Staff Excellence Fund

Through Stream 1 (Ongoing Programs), the SEF funds the Waterloo Staff Conference, UW’s Years of Distinguished Service Celebration, the SEE Canada Grant, and Keeping Well @ Work programming, UW Fitness subsidy, and Ways to Play for Staff.

Recent Stream 2 initiatives VR for Workplace Wellness include a South Campus Hall patio update, office plants in East Campus buildings, staff communities of practice, and workshops on DIY air purifiers, Leading with Presence, and serving on non-profit boards.

Since fall 2022, SEF funding has allowed Warrior Recreation to offer daily fitness opportunities to staff, including staff workouts, rock climbing, archery, table tennis, yoga, nidra meditation, kickboxing, skating, and more.

CCCARE offers fitness classes exclusively for UW employees, allowing staff to:

• train in a private facility conveniently located on the UW campus
• work under the guidance of skilled Registered Kinesiologists and Certified Exercise Physiologists
• enjoy the advantages of professional supervision and instruction at a cost lower than traditional one-on-one training

SEF funding provides a 50% subsidy for staff members, automatically applied when you register.

The Conflict Management and Human Rights Office (CMAHRO), with support from the SEF, has arranged for three Meta Quest 2 head-mounted displays (HMDs) in each of the Dana Porter and Davis Center libraries, preloaded with Nature Treks VR and OvationVR. 

Nature Treks VR

Research has repeatedly demonstrated that spending time in nature can positively impact our personal wellbeing. While we don’t always have easy access to natural spaces, recent research is demonstrating that even encountering nature using immersive virtual reality can have similar positive effects!

Ovation VR

Ovation uses AI to create realistic speaking scenarios tailored to the needs of the user: one-on-one conversations, small group discussion, or presentation in large auditoriums. This allows staff to practice in a safe, controlled environment, gradually building confidence and reducing anxiety.  

The Staff Excellence Fund currently receives $300,000 annually under the 2026 UWSA-UW compensation settlement. The initial stream allocations for fiscal years 2026-27 and 2027–28 are as follows:

Following the October application deadline each year, the SEF Committee will review applicant demand and available funds for all three streams, and may reallocate the remaining funding to maximize overall benefit to staff.

Unspent funds will roll forward to the following fiscal year and will be available in addition to the annual allocation.

In 2026

$60,000 is available for staff-led initiatives proposed by December 8 and taking place between January and April 2027.

Starting in 2027

For each of Streams 2 and 3 (staff-led initiatives and professional development), a minimum of $5,000 will normally be reserved for each application deadline. This means:

• For applications submitted February 1, up to $20,000 may be awarded in each stream, with $10,000 reserved for future cycles.
• For applications submitted June 1, any remaining funds in each stream, minus $5,000 may be awarded.
• Following the October 1 deadline, all remaining funds (across all streams) may be distributed to any stream as the committee sees fit.

Funding may not be used for:

• Activities that would create a taxable employment benefit under applicable CRA rules
• Construction, major renovations, structural modifications, or other capital infrastructure projects
• Additional compensation, consulting fees, or other remuneration for University employees
• Activities or expenses incurred prior to funding approval

Catering expenses, when applicable, will generally be limited to light refreshments where reasonable and proportionate to support participation in the funded activity. Applicants must demonstrate that the proposal represents the most cost-effective option (e.g., campus catering versus external alternatives). Alcohol is not eligible.

Projects involving expenditures that meet University procurement thresholds must comply with applicable Procurement Services requirements and review processes.

Applications are first screened for eligibility to ensure they meet fund requirements and fit the funding stream.

Eligible applications are then evaluated by the SEF Committee based on several factors, including how well they align with the fund’s objectives, the anticipated benefit and impact for staff, the reach and accessibility of the initiative, the reasonableness and value of the budget, and the proposal’s overall feasibility. The application form is structured to ensure applications address each of these factors. The committee may also consider how a proposal complements existing funded initiatives and responds to identified staff needs or emerging opportunities.

Funding decisions are made by staff representatives on the committee and are guided by principles including staff-led decision making, impact, transparency, equity and inclusion, and maintaining a balance between established programs and new ideas. 

Proposals supporting multiple objectives may be prioritized; however, strong alignment with a single objective may be sufficient where anticipated impact is substantial. Alignment with SEF objectives alone does not guarantee funding. 

Yes! A single applicant or applicant group may submit more than one proposal during a funding cycle, and you can reapply for the same or different initiatives in future funding cycles.

Note that the SEF Committee may consider overall distribution of funding across applicants when making decisions.

For Stream 3 (Professional Development), preference will be given to applicants who have not received funding through that stream within the previous three years.

Project leads are responsible for delivering their funded initiative, promoting participation, measuring outcomes, and reporting on results.

As part of their application, project leads must identify the outcomes they hope to achieve and explain how success will be measured. Measures may include participation rates, feedback, learning outcomes, community-building impacts, or improvements to staff well-being and engagement.

Project leads are expected to promote the initiative to their intended audience, develop any required promotional materials, manage registration or participation processes where applicable, ensure information is accessible, and acknowledge Staff Excellence Fund support.

After the initiative is complete, project leads must submit a brief report summarizing activities, participation, outcomes, lessons learned, budget use, and any future plans. Recipients must also provide receipts or invoices for eligible expenses. Reporting helps demonstrate the impact of funded projects, supports ongoing improvement of the fund, and provides valuable information for future applicants.

Yes, while project leads are primarily responsible for promoting participation in their initiatives, support is available from UWSA and UW communications staff to help funded initiatives reach broader staff audiences.

Support may include:

• Promotion through UWSA and University communication channels
• Connections to relevant University departments or partners that may support implementation
• Communications planning advice
• Guidance on writing audience-focused promotional content
• Guidance on accessibility and inclusive communications

This support is intended to enhance, not replace, applicant-led promotion and implementation.

Stream 1 supports recurring programs through multi-year or ongoing funding arrangements. New programs will not normally enter Stream 1 immediately. After demonstrating at least two years of successful implementation under Stream 2, applicants may request consideration of ongoing funding under Stream 1.

Stream 1 programs must submit an updated proposal every two years to request continued funding, and must provide annual reporting. Funding levels may be adjusted periodically based on participation, demand, outcomes, program costs, and available resources. 

Staff Relations Committee (SRC) has ultimate oversight of the Staff Excellence Fund. SRC has delegated funding decisions and the operation of the fund to the SEF Committee, and delegated running that committee to the Staff Association. The Committee reports back monthly and annually to SRC.

In other words: The UWSA and SEF Committee manage the Fund on behalf of staff, with oversight by SRC.

SEF Committee members are selected through the UWSA's usual appointment process: Staff apply and are selected by the UWSA Appointments Committee, which is made up of UWSA members. Unlike most of our appointments, however, all USG staff (not just UWSA members) are eligible. See the SEF Committee terms of reference for more details.