The Graduate Community Development Fund (GCDF) was created in partnership with the University of Toronto School of Graduate Studies (SGS) in March 2017 to provide merit-based equity awards recognizing exceptional students on campus for their contributions to the graduate student experience.
*The Graduate Community Development Winter 2023 cycle deadline has been extended to 31 March 2023 at 5pm*
Graduate Community Development Fund (GCDF) Awards
Ten Awards will be disbursed with each award of $1000 each. Awards eligibility are given below.
Award Eligibility
In order to be eligible, an applicant must:
- be a UTGSU member at the time of application
- anticipate to have a net income and/or funding (excluding student loans) of less than $15,000 between September 1st and August 31st. Priority will be given to those who have not received UTGSU funding in the current academic year.
- not be a current member of the Finance Committee, UTGSU Executive Committee, Awards Committee and Staff. If so it is an automatic disqualification.
Award Description
- This is a bursary available once per academic year.
- Although students may fall within multiple categories, they must apply to only ONE category. Multiple application will not be assessed.
- A student will only be eligible to receive one award per academic year.
- There are 4 categories of Awards with each award amounting to $1000 each. In no particular order, the following are the award category descriptions:
- Open
- This is a general award open to any current graduate students.
- 4 awards in this category. Priority will be given to applicants with accessibility needs, caregiver, and other equity needs.
- International Students
- This award is open to students registered at the University of Toronto as an “International Student,” i.e., students who are charged international tuition fees.
- 2 awards in this category
- Women and Trans Spectrum
- This award is open to graduate students who identify themselves as women or students who identify themselves in terms outside or within the gender binary of “man” and “woman” (for example: non-binary or genderfluid).
- 2 awards in this category.
- Racialized (Indigenous, Black, People of Color)
- In no particular order, the Awards Committee must seek to allocate at least one award to students who identify themselves as belonging to one or more of the following groups:
- Indigenous to Turtle Island (ie. First Nations, Metis, or Inuit)
- Black (ie. Afro-Canadian, African, Afro-Caribbean, African-American, Afro-Latino)
- People of color (ie. who do not self-identify as belonging to a Black national/ethnic group or Indigenous to Turtle Island)
- 2 awards in this category.
- In no particular order, the Awards Committee must seek to allocate at least one award to students who identify themselves as belonging to one or more of the following groups:
For full description of the eligibility criteria can be located in the application form
APPLICATION DEADLINE
The application deadline has been extended to 31 March 2023 at 5pm.
DISQUALIFICATION
If an applicant has been found to have falsified their application, they will be disqualified and ineligible from future awards by the UTGSU.
Graduate Community Development Fund Awards Committee
All applications to the GCDF are adjudicated by an Awards Committee composed of UTGSU Members and which operates as a semi-autonomous body under the UTGSU Finance Committee. For UTGSU Members who are interested in serving on the 2023 GCDF Awards Committee further information and the application form can be found below.
*This application is closed*
Contact Information and Accessibility If you require accessibility accommodations or have any questions related to the GCDF Awards and/or Awards Committee, please email the UTGSU Finance Commissioner at finance@utgsu.ca.