The UWSA's Staff Enhancement Grant (SEG) helps Staff Association members pursue personal learning and skills development outside of their work responsibilities.
Up to $500 is available for eligible activities unrelated to your work. Application deadlines are June 1 and December 1 each year.
Staff Enhancement Grants have been used to support members engaging in pottery lessons, stone carving, blacksmithing, and woodworking workshops, ASL courses, language immersion programs, baking lessons, and much more.
Read on for fund guidelines, how to submit, and more examples of past funded activities!
Thank you to the Staff Association for offering this grant!
This has been a truly memorable and enriching experience!
I developed new skills and confidence to challenge myself.
This is such a great opportunity to develop the skills of employees.
Fund guidelines
- The SEG provides reimbursement of expenses incurred by UWSA members in the pursuit of personal skills development, unrelated to your job duties or personal business ventures.
- SEG recipients must be paying UWSA dues, whether as Members or Contributing Staff, and preference may be given to Members.
- The SEG committee will allocate funds based on the overall merit of the objectives, activities, and benefits to the individual. Preference may be given to:
- activities that are focused on learning and growing, not just doing; and
- applications that demonstrate the potential benefit to a wider community. This community could be the University of Waterloo or another community identified by the applicant.
- Activities may be funded in whole or in part, up to $500 per grant. The SEG Committee strives to fund at least 50% of each approved activity.
- Preference will be given to individuals who have not received the grant in the previous five years.
- Funds awarded are to be used within six months unless specific arrangements are approved by the SEG Committee.
- Activities involving instruction, facilitation, or program delivery by a third party should be offered by a reputable organization or provider, with a preference for Canadian organizations where possible.
- Funds cannot be used for:
- activities that have already taken place before the grant is awarded;
- travel and accommodation costs that would be incurred regardless of an approved activity;
- courses related to professional development or job training (incl. WatSPEED offerings);
- routine departmental training or unit development costs and responsibilities; or
- routine personal expenses (e.g., home or vehicle maintenance, driver's licenses).
- The following activities, items, and costs are generally not eligible for SEG funding, but may be considered in the context of a specific application:
- subscriptions or memberships;
- private lessons where a group alternative is available;
- physical items or products;
- travel-related costs, such as mileage or accommodations; and
- expenses related to entrepreneurial training or related activities.
- Grants will be awarded based on the availability of UWSA funds. No minimum or predetermined number of grants will be allocated in a year. Grants awarded may depend upon the number of applications received.
- UW Policy 4 – Benefits to Faculty and Staff Undertaking Part-time Educational Programs provides free tuition to eligible staff enrolling in UW degree-credit course. These staff may apply for SEG funding to help cover the costs of course materials.
- Current members of the UWSA Board of Directors or Operations Team are not eligible for funding.
SEG procedures
How to apply
- You submit an application detailing your proposed activity and its potential benefits, how much funding you're seeking, and a breakdown of the costs by either June 1 or December 1.
- The SEG Committee reviews applications within three weeks of the deadline. You'll hear from us soon after that.
If your project is funded
- Successful grant applications will be publicized on the UWSA website including your name and a brief description of the purpose of the grant.
- Within six months, you submit original receipts and a report summarizing the activity and its benefits through the SEG Reporting Form.
- We'll reimburse you within approximately two weeks.
- We need to retain records of applications where grants have been awarded, along with recipient reports and copies of receipts, for up to seven years.
- Your report and any photos you submit may be shared in whole or in part on the UWSA website, newsletter, and social media. We may also use parts in the Daily Bulletin to promote the grant.
If your planned activity becomes unavailable or you need to change something, please contact Carly Richardson.
SEG History
The SEG was the vision of Bruce Lumsden who retired as Director of Cooperative Education in June 2005. With seed donations given at his retirement, he requested that a fund be created to provide grants to Waterloo staff pursuing personal and professional development. At that time, the University of Waterloo Staff Association (UWSA) also donated $5,000.00. Since that time, the fund has evolved to be administered solely by the UWSA and is for personal development opportunities only.
2025 Staff Enhancement Grant Stories
At UWSA, we love seeing the difference the Staff Enhancement Grant makes in our members’ lives. Here are just a few stories from recent recipients, showing how they used the grant and the positive impact it had.
2024 Staff Enhancement Grant Stories
One of our favourite things in the UWSA office is getting a window into the lives of members through the Staff Enhancement Grant. Here are just a few stories from recent grant recipients about how they used the grant and what it meant to them.
The next deadline for the grant is June 1!
Lynn Long finds the writer inside herself with SEG funding
When the Staff Enhancement Grant committee met last December, they reviewed many applications from members seeking funding. Among the recipients they chose was Lynn Long. who works at the Centre for Teaching Excellence. In her own words, here is Lynn's experience.
Member tours tool lending library with SEG support
Murray Zink received $250 staff enhancement grant to support his visits to a tool lending library and repair cafe in California.
Member uses SEG money to present Indigenous films
Michael R. Clark was one of eight members to be awarded a Staff Enhancement Grant this past December. He used the funds to pursue a personal goal of bringing Indigenous programming to the Grand River Film Festival this Spring, and kindly let us share his report.
Member uses SEG to learn how to publish a children's book
Matthew Fries completed a three-part course provided by Writers Digest University: Publishing Your Children’s Book: How to Write and Pitch Young Adult, Middle Grade, and Picture Book Manuscripts.
Red Raccoon Bike Rescue receives SEG funding
Thank you for awarding me one of the $500 Staff Enhancement Grants – your selection has not only impacted me, but my fellow Red Raccoon Bike Rescue (RRBR) volunteers and the people we assist every day.
SEG funds member's self-care through baking class
Natalie Chow was awarded a Staff Enhancement Grant and shared this report:
SEG is an investment in yourself
In June 2020, Mary Lyn Payerl was awarded Staff Enhancement Grant funds to pursue silversmith training.
Staff Enhancement Grant elevates member's furniture-making skills
In December 2019, the Staff Enhancement Grant Committee approved nine applications. Gill Lesperance was one of them. Here is his story.
Staff Enhancement Grant helps upgrade degree
Lisa Brackenridge used SEG funding to work toward upgrading to an honours degree, with a long-term goal to apply for graduate school.