SGS Sponsorship Fund

Award Overview

Application Dates

Thank you for your interest. We are currently reviewing the Sponsorship Fund. Please check back in January 2025 for more details.

Value & Duration

(a) The SGS Events Fund offers up to $2,000 to support the planning and implementation of an event at U of T.

(b) The SGS Innovation in Graduate Professional Development Fund offers up to $1,000 to successful proposals of new or expanded Graduate Professional Development initiatives.

Level of Study

Master’s, Doctoral, Postdoctoral

Purpose

The SGS Sponsorship Fund supports two types of initiatives designed, led, and attended by graduate students and/or postdoctoral fellows at U of T: (a) the SGS Events Fund and (b) the SGS Innovation in Graduate Professional Development Fund.

(a) The SGS Events Fund supports the planning and implementation of an event at U of T that contributes to the SGS mission of:

  • Working collaboratively to advance excellence and innovation in graduate research and education.
  • Fostering an outstanding graduate experience for our diverse student population.
  • Creating and promoting opportunities for graduate student and postdoctoral fellow professional development.
  • Advancing integrity and ethical conduct in graduate research and education.
  • Establishing policy and promoting best practices for graduate research and education.

For the 2022–23 cycle, the School of Graduate Studies is calling for proposals for both in-person and virtual initiatives involving U of T graduate students and / or postdoctoral fellows focused on community-building, engagement, and networking across programs and disciplines with particular interest in events focused on re-connection and community building activities. Preference will be given to events that have significant U of T student / fellow participation in planning and implementation and/or prioritize U of T students and fellows as participants.

(b) The SGS Innovation in Graduate Professional Development Fund supports the development of new or expanded Graduate Professional Development initiatives by and for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows that contribute to the SGS mission of:

  • Working collaboratively to advance excellence and innovation in graduate research and education.
  • Fostering an outstanding graduate experience for our diverse student population.
  • Creating and promoting opportunities for graduate student and postdoctoral fellow professional development.
  • Advancing integrity and ethical conduct in graduate research and education.
  • Establishing policy and promoting best practices for graduate research and education.

The SGS Innovation in Graduate Professional Development fund supports both in-person and virtual initiatives for the U of T graduate students and postdoctoral communities. Preference will be given to initiatives that have significant U of T student / fellow participation in planning and implementation and / or prioritize U of T students and fellows as participants.

Eligibility

We invite proposals from individual graduate students and postdoctoral fellows as well as graduate student and postdoctoral fellow groups.

Graduate student(s) must be registered in the School of Graduate Studies. Postdoctoral fellows must be registered with the Postdoctoral Office at the School of Graduate Studies.

Application Process

Please complete the two-page application form and the budget template.

Completed application forms and budget templates should be submitted to Ms. Angelique Plata, Executive Assistant to the Office of the Vice Deans, at sgs.vdeanea@utoronto.ca by the deadline(s) indicated above.

Application Requirements

(a) Applications to the SGS Events Fund will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Alignment with SGS mission;
  • Focused on community-building, engagement, and networking across programs and disciplines with particular interest in events focused on students from under-represented groups;
  • Level of graduate student / post-doctoral fellow involvement in planning and implementing the event;
  • Anticipated contribution to student life and / or university environment.

(b) Applications to the SGS Innovation in Graduate Professional Development Fund will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Alignment with SGS mission;
  • Level of graduate student / post-doctoral fellow involvement in planning and implementing the event;
  • Anticipated level of student / fellow participation in the event;
  • Innovation (proposal addresses new initiative or extends existing initiatives in a novel manner);
  • Plan for evaluation of the initiative.

All applications will be reviewed by a committee including students, staff and faculty members.

Previous recipients of SGS Sponsorship Funding are welcome to apply; however, preference will be given to providing opportunities for funding initiatives that have not been previously supported by this SGS funding.

Results

For all SGS Sponsorship Fund proposals:

December 2022
April 2023
June 2023

Contacts & Resources

Please direct all questions about these SGS Sponsorship Fund opportunities to Ms. Angelique Plata, Executive Assistant to the Office of the Vice Deans, at sgs.vdeanea@utoronto.ca.