There are 2 streams to consider, if you are interested in applying for the S4E Microgrants. You can only apply to one stream and one microgrant, each application call out cycle. Within each stream, there are 3 microgrants that you can apply for. Please see the descriptions below.  

Stream One: General Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility (EDIA) and Inclusive Excellence Microgrant Stream 

The General EDIA And Inclusive Excellence stream is comprised of three microgrants, dedicated to supporting research, initiatives, or events that align itself with one or more of the four pillars and/or 6 C’s of Inclusive Excellence. These microgrants are designed to support research, initiatives, or events that foster and promote equity, diversity, and inclusion for equity deserving groups on and off campus and to support research, initiatives, or events that promote the protection, respect, and dignity of the 17 human rights protected grounds. Generally, this microgrant seeks to fund innovative projects that immediately and directly impact experiences of belongingness, intercultural exchange, global discourse and learning, accessibility, access and success of diverse peoples on campus, enhances community competency and/or collaboration, or provides pathways to systemic and interpersonal accountability and action.   

• EDIA Progressive Research Microgrant of $1500: The EDIA Progressive Research Microgrant is awarded to one candidate or group and is valued at $1500. This microgrant seeks to encourage the creation and implementation of equity focused research that significantly collaborates with equity deserving groups, that is accessible in format and design, and has tangible and culturally competent community impact. This can include formal research and informal research such as departmental scans and assessments. This microgrant is intended to encourage experimentation, innovation, globalization, and development within research that aims to foster deep promotion of equity, inclusivity, and human rights.  

• EDIA Impact Initiative Microgrant of $1500: The EDIA Impact Initiative Microgrant is awarded to one candidate or group and is valued at $1500. This microgrant seeks to support new initiatives or projects or projects and initiatives underway that are grassroots, collaborative, accessible, and equity focused. The aim of this microgrant is to support innovative initiatives and projects that have both systemic and interpersonal impact in promoting equity and human rights on campus and that is designed with sustainability, feasibility, and longevity in mind. This microgrant seeks to support evidence-based, interdisciplinary projects and partnerships that can range from pedagogical to political or digital impacts, collaborating across identities and disciplines with intersectional priorities, at the root.  

• EDIA Community Event Microgrant of $500: The EDIA Community Event Microgrant is awarded to one candidate or group and is valued at $500, This microgrant seeks to support new events that are focused on providing safe spaces, intercultural exchange, sites of belonging, education, healing and respite, for equity deserving groups on campus or events that promote the respect and dignity of the protected grounds of human rights. This microgrant looks to support the stimulation of cross-community collaborative events, celebrations, and or community learning opportunities that have long-term and sustainable impact on it’s community.  

Stream Two: Tackling Anti-Black Racisms Microgrant Stream  

The Tackling Anti-Black Racism stream is also comprised of three microgrants aimed to support research, initiatives, or events that align with the four pillars outlined in The Scarborough Charter on Anti-Black Racism and Black Inclusion in Higher Education: Principles, Actions, and Accountabilities. The Scarborough Charter is a cross-institutional commitment to combat anti-Black racism and promote Black flourishing in academic institutions. Signed in 2021, McMaster is committed to advancing the four overarching principles; Black Flourishing, Inclusive Excellence, Mutuality and Accountability. Collectively, these principles aim to remove barriers to academic and professional growth, foster equitable and inclusive spaces, and remain accountable to the commitments outlined in the Charter. As such, this microgrant seeks to fund projects that address anti-Black racism, advance professional and academic growth and increase mental wellbeing with an intersectional lens for the Black community at McMaster University.  

• Gifted and Black Research Microgrant of $1500: The Gifted and Black Research Grant is awarded to one candidate or group and is valued at $1500. This microgrant seeks to foster Black intellectual excellence through the creation and implementation of equity-focused research aimed to address anti-Black racism and uplift the Black community. This research will be intersectional, accessible in format and design, and will be Black serving, Black-lead, and Black-focused. As such, only Black identifying, undergraduate and graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and PhD students will be eligible for this grant. This grant is open to various forms of research including formal and informal methods. Overall, this grant aims to foster innovation, elevate the academic caliber of Black scholarship, and support Black academics in using research to uplift their communities. 

• Black Flourishing Initiative Microgrant of $1500: The Black Flourishing Initiative is awarded to one candidate or group and is valued at $1500. This microgrant is intended to support new projects or initiatives aimed to address anti-Black racism, promote equity and inclusion, enhance cultural understanding, advance health and wellbeing, and support economic empowerment. The proposed initiative should have systemic and interpersonal impact in promoting Scarborough Charter principles such as Black flourishing and mutuality designed with sustainability and longevity considered. Initiatives and/or projects should be evidenced-based, interdisciplinary and intersectional-focused that can range from pedagogical to community engagement or digital works.  

• Black Community Empowerment Event Microgrant of $500: The Black Community Empowerment Event Microgrant is awarded to one candidate or group and is valued at $500. This microgrant seeks to support new events aimed to address anti-Black racism, celebrate Black culture and traditions, promote community engagement, and foster healing and inclusivity. Events should be intersectional, accessible, and will be Black serving, Black-lead, and Black-focused. In the spirit of uplifting the Black community, this grant will support projects that engage in community collaborative events, celebrations and educational awareness. Disclaimer: Black History Month events are not eligible for funding under this microgrant, there is separate funding for Black History Month focused events.

Who Can Apply?  

• Students  

• • Undergraduate or Graduate Students presently enrolled at McMaster  

• • Active and MSU Approved student groups  

• • Faculty- Affiliated Student Caucus Groups  

• Staff  

• • Full time and part-time permanent staff at McMaster  

• • Active and departmentally approved or recognized employee resource groups  

• • Small staff departments or student front facing services  

• • Staff and departmental Equity Committees  

• Scholars  

• • Early Career Scholars (research and educational capabilities less than 5 years following PhD Completion, post-doctoral appointments, CLA’s)  

• • Faculty Affiliated Equity Committee’s  

• • A Group of collaborative early career scholars 

Who is Ineligible?  

• Non-McMaster Community Members  

• Scholars that are not* early career (researchers and/or educators beyond 5 years of PhD completion and/or tenured faculty) 

• Contract employees or contract faculty/instructor appointments at McMaster  

• Projects, Initiatives, events or Research with Tri-Council fundings or who have been recipients of induvial or multiple scholarships, bursaries, awards or financial aids that result in funding above 10,000 

• Any proposals where the research, events, or initiative has been successfully completed and finished by the application deadline  

• Black History Month related events  

What can the S4E Microgrants be used for?  

• Research, events, or initiatives/projects that are in conceptualization and planning stages or are due to commence within 3 months of microgrant application date (research, events, or initiatives that have already been successfully delivered or completed are not eligible) 

• Associated costs for events, initiatives, or research, such as but not limited to:  

• • Honorariums, guest speaker fees, location booking, communications and promotions, contract employee payments or stipends, materials and equipment, travel expenses, food and catering, surveying or feedback expenses etc.   

What to Fill Out and Provide: 

If interested in applying to the microgrant there are two steps to complete by October 18th, 2024 4pm.

First is to fill out your microgrant proposal and budget breakdown. We have created an ready to use template for you, to assist with your application. You can find and download the template as a word document through clicking this link: S4E Microgrant Proposal and Budget Breakdown Template

Second, you must fill out the microgrant application form and upload your proposal and budget template directly to this form and click submit. A link to the application form can be found here: Students, Staff, and Scholars Stimulating Equity (S4E) Microgrants Application Form

Once these two steps are completed, you have successfully applied. If you would like a detailed description of the microgrants, examples of eligible projects, and an appendix that has a glossary of terms to assist you with your application, you can find a detailed S4E Microgrant breakdown through clicking this link: S4E Microgrant In Detail 2024

Adjudication: 

To ensure a mitigation of bias in the application review process, all microgrant application will be reviewed by a committee, comprised of McMaster staff, faculty, and students that are engaged in equity and anti-oppression work on campus. Upon initial receipt of applications, the Equity, Diversity, and Anti-Oppression Team will screen all applications to ensure they meet eligibility guidelines. Once screening of applications is complete, the applications will be given to a review committee who will evaluate applications by the following criteria to determine successful applicants:

• Significance and community impact, alignment with Inclusive Excellence or Scarborough Charter  

• Strength of Action plan 

• Likelihood of success and proposed impact
• Intersectional community consultation and involvement, accessibility and safety  

Dispersing Funds: 

Once applications close on October 18th, 2024 and our review committee will review eligible applications and determine the awardees by or on November 22nd, 2024. In your application, you are asked to identify a financial officer/administrator or an executive assistant within your department, faculty, or student union body that is aware of your intention to apply for this microgrant and a agreeable to assisting in funds transfers. Funds will be dispersed to the department, faculty, student union and your respective department, faculty, or student union will be responsible for allocating the funds directly to you.

PLEASE NOTE: most departments, faculties and union groups have reimbursement policies, therefore it is highly likely you will be asked to pay for your activities directly and be re-imbursed. Please be prepared for this possibility when you apply.

If you are a successful applicant, you will be notified by email with an awardee letter attached. We will copy the financial officer/administrator or executive assistant of your department/faculty or student group to assist with the dispersing the funds.

Reporting: 

If awarded the Microgrant, you will be provided instructions regarding reporting alongside your congratulations and awardee letter. We will provide you a template to fill, no more than 4-5 pages, that is a mixture of narrative, data, and pictures to report back to our campus community that summarizes the activities, outputs, impact, and evaluation of your project as well as a report around the use of funds and any associated community partners. 

More details around reporting will be provided to successful applicants.

What if my project, event, and/or research is already underway?   

Awesome news and you’re in luck! You can still apply for any of the microgrants to assist in the maintenance and progression of your project/initiative, event or research. However, if all project/initiative, events and/or research has already concluded by the time you apply, then unfortunately you would be deemed ineligible.  

What if I do not have a chart string account at McMaster and I am awarded this Microgrant?   

Not to worry! As a part of your application you are asked to identify the financial officer, administrator or lead of your department, faculty or student union group. If you are applying as an individual within a staff department or faculty, it will be your responsibility to identify who within your faculty or department, can assist with accepting funds on behalf of your department and to notify them of your intention to apply for this microgrant. They will be the designated person to assist with transferring funds and distributing the fund to you, in line with their departmental or faculty financial policies.

Where do I go if I want to know more about how the team define equity, anti-Black racism, inclusive excellence, community collaboration and more for my proposal?  

We have provided a very thorough document that breaks down the descriptions of each microgrants, eligibility and adjudication! In this document, there is also an appendix which features definitions of the terms we use which may help shape your proposal. You can access this document here: S4E Microgrant In Detail 2024

If an alternative document format is desired, please email hallr1@mcmaster.ca  

Can student, staff, or faculty “teams” apply?   

Absolutely! Individuals and teams can apply as long as all members meet eligibility criteria.  

Can I apply for more than one microgrant or stream?  

Unfortunately, you are unable to apply for multiple streams or microgrants within each respective stream. Please choose one stream and one microgrant within your desired stream to apply to, carefully. If you want to know more about the streams and descriptions of microgrants to assist in choosing the most applicable microgrant, please visit this throughout document that outlines our new microgrant program: S4E Microgrant In Detail 2024

Please note: duplicate applications will be deleted and render you/your team ineligible.   

If your question was not addressed in the FAQs?  

No problem. If your question pertains to the general EDI microgrant stream, please reach out directly to the Inclusion and Anti-Racism Education Program Manager at this email: hallr1@mcmaster.ca  

If your question pertains to the anti-Black Racism microgrant stream, please reach out directly to the anti-Black Racism Program and Initiatives Coordinator at this email: nyambiye@mcmaster.ca  

Please include the subject line S4E Microgrant Questions in your subject line. We will do our best to respond in a timely manner.  

The Equity and Inclusion Office’s new asynchronous training module, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (EDIA) Fundamentals is launching May 2024! We are excited for you to engage with this foundational content which will replace the live delivery of EDIA fundamentals from our team.

The EDIA Fundamentals module is a 5-part module, designed by the Inclusion and Anti-Racism Education Program at the Equity and Inclusion Office, to provide the community with an accessible, multi-media formats to learning about EDIA, Anti-Racism, and Anti-Oppression with a spot light on Anti-Black Racism in Higher Education. Each “part” is thematically organized to contain a mixture of narrative, video and audio-narrated slide deck content, with activities to ground your learning in a flexible and digestible fashion.

In totality, the mandatory portions of the module should take approximately 3 hours to complete, and there is a short evaluation in the form of a quiz at the end, to recall your knowledge and to successfully complete this educational offering. This module will be hosted on avenue to learn and you can enroll in the module on Mosaic.

Enrollment Instructions: 

To enroll in the EDIA Fundamentals module, you must access MOSAIC through the use of your MAC ID and usual password. First, click on the “Regulatory Trainings” tile on the MOSAIC homepage, then the “Search By Course Name” hyperlink. You will be lead to a course search page. Type in “EDIA” and the fundamentals page should populate. To formally enroll, click on “View Available Sessions” and follow the mosaic prompts to formally enroll. The course will take about 1-2 business days to appear on your Avenue to Learn as a course!

If you are experiencing difficulties enrolling, require more guidance, or would like an alternative format of instructions to enroll, please email hallr1@mcmaster.ca

Before you fill out the education request form for our synchronous in-person or online education offerings, the Inclusion and Anti-Racism team asks that you engage with our booking guidelines, for a seamless educational experience.

Before you fill out the education request form, first: 

1. Ensure you and your team have engaged with EDIA fundamental trainings from the Inclusion and anti-racism team within the last 2 years OR have completed the new asynchronous module on EDIA fundamentals. Please note: this is a mandatory pre-requisite before engaging with our synchronous offerings  
2. Explore the available topics of synchronous group topics, starting from level two topics, and decided upon one topic of interest with your team
3. Ensure you are requesting no less than 3 weeks in advance
4. Have an idea of whether you would like this training workshop to be delivered in person or online, on zoom or teams. Please note: the Inclusion and Anti-Racism team does not service hybrid training requests at this time. 
5. Are willing to engage in a workshop that is no less that 60 minutes, in terms of time commitment
6. Have at minimum, 10 individuals confirmed for in person trainings, that will be attending this training workshop. Requests for training with less than 10 individuals will be serviced with an online synchronous meeting OR asynchronous resources and materials

After you fill out the education request form, come prepared to your introductory meeting to discuss: 

1. Physical space and equipment: the requesting party is responsible for any room booking, ensuring the room has good natural lighting and some level of privacy, and A/V Equipment including microphones and methods to project PowerPoints through HDMI
   1. we ask that rooms are bookings add “buffer time” of 30 minutes before and after the in-person training workshop to assist with tech set up and tear down and any logistical discussions
2. Online space and equipment: the Inclusion and Anti-racism team will be responsible for producing any online zoom or teams links and will circulate it to the requesting party primary contact. The requesting parties primary contact is responsible for circulating the link to those who are looking to attend this training workshop.
3. Registration and promotions: the requesting party is responsible for managing their own registration and promotions
   1. for workshops that are non-mandatory, you are responsible for notifying the inclusion and anti-racism team 2 business days prior to the training date, if registration numbers do not meet our minimum requirement of 10 individuals for in-person training
   2. the requesting party is responsible for their own reminder emails leading up to the training date
   3. the requesting party is responsible for supplying their own refreshments and foods during the training, if this is desired
4. Training topics of interest: as mentioned above, we ask that you discuss and agree upon, prior to your meeting with the Inclusion and Anti-Racism team, your training goals and intended learning outcomes with your team. We ask that you browse our synchronous in person or online educational offerings, starting from Level two content and choose one* topic. The Inclusion and anti-racism team does not blend topics. Should you want to explore more than one topic, let us know in your program request form in additional relevant information and during our introductory meeting, we can discuss planning out and scaffolding across dates and times, a suite of educational trainings and offerings with you.

We are currently re-designing a new suite of educational offerings with new topics that respond to the campus community needs.

Any of these workshops are available in a virtual or in-person synchronous format. We are happy to deliver a pre-designed workshop on any of the following topics:

• Microaggressions, Bias, Stereotypes and Impacts on Belongingness
• Bystander Intervention for Instances of Racism and Oppression
• Creating Psychologically Safe Environments
• Anti-Racist Principles to Recruitment and Retention
• Unpacking Black Racial Trauma and Supporting Black Individuals in the Pedagogy
• Black Intersectionality 101

If you are interested in any of these topics, you can request through this form:

Name *

First

Last

Email *

Email

Confirm Email

Department or Faculty of Requesting Party *

In person or Virtual (we do not do hybrid at this time) *

Intended Audience *

• students
• staff/administrators
• faculty
• community members
• other

Projected Number of Individuals Attending Workshop/Training *

Desired Date of Workshop and Time Allotment *

Desired Topic of Interest (please pick from list on our website) *

Any accessibility factors for the facilitators to be aware of?

Submit

Various departments, offices, and groups at McMaster are working on initiating and championing EDI initiatives of their own. Our team appreciates a de-centralized approach to EDI work, and we are happy to consult and suggest additional best practices to your EDI and anti-racism initiatives and planning that may be underway. The type of consultations the general Inclusion and Anti-Racism team provides are:

• Reviewing EDI strategic planning, climate surveying, and processes of EDI committee building specific to your department/office
• Reviewing and consulting on EDIA Recruitment and Retention plans
• Reviewing educational development/training specific to equity, anti-racism, and AOP created by your office
• Reviewing and providing best practices for stimulation and/or supporting affinity groups
• Safety planning for events

As mentioned, we also have a suite of consultation services, specific to our Anti-Black Racisms Education and Initiatives Programming Portfolio. The type of consultations provided, specific to the anti-Black racisms portfolio are:

• Reviewing Anti-Black Racism philosophy and EDIA statements
• Consulting on the creation of Black-focused supportive spaces and trauma informed approaches to supporting Black students, staff, and faculty
• Reviewing educational development/training specific to anti-Black racism, created by your office
• Reviewing pedagogical materials for facilitating dialogues about anti-Black racism

Interested in partnering with our office on community building discussions and equity related events? Our team is open to assisting you in designing and facilitating EDIA and anti-racism focused discussion groups and/or events. By partnered discussions and events, we mean collaborating with you in the design elements of your event or initiative.

The Inclusion and Anti-Racism team has a legacy on campus of supporting educational events and initiatives, team building initiatives and events, or fun socials through awesome groups on campus such as the Presidents Advisory Committee on Building and Inclusive Community (PACBIC), the Black and Indigenous Racialized Employee Resource Group (BIRS-ERG), Black History Month at Mac (BHMatMAC), Black Student Success Center, DeGroote Women in Business, and many more!

Please note: we do not fulsomely plan an event or initiative for you, in regards to administrative and logistical tasks, sponsorship, or full programming.

We do: 

• Consult on safety planning, accessibility mapping, and risk management
• Consult on financial planning and event mapping
• Assist with event marketing and circulation
• Consult on Marketing Materials
• Consult on financial avenues to leverage to assist with financial management
• Assist with event or initiative descripts with a lens of EDIA or tackling anti-Black racism

McMaster University has processes and policies to support you, should you be experiencing discrimination or harassment. The Blue Folder is a printable guide designed for students, staff and faculty with information on what constitutes discrimination and harassment as well as processes to address these incidences.

Please Note: The Inclusion and Anti-Racism team is not a formal or informal investigation office or intake office, therefore we do have limits to receiving confidential disclosures and limits to providing navigational support to those experiencing discrimination or harassment on campus. We do not function in lieu of: therapeutic or mental health supports, advocacy around a claim or investigation, or book individuals with additional supports.

How can we support: We do educate on the harassment and discrimination policy at McMaster in a trauma informed manner and provide guidance on how to book with one of several intake offices on campus, should you wish to explore further options. The Inclusion and Anti-Racism team can provide a warm referral to our Human Rights Dispute Resolution Team, who can have confidential discussions about your resolution options, launch an investigation of formal complaint and facilitate dispute resolution. To learn more about the offerings of the Human Rights Dispute Resolution Team, please visit this link: Human Rights Dispute Resolution Team

For more formal supports, we encourage you to explore the following: 

On Campus Intake Offices or Informal Supports: 

• Human Rights Dispute Resolution Office: Human Rights Dispute Resolution Office
• Student Case Management and Support: Student Case Management and Support Office
• Employee and Labour Relations: Employee and Labour Relations
• Health Sciences Professionalism Office: Health Sciences Professionalism Office
• Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office: Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office
• Student Accommodations Services: Student Accommodation Services
• McMaster Wellness Centre: Wellness Centre
• Employee Health and Wellbeing (Human Resources): Employee Health and Wellbeing
• Security Services: Security Services
• Office of Community Engagement: Office of Community Engagement
• Black Student Success Centre: Black Student Success Centre

Off Campus Supports: 

• Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion: Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion
• Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre: Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre
• Disability Justice Network of Ontario: DJNO Hamilton
• Sexual Assault Centre Hamilton: Sexual Assault Centre Hamilton