Grants

Grants program

Each year the UVic Alumni Association (UVAA) distributes funds to UVic groups through its grant program. The UVAA Grants and Awards Committee reviews all applications and selects recipients.

What do the grants fund?

Grants support specific activities or events for UVic students or alumni.

Priority is given for events, activities, clubs or equipment that:

• directly improve the experience of students currently at UVic
• maintain or increase the engagement of alumni with UVic
• maintain or increase collaboration among students, alumni and university units

Who can apply?

• UVic students
• faculty
• staff
• alumni

How much can I apply for?

You can apply for up to $1,000 per application.

Application guidelines

The UVAA Grants and Awards Committee uses guidelines to evaluate grant applications. While these guidelines are generally followed, the committee reserves the right to evaluate each request on its own merit and decide accordingly. 

Awarded grant monies must be used for the specific purpose described in the application.

All grant applications must be sponsored by a UVic faculty member or department advisor. If you need help finding a sponsor, please email the Alumni Relations Office. 

Preference is given to grant requests that (in no order):

• require a one-time allocation of funds for completion of a project that is otherwise self-sustaining
• provide additional funding to support an event (not the total expense)
• benefit more than one individual
  • e.g., covering some expenses for student groups to attend student-focused conferences
• increase engagement between alumni or with alumni groups
  • e.g., a musical performance featuring alumni performers, an alumni event for UVic athletes or an honorarium for a guest speaker at an event
• allow the purchase of equipment that will benefit many students
• provide beneficial intellectual, cultural, intercultural, international or sustainability experiences for participants
  • e.g., Youth Challenge International, Global Water Brigades

Restrictions

Applications will not be considered for:

• any purpose that is illegal or that would result in a contravention of university or government laws and policies
• any event or expense that has already occurred – see deadlines section anchor to deadlines section
• personal and professional development
• any purpose that solely benefits the applicant
  • e.g., to complete coursework, conduct research, cover travel expenses or attend a conference
• assisting faculty in research-funded activities, such as to cover research expenses, travel to conferences or organize a conference to disseminate research findings
• hiring employees for a project or organization, employee salaries or benefits
• general overhead and operating expenses for university units
• projects where no specific purpose or use is identified for the grant, such as when the funding would simply offset a project deficit

Deadlines

The grant application due dates for the 2024-2025 academic year are:

• Monday, Sept. 9, 2024
• Monday, Nov. 18, 2024
• Monday, Jan. 20, 2025
• Monday, March 10, 2025

Grant requests received between April 1 and September 1, 2024 may be considered by the UVAA Grants and Awards Committee on an individual basis.

Remember:

• note the date when the funds are required on your application
• apply for a grant well in advance of that date

Recognition

After you receive a grant, you must acknowledge the support of UVic and the UVAA on materials such as event programs, project documents, websites and social media posts.

Please include how you will do this in your grant application. These recognition activities should not create any significant additional expenses. 

Application form

Submit your completed application and budget at least 1 month before the date you require funding. We will notify you of the UVAA Grants and Awards Committee’s decision within 2-3 weeks of the application due date.