EDI Initiatives

Student groups applying to EIF must meet the following criteria for their application to be considered: 

1. The application must be from student groups or organizations at the University of Toronto.
2. The funds must be applied to events or projects aimed at students at the University of Toronto.
3. The events or projects must be not-for-profit and the fee of admission for attending must be free for students.
4. Proposed initiatives must be related to equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging, as well as physical activity, and physical or mental health and wellness.
5. Each student organization may receive funding from the Equity Ideas Fund for a maximum of one event or program per academic year.
6. Upon application approval, groups must continue to meet the Requirements of Equity Ideas Fund Recipients below. 

Successful applicants to the Equity Ideas Fund will be approved for a certain amount of funding up to $500, granted through a reimbursement process. The Equity Ideas Fund will provide reimbursement following the event or initiative given that groups comply with the following grant requirements:

• Original, itemized receipts or invoices must be provided within 10 days following the event or initiative.  
• The purchases to be reimbursed must be made on a maximum of two credit or debit cards. Ideally, one individual should be making all the purchases to be reimbursed. 
• Complete a final report before receiving reimbursement. Please review the final report during the planning process of your event or initiative and ensure that your group is able to keep track of all the required pieces for the report (e.g. participant numbers). 
• All event promotions must include our "Funded by Sport & Rec" logo lockup (to be provided upon approval) AND be approved by our communications team before distribution. 
  • We recommend promotional items be sent in for approval to equityideasfund.kpe@utoronto.ca a minimum of two weeks before planned distribution to allow time for the review process. 

Please note, reimbursement usually takes about 2 weeks from the time of submission (all requirements are met and all paperwork is submitted with no issues) to the time a cheque is received.

Who can apply for EIF?

Any University of Toronto student(s) or student groups may apply for the Equity Ideas Fund. Student groups do not need to be recognized by the University of Toronto Student Union (UTSU) to apply. 

What kind of initiatives does EIF support?

The Equity Ideas Fund supports all kinds of student-led initiatives related to equity, diversity, inclusion, belonging, and physical activity. These initiatives must be free for students to participate, non-for-profit, and meet the additional eligibility criteria listed above. 

What can the funds be used for?

Upon application approval, groups will receive notice of which expenses the funds may be applied to based off their proposed budget. In general, the funds may be used for various event-related expenses, including (but not limited to) catering, supplies, and event materials. The funds may NOT be used for the purchase of gift cards, to pay honoraria, or for rental spaces (although we are happy to offer you space in our facilities, if available).  

When is the deadline to apply?

We accept applications all year around! The Equity Ideas Fund operates on a rolling basis starting May 1 and running until we've allocated our funding for the year, resetting May 1 of the following year. We typically do not accept applications for initiatives and events that occur in late March to May 1 as we transition into the new fiscal year. 

While there is no solid deadline for how early an application must be submitted for consideration before your initiative takes place, our team recommends a period of at least three weeks prior to the event date. 

How many times can I/my student group apply for the Equity Ideas Fund?

There is no cap on how many times student groups can apply for the Equity Ideas Fund, however, students groups may only receive funding for a maximum of one event or program per semester, and preference may be given to student groups who have not yet been approved during the academic year.

I have more questions. 

Email the Equity Ideas Fund with additional questions

• Application Form
• Application Rubric
• Final Report