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Student Projects Grant

Do you need financial support to get your project up and running? The Faculty of Arts Student Projects Grant provides financial support for student-initiated extra-curricular projects and activities that promote experiential learning and student engagement. Applications are collected twice a year, in the Fall and Winter terms. The Student Projects Grant also administers the Jehangir Saleh Fund.

Level of Funding

Each application (whether from a group or an individual) may request no more than $1,500 per academic year, with the exception of the Jehangir Saleh Fund which provides students with $2,500 per term, or $5000 annually. Projects may be awarded the full amount requested, a partial amount, or no funds. Applicants may apply for only one Student Project Grant per deadline date.   

Funded Projects

In previous years, the Arts Student Projects Grant has funded the Criminal Justice Prison Trip; Politics and Governance Ottawa Trip; The Arteries Undergraduate Research Conference, The Continuist Zine, Iranian New Year event at Toronto Metropolitan University ; new on-campus student groups, such as Students for Fair Voting; Engineers Without Borders National Conference; participation in the Global Volunteer Network’s Rwandan Literacy Program; and more.

Fall and Winter Application Deadline

Continuous intake

You are eligible to apply if you meet all of the following conditions:

  • Registered in an undergraduate degree program in the Faculty of Arts;
  • Clear academic standing; and
  • Registered in at least 3 courses during the semester during which the project takes place (An exception exists for projects that occur during the summertime: students are not required to be concurrently enrolled in three courses in such cases. But in all cases, students must not have completed all their degree requirements before the project occurs).

Students working on a group project are encouraged to submit a single group application. In such cases, the application form must be filled out by at least two co-applicants, each of whom meet the three conditions above.

  • The Student Project Grant Review Committee consists of three faculty members (selected from three Arts departments representing different Arts undergraduate programs) and three students (selected from different programs in the Faculty of Arts).
  • The Student Liaison Administrator will facilitate the collection of submissions and manage the communication to applicants on behalf of the committee. The Student Liaison Administrator has a non-voting role on the Grant Review Committee.
  • Applicants, or a representative for group projects, may be required to present their proposed project to the Grant Review Committee and should be prepared to clarify details of their application.
  • The Committee will review all eligible submissions, and candidates will be informed of the funding decision by email, normally within a three-week period following the due date for proposals.
  • The Committee reserves the right to not award any grants in a given cycle.
  • The Committee's deliberations will remain confidential.
  • The Committee will make its recommendations for project funding to the Faculty of Arts Associate Dean (Students & Undergraduate Studies), who will make the final decision as to whether a project is funded.
  • Concerns about the Committee's recommendations may be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean (Students & Undergraduate Studies), Faculty of Arts.

Evaluation Criteria: The Committee will consider the following criteria in evaluating applications:

  1. Overall quality of the project proposal
  2. Benefits to the applicant(s), the Faculty of Arts, and/or the University
  3. Extent to which the project engages others
  4. Appropriateness of the budget
  5. Evidence that the applicant has attempted to secure funding from other sources

The quality of the project proposal will be measured by whether, and to what degree, the proposal addresses all the required points outlined. All else being equal, projects that benefit more students will be given priority over projects that benefit fewer students. The appropriateness of the budget will be measured by whether the expense items listed are reasonable and supported by appropriate rationales and documentation. Applicants must demonstrate that they have attempted to secure funding from other sources (e.g. through other grants such as SIF, fundraising activities, departmental contributions, The Toronto Metropolitan University Liberal Arts Society, etc.). Normally, priority will be given to students who have not previously won an award.

If a project is approved for funding, applicants must:

Failure to abide by the terms and conditions of this grant will result in being deemed ineligible for future Student Project Grants. The Faculty of Arts reserves the right to deny funding if participation in the proposed project/activity puts anyone in perceived harm, or if the project's aims are inconsistent with the mandate of this program.

Rules for Submitting Receipts

  • Recipients applying for the SPG grant should provide the receipts, not other members involved in the project. Applicants approved for the funding should be responsible to pay for any costs and provide receipts for proper reimbursement.
  • The name of the recipient requesting a refund should have their name appear on any documentation if applicable (i.e. invoice, statement).
  • It’s best to use the same credit card for all purchases so that the name and last 4 digits of the credit card appear on all receipts. When possible, please ensure the name of the credit card holder appears the same as the person being issued the receipt/invoice.
  • If travelling, original tickets or original boarding passes must be submitted for reimbursement. Travel itineraries or email confirmations are not accepted.
  • All invoices must be paid in order to be reimbursed.
  • List of attendees should be recorded if organizing an event.
  • When possible, please do not submit a receipt(s) that exceeds the total amount granted/approved for SPG.
  • Photocopies and scanned receipts, invoices, etc. are not accepted. Originals must be submitted. Receipts for items purchased online (i.e. conference registration) can be submitted electronically via email or printed and submitted.
  • Please do not staple receipts
  • Please submit original receipts/invoices/statements etc. in person not via mail.

Requests Ineligible For Funding / Salaries for students; funding for food or beverage (unless part of catering costs); costs associated with mandatory travel related to a course; expenses already covered by another program; equipment that will become the property of an individual student, or an individual or group not affiliated with Toronto Metropolitan University ; medical or legal costs related to the project (e.g., vaccinations, passports, travel insurance, etc.); standard tuition costs; normally, projects that primarily involve assisting faculty research will be deemed ineligible. Normally, requests for course fees will be considered ineligible.

Before submitting your application, please be sure to carefully read all of the information about the grant that is provided on this website. To apply for the Student Project Grant, please complete the appropriate Faculty of Arts Student Project Application Form and follow the submission instructions below. It is highly recommended that you email spg@torontomu.ca prior to submitting your SPG application.

Note / For projects involving non-course related research, supervision by a faculty member is required. Applicants must submit their research project to a faculty supervisor for ethics review and approval prior to applying for funding. (Refer to Research Ethics: Student Research for more information on undergraduate students as researchers and the role of faculty members in supervising undergraduate student research.) Applicants must submit a letter of support from the faculty supervisor, which states that an ethics review was completed, along with the application.

Submitting Your Application

  1. Select the appropriate application form.
  2. Download the MS Word or PDF application.
  3. Complete the application form on your computer.
  4. Remember to save the application form.
  5. Ensure all details are correct and information is included.
  6. Print and sign the application. You can do so for free in the Faculty of Arts Computer Lab, POD 356.
  7. Attach any additional information (such as Faculty letters of support, risk assessments, budgets, lists of attendees, conference information, etc.).
  8. Submit the application form and additional documents (signed and dated), in electronic PDF format only, to spg@torontomu.ca.

The Jehangir Saleh Fund -  (PDF file) PDF / This application is for undergraduate students who are applying for the Jehangir Saleh Fund, please visit this website for more information: The Jehangir Saleh Fund

General Projects and Events -  (PDF file) PDF (opens in new window)  or  (word file) Word (opens in new window)  / This application is for students who are seeking funding to coordinate projects, events, and activities that do not involve international travel. It could be taking place either on campus at Toronto Metropolitan University or in the community.  Download the Faculty of Arts Student Project Grant Application Form - General Projects and Events. 

Conferences -  (PDF file) PDF (opens in new window)  or  (word file) Word (opens in new window)  / This application is for students seeking funding to attend, present at, and/or participate in conferences either locally, nationally or internationally. This could be at academic or non-academic conferences.  Download the Faculty of Arts Student Project Grant Application Form – Conference. 

International Projects -  (PDF file) PDF (opens in new window)  or  (word file) Word (opens in new window)  / This application is for students seeking funding to travel internationally to work, study, or volunteer. Please note that international projects must demonstrate that the initiative meets high ethical standards of community development and anti-oppression.  Download the Faculty of Arts Student Project Grant Application Form – International Projects.