Terms for Project Funding

Guidelines for Funding Requests

The following is a list of priorities for Funding Grants. MEF is not restricted to funding projects on this list.  However, the vast majority of Funds allocated should be towards these types of projects.

• Improved learning facilities
• Improved Teaching Assistants
• Improved Computing Services
• Other Lab Equipment
• Support for academic Math clubs
• Funding of classes that students want offered, which otherwise would be cut or not offered
• Projects of various departments/students with an academic purpose
• Guest Speakers

As the proposal sponsor, you or a representative must attend the MEF council meeting to answer questions that funding council members might have regarding your project.  If for any reason you or a representative is unable to attend the council meeting, your request will be deferred until the following academic term.  The on-stream Director will notify you of council meetings where questions may arise regarding your request

Important Change (Updated Fall 2022): Project Funding One-Over-One Approver Endorsement Process

To be compliant with May 14, 2021 revisal of Policy 31 – University Expenses by the University of Waterloo and as advised by the Financial Officer of the Faculty of Mathematics, in order to ensure the receiving of the funding granted by MEF, all Project Funding applications are required to have an “One-Over-One Approver”. The “One-Over-One Approver” certifies that reimbursements associated with an approved funding Project Funding application is complete and accurate, and the claimed reimbursements meet the conditions outlined in Policy 31. Therefore, all university-affiliated groups applying for Project Funding must ensure they have the endorsement of their respective “One-Over-One Approver” in order to submit a Project Funding application, so that they can access funding that may be granted by MEF.

As of Fall 2021, clubs/associations/teams under the Sedra Student Design Centre of the Faculty of Engineering, the School of Accounting and Finance of the Faculty of Arts, the Faculty of Mathematics, and the Faculty of Science will be subject to a modified Project Funding application process to facilitate MEF’s compliance with the university policy change to ensure that recipients may access funding granted by the fund.

New for Fall 2022: Clubs/associations/teams under the faculties NOT listed above should email the MEF Executive Director at mefcom@uwaterloo.ca in order for MEF to determine the "One-Over-One Approver" and the proper procedure for approval. These clubs/associations/teams do not need to submit the Endorsement Form until further notice.

The Project Funding One-Over-One Approver Endorsement Process is listed as follows: 

1. Prior to applying for MEF funding through the website, Faculty of Engineering student competition teams, clubs under the School of Accounting and Finance in the Faculty of Arts, clubs under the Faculty of Mathematics, and clubs under the Faculty of Science are required to fill out and submit the One-Over-One Approver Endorsement Form to their own departmental supervisors for endorsement. Recommended supervisors are available at the following email addresses who would be able to facilitate the endorsement process.

Note: Each supervisor may have their internal procedure, further requirement(s), and/or deadlines to provide such endorsement. Please contact them for more details. MEF is and was not responsible for establishing or reviewing such additional procedure(s) or requirement(s).

2. The  endorsement by the appropriate supervisor means:
   1. The supervisor agrees to act as the “One-Over-One Approver” (as defined in the University of Waterloo Policy 31- University Expenses, Section B) for the Project Funding applicant and will make reimbursement of expenses from departmental/faculty funds to the students in compliance with Policy 31. After the completion of the project work and/or before the expiry of the MEF funding period, the supervisor, with the assistance of the faculty financial officer in the relevant faculty, will arrange to recover funds from MEF.
3. After receiving endorsement from the relevant supervisor of the Project Funding application, clubs should upload the signed One-Over-One Approver Endorsement Form at time of submitting the Project Funding application.  
4. Requests to share reasons for not endorsing a proposal should be made directly by the applicant to the respective supervisor.
5. The endorsement of the supervisor does not guarantee the funding approval. MEF reserves the right for final funding decision.

  Note: All proposals should be sent to the relevant departmental supervisor at least one (1) week prior to the term’s MEF Project Funding application deadline in order to give time for processing.