GSA Graduate Student Group Grants
The GSA Graduate Student Group Grant supports the academic activities of graduate student groups by offering modest start-up funds for the formation of new Graduate Student Groups and providing funding to offset the costs of seminars, guest lecturers, colloquia or other academic events.
Carefully review the relevant GSA Policy and eligibility criteria for the GSA Graduate Student Group Grant below. Call (780) 492-2175 or e-mail gsa.grants@ualberta.ca if you have any questions.
On the application form, you will be asked to provide:
- Information on your Graduate Student Group;
- Contact information for yourself, an alternate contact from your group, and a supervisor/chair/delegate/University Administrator of the non-departmental unit the group is affiliated;
- Information on the academic event you are hosting or on the uses of start-up funds applied for;
- Proposed budget for your academic event (honorarium; travel; accommodations; venue; refreshments; etc. - estimates are okay); and,
- Any sources of funding you already have.
Reminder: GSA GSGG applications for academic events must be submitted before the event (as determined from the date the application is received). Applications received after the academic event has occurred will not be eligible.
Once you have submitted an application, the supervisor/chair/delegate/University Administrator of the non-departmental unit the group is affiliated will be contacted to confirm that the event is of an academic nature.
GSA Policy, GSA Grant Application Policy and Information, GSA Graduate Student Group Grants (quoted directly from GSA Policy):
| P.POL.3.1 | Purpose |
| P.POL.3.1.a | The GSA Graduate Student Group Grant (GSA GSGG) is provided by the GSA to support the academic activities of graduate student groups by offering modest start-up funds for the formation of new GSA Graduate Student Groups and providing funding to offset the costs of seminars, guest lecturers, colloquia, or other academic events. |
| P.POL.3.2 | Eligibility |
| P.POL.3.2.a | Groups must be registered as a GSA group through Student Group Services (SGS). |
| P.POL.3.2.b | GSA GSGG Event Funding |
| P.POL.3.2.b.i | GSA GSGG applications for event funding require confirmation of the Department Chair (or delegate) or the University Administrator of the non-departmental unit the group is affiliated with attesting that the event for which the funding is requested is academic in nature and that they support the event. |
| P.POL.3.2.b.ii | GSA GSGG applications for event funding can be submitted at any point in the funding periods specified below in which the proposed event will take place, provided they are submitted before the event has occurred (as determined from the date the application is received). Applications received after the event has occurred will not be eligible. |
| P.POL.3.2.b.iii | There is no limit to the number of GSA GSGG applications for event funding that can be submitted within the fiscal year but a maximum of one (1) application may be submitted per event. |
| P.POL.3.2.b.iv | GSA GSGG event funding will be awarded only for allowable expenses, using the University’s regulations on allowable expenses as a guideline (University of Alberta Policies and Procedures Online, Hospitality, Working Sessions/Meetings and University Employee Functions Procedure). |
| P.POL.3.2.c | GSA GSGG Start-Up Funding |
| P.POL.3.2.c.i | GSA GSGG applications for start-up funding require s confirmation of the Department Chair (or delegate) or the University Administrator of the non-departmental unit the group is affiliated with attesting that the new GSA Graduate Student Groups for which start-up funding is requested is academic in nature. |
| P.POL.3.2.c.ii | GSA Graduate Student Groups are only eligible to receive start-up funds once. |
| P.POL.3.3 | Allocation |
| P.POL.3.3.a | GSA GSGGs are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. |
| P.POL.3.3.b | The GSA will offer awards (both start-up funds and event funding) until allocated funding is expended in the specified period (ie 1 April – 30 June; 1 July – 30 September; 1 October – 31 December; 1 January – 31 March). |
| P.POL.3.3.c | If all available funds have been expended in the specified period, no additional applications will be accepted during that period. |
| P.POL.3.3.d | Funding for events will be allocated at 100% of shortfall up to a maximum of $1,500 per group per fiscal year. |
| P.POL.3.3.e | Start-up funds will be allocated to a maximum of $250 per group. |
| P.POL.3.4 | Applications |
| P.POL.3.4.a | Applications must be completed online through the GSA website. |
| P.POL.3.4.b | Applicants are responsible for the completeness and accuracy of their applications. |
| P.POL.3.5 | Procedures |
| P.POL.3.5.a | Funds will normally be distributed as follows: |
| P.POL.3.5.a.i | 5% of the total annual GSA GSGG budget will be held back as contingency funding and |
| P.POL.3.5.a.ii | The remaining annual budget will be divided equally amongst the four (4) granting periods noted in Section P.POL.3.3.b, above. |
| P.POL.3.5.a.iii | If the funds have not been completely expended near the end of the fiscal year, a decision will be made by the GSA Board on the best way to expend the funds. |
| P.POL.3.5.b | Under delegated authority from the Vice-President Student Services (VPSS), applications will be reviewed and processed by the GSA office. |
| P.POL.3.5.c | Applicants who are ineligible or whose application is incomplete will be contacted by email to provide an opportunity to attempt to resolve the issue. |
| P.POL.3.5.d | Questions concerning the interpretation of GSA GSGG Policy will be decided upon by the VPSS. |
| P.POL.3.5.e | Applicants will be notified by the GSA by email once processing has been completed and a decision has been made. |
| P.POL.3.6 | Appeals |
| P.POL.3.6.a | Any appeals of denied applications must be received by the VPSS, with a copy to the Executive Director (or delegate) within ten (10) working days from the date on which the denial of the application was issued. |
| P.POL.3.6.b | Appeals must state the grounds for the appeal in writing. |
| P.POL.3.6.c | Appeals will be heard based on the material submitted by the applicant and any associated response concerning the denial of the application. |
| P.POL.3.6.d | Appeals will be heard by a Directly-Elected Officer (DEO), excluding the VPSS, and two (2) GSA Councillors or GSA Council-Elected Officers selected by the President (or other DEO if there is a conflict of interest). |
| P.POL.3.6.e | Appeal decisions will normally be made within twenty (20) working days of the receipt of an appeal. |
| P.POL.3.6.f | All decisions concerning appeals are final and binding. |
The above is an excerpt from GSA Policy, GSA Grant Application Policy and Information, GSA Graduate Student Group Grants. The full Policy can be found in GSA Policy; if there are any discrepancies between the above excerpt and the most current, GSA Council-approved Policy, the Policy referred to in the above link will take precedence.
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Applications are open for the GSA GSGGs
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