
|---|---|---|
| Awarded through success in a contest | Used as a symbol of gratitude for assistance with an initiative. Not won. | Paid via invoice for a service provided to initiative |
| Can be won by participants | Does not require an invoice | Invoice required |
| Maximum of $100 per person (subject to pre-approval) AND $100 per initiative | Maximum of $100 per person (subject to pre-approval) | Can be greater than $100 (subject to pre-approval) |
| Cannot be cash | Can be cash | Can be cash |
| Recipient must sign a declaration acknowledging receipt of the prize. | Recipient must sign a declaration acknowledging receipt of the prize, gift or honoraria. | Invoice that shows fee was paid. Proof of payment is required. |
- Regarding fees for services, SIF will fund these fees up to what the committee deems reasonable, based on aspects including but not limited to impact, audience and value to the University of Toronto community. An appropriate invoice (services such as speakers, entertainment, and music) must accompany all fees for services.
- No cash prize money will be awarded. Prizes may be awarded to a maximum of $100 per person AND per event. Recipient must sign a declaration acknowledging receipt of the prize. Each prize must be given its own original declaration.
- Honoraria may be awarded to a maximum of $100 per person. Recipient must sign a declaration acknowledging receipt of the honoraria. Each honorarium must be given its own original declaration.
- Honoraria differ from speaker fees and other service fees as they are a symbol of gratitude rather than a payment for a service.
- Payments for a service are not honoraria and honoraria cannot be a payment for a service.
- Honoraria cannot exceed $100 per person. Honoraria that exceeds this amount will not be reimbursed.
- This is inclusive of the entire initiative. If you are giving honoraria to a speaker/facilitator every week that exceeds $100 for the entire initiative this is no longer honoraria and now becomes payment for a service and must be treated as such. This means an invoice must be included and required.
- Payments for services must include invoices.
- Invoices for revenue spent on expenses:
- Initiatives cannot be run at a profit, e.g. revenue plus SIF funding cannot exceed initiative expenses.
- If your SIF funding combined with all revenue sources (if applicable) exceeds initiative costs you must return the equivalent amount of unspent SIF funding. You cannot keep unspent SIF funds, which may mean returning unspent SIF funds.
- A contact is required for money paid from other university sources.
Eligibility Requirements
- All applicants will be emailed once the SIF committee has completed their review. Successful applicants will be required to respond to the Chair of SIF accepting the funding within 10 business days. Failure to respond will result in forfeiture of funding.
- The committee has the right to fund all or partial line items within the budget within the parameters of the Terms of Reference and Guiding Principles
- Resource publications may be conditional on additional consultation and review.
- SIF will make every effort to fund the maximum number of applications in each term.
- The spirit of SIF is to help enhance student programming with a focus and priority for new and innovative projects. For recurring annual projects, applications will be received. Applicants should be mindful of locating other sources of revenue and should make all attempts to be financially sustainable without ongoing reliance on SIF. SIF should not be relied upon as a continuous source of sustainable funding. Projects seeking funding after three years of continuous funding will not be considered.
- Funding will only be given to projects for U of T students. Clear articulation of the benefits to the U of T community is required for projects with any participants being non-U of T students.
- Additional sources of funding will not impact the value of the application.
- Event registration AND attendance list are required when submitting documentation for reimbursements in the SIF Guiding Principles and Terms of Reference (PDF).
- Cheques take a minimum of 35 days to arrive from the date submitted to the secretary of SIF.
Student Initiative Fund: Terms of Reference (Updated August 2022)
Background
The Division of Student Life (SL) annually receives requests for funding from students with ideas on how to positively contribute to the student experience at the University of Toronto. In response to this demand, SL has created the Student Initiative Fund (SIF) to assist students in accomplishing their goals. The intent of the Student Initiative Fund is to provide a source of funding to assist students in implementing programs that contribute toward a positive student experience and foster a sense of community at the University of Toronto.
Requests for funding to the SIF can be submitted by any University of Toronto St. George student who is assessed non-academic compulsory incidental fees, or any student group (recognized or otherwise) whose members are assessed non-academic compulsory incidental fees for any project for which they can demonstrate that the spirit of the project broadly aligns with the Division of Student Life’s Mission and Vision: “To enrich the university experience for and with students by fostering learning, growth, connection, communities and support.” ; “That every student finds a sense of belonging, realizes their potential and flourishes on their journey at the University of Toronto and beyond.”
In addition to aligning with the Division of Student Life’s Mission and Vision, the Student Initiative Fund (SIF) supports the Domains of Innovation and Goals set forth by the University of Toronto Innovation Hub.
Access for Every Student: students of all abilities and backgrounds have equitable access to programs, services, resources, and spaces. Goals: Creating accessible digital & physical spaces, addressing financial barriers, supporting under-represented & diverse populations, navigating institutional structures, deepening participation & engagement and improving financial literacy.
Fostering Connectedness: students experience a sense of belonging and connection within and to the U of T community. Goals: Nurturing international engagement & intercultural understanding, cultivating relationships, increasing peer connections, building & connecting communities and working across differences.
Future-Ready Students: students have opportunities to develop their skills and build their confidence beyond academics. Goals: Preparing students for a changing world, increasing work-integrated learning, expanding mentorship opportunities, leadership development, career exploration and development and fostering lifelong learning.
Integrated Learning Experience: students have access to engaging learning experiences both in and outside of the classroom. Goals: Fostering academic & co-curricular connections, facilitating experiential & immersive learning, generating purposeful in-class engagement, equipping faculty with information to support students, encouraging self-directed learning and increasing online learning options using educational technology.
Whole Student Development: students receive the support they need for their holistic wellbeing (physical, psychological, social and emotional). Goals: Cultivating mental, physical & spiritual health, building self-efficacy & self-motivation, fostering resiliency & self-care, identity development and the development of meaning & purpose.
Student Initiative Fund Board Structure
The Student Initiative Fund (SIF) offers financial support to projects that enhance the student experience and foster a sense of community at the University of Toronto. The Student Initiative Fund accepts applications from students at U of T St George and these applications are reviewed by the Student Initiative Fund (SIF) Board. The SIF Board is responsible for making decisions on the applications received for the Student Initiative Fund.
Part A: Board Structure
The committee will be comprised of:
- Eleven student members as follows:
- One student member as appointed by the University of Toronto Students’ Union.
- One student member as appointed by the University of Toronto Graduate Students’ Union.
- One student member as appointed by the University of Toronto Association of Part-Time University Students.
- Five student members as appointed by the Assistant Vice-President Student Life or designate from the general University of Toronto student population.
- Three student members as appointed by the Assistant Vice-President Student Life or designate from the executive of a recognized student club.
- Two staff members as follows:
- One staff member as appointed by the Assistant Vice-President Student Life or designate from the groups of University staff known as the Student Life Professionals.
- One staff member as appointed by U of T Ancillary Services, Trademark Licensing Department.
- Two non-voting members as follows:
- A non-voting chair as appointed by the Assistant Vice-President Student Life or designate whose role is to ensure that process and due diligence is followed.
- A non-voting recording secretary appointed by the Assistant-Vice President Student or designate to assist in scheduling meetings, collecting proposals, preparing for the meeting, record keeping, communicating with applicants, and generally assisting the chair.
Part B: Board Recruitment and Selection
- The UTSU, APUS, and GSU will be asked in September to provide the contact for their representative member selected to the Board. Should any particular constituent not wish to provide a member to sit on the committee, the Assistant Vice-President Student Life or designate will appoint a student member at their discretion, attempting to select a student who best represents that constituency.
- General Member positions will be advertised through a variety of Student Life channels.
- Committee members will serve for a term of one-year effective September 1 (with opportunity for renewal).
Eligible Expenses
A student/group can only receive one tier one and one tier two in an academic year.
A student/group can only be funded up to three times for any given event.
Proposals will not be funded if the project:
- Is for the purpose of fundraising.
- Is held outside of the University of Toronto Community, i.e. an application is submitted by a University of Toronto St. George student on behalf of his/her community-based organization.
- Involves personal expenses.
- Includes alcohol-related expenses.
- Is capital in nature, unless the capital is used for the formation of a new student club.
- Is for general operating expenses of student clubs or organizations, i.e. SIF is intended for projects/events/activities and not business cards, apparel, compensation for event organizers.
- Is from an applicant who has not submitted the post-project reports for previous SIF funded projects
- Excludes any student or student group from participation.
- Requires reasonable event planning and risk management practices, and these have not
been applied. - SIF will only fund programs and initiatives that take place on the University of Toronto’s St. George Campus spaces. Pursuant to the Governing Council “Policy on the Framework on Off-Campus Safety” any SIF sponsored event will require its organizers to review the framework. When necessary, the organizers may also be required to meet with staff to implement appropriate principles concerning safety.
- Is for non-University of Toronto St. George students, including high school students. The primary audience must be U of T St. George students.
- Covers the cost of bottled water.
- University of Toronto students must make up 50% of the initiative’s participants.
- Digital marketing expenses may not exceed $100.
- Proof of payment instructions can be found on the SIF website and on in the SIF terms.
- Website development and design costs are considered capital costs and are therefore not eligible for funding unless for the formation of a new club/group.
Student and student group applicants are encouraged to:
- Seek approval of funding from other sources such as the Hart House Good Ideas Fund, the University of Toronto Students’ Union, or Colleges/Faculties.
- As part of their applications, applicants will disclose if they are working with a University ‘office’ in the delivery of their project.
- Successful projects are asked to recognize the Student Initiative Fund as a project partner.
Transferring Funds and Reporting from Fund Recipients
40% of the funding request, based on the projected budget provided with the application, will be made available if requested. Within one month of the project conclusion, the sponsor/applicant will provide a detailed expense report of the project including all itemized receipts and proof of payment up to the total approved amount. Only expenses with corresponding original itemized receipts will be eligible for reimbursement. After the post-project report is received, the remaining expenses will be released. Failure to supply a post-project report will result in the project sponsor/applicant being personally responsible for the project costs.
Reporting from Student Life
As part of the annual Council on Student Services meeting schedule, Student Life will present a report outlining funds collected, projects receiving funding, and a current balance. Should a positive current fund balance exist at year-end, these funds will carry over to the following year and will be eligible for distribution.
The Council on Student Services will also make all annual reports public on the Student Life website after consideration.
Committee members will review the SIF Terms of Reference on an annual basis and make recommendations to the chair to forward the recommendations on behalf of the committee to the Assistant Vice-President Student Life or designate for approval.
Access a PDF (printable) version of the Student Initiative Fund: Guiding Principles (August 2022)
