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Photo: Michelle Gibson

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 2023-24 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 (PDF) 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, 2024
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

  1. ​Before you apply, be sure that you and your project partners read and fully understand the SIF Guiding Principles and Terms of Reference (PDF).
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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

  1. Applications are reviewed by the SIF Committee after the funding term deadline has passed.
  2. Applicants are contacted by email. This process usually takes three weeks. The Committee’s decisions are final.
  3. 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. 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.

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: