Skip to Main Content
You are now in the main content area

Social Innovation and Activism Fund

Navy blue background with red, blue and yellow border. White font reads "Social Innovation & Activism Fund"

Update

The Social Innovation and Activism Fund for Activism on Anti-Black and Anti-Indigenous Racism (SIAF-AABAIR)

In the past, SIAF has been available for students who are organizing on any systemic social, environmental and economic issue. Now, we are prioritizing $20,000 of this fund for student activism and research on anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism. 

For further information, please contact Jessica Machado at jmachado@torontomu.ca.

Overview

The Social Innovation and Activism Fund (SIAF) provides up to $5,000 for undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education students enrolled at Toronto Metropolitan University for projects that will advance systemic change for social justice. 

This fund is intended for students who have demonstrated their experience and activism in social justice, and are seeking support to continue their efforts or develop a new initiative. Proposed activities must be socially innovative and align with the values of the Office of Social Innovation (OSI). At OSI, social innovation is defined as the practice of using creative and collaborative approaches to challenge historical and existing systems of exclusion in order to have a transformative impact on society and the environment.

Application Deadline

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Call for Proposals: Guidelines

As SIAF emphasizes social justice and activism, student applicants must demonstrate their involvement with a community or systemic issue.

Funding Amounts

Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded for a six month period. An extension of up to six months may be granted upon written request to OSI before the expiration of the Term. 

Current Toronto Metropolitan students and recent graduates (within one year) are eligible for funding. Preference will be given to individuals from designated groups (see note below), individuals who immigrated to Canada from other countries and their children, and first-time applicants. Foreign students and permanent residents are eligible to apply.

Note: Designated groups include four groups specified in the Employment Equity Act (Indigenous Peoples, women, visible minorities, and persons with disabilities) and the 2SLGBTQ community. 2SLGBTQ is an umbrella term for people who identify as Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, Two-Spirit, intersex, gender independent, queer, questioning, or who otherwise express gender or sexual diversity.

 

Completed application packages must include the following:

Completed application packages are to be emailed to jmachado@torontomu.ca and will be accepted on a rolling basis. 

Student funding recipients must fulfil the following requirements:

  • Sign a Funding Agreement before any activity funded, in whole or in part, is carried out.
  • Upon completion of the project, present research findings in a community forum.
  • Upon completion of the project, submit a two-page single spaced project summary demonstrating outcomes to be posted on the project website.
  • Upon completion of the research project, or up to sixty (60) days after the expiration of the Term, return unused research project funds to the Office of Social Innovation.
  • Throughout the duration of the project and upon completion of the project, advise the Project Coordinator of any conference, materials and publications resulting from the project.
  • Throughout the duration of the project and upon completion of the project, acknowledge the “Social Innovation and Activism Fund” in any materials and publications resulting from project activities. Provide project updates upon request.

Applications meeting the eligibility criteria outlined above will be considered by an adjudication committee composed of selected faculty and staff.

Proposals will be assessed based on the following criteria:

  • Demonstrated commitment, involvement, and activism within a community and/or systemic issue. 
  • The proposed activity must reflect the values and social justice principles of the Office of Social Innovation.
  • A clear, detailed and realistic work plan and budget for the proposed activity.
  • Demonstrated capacity of the Applicant to excel in proposed activity.
  • An interview or further information may be required from the short-listed applicants.

Key Contact

For further information, please contact: jmachado@torontomu.ca.