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UBC Wellbeing Strategic Initiative Fund

UBC Wellbeing Strategic Initiative Funds (SIF) are granted to departments and units at UBC’s Vancouver and Okanagan campuses to support our commitment to the Okanagan Charter to become a health and wellbeing-promoting institution, as outlined in UBC's Wellbeing Strategic Framework. 


 

This year, $150,000 in funding is available to advance two special focus areas in addition to supporting Wellbeing Strategic Framework Priority Areas:

Support wellbeing in classroom environments

Provides up to $5,000 to support students, faculty, and staff to embed health and wellbeing strategic initiatives within classroom environments benefiting student and/or faculty wellbeing.

Examples of projects considered for funding (but not limited to)
  • Pilot and evaluate innovative teaching and learning practices that build community and foster student and faculty wellbeing.
  • Develop a teaching resource (ideally shareable) e.g., managing challenging classroom situations, developing value-based learning environments.
  • Adapt existing TLR resources for your context e.g. Teaching Practices that Promote Wellbeing. 
  • Research innovative wellbeing practices in the learning environment, including related to artificial intelligence, student assessment, flexible learning, Universal Design for Learning and Accessibility.
  • Convene partners for broad knowledge translation around wellbeing teaching and learning practices. 
  • Past typical use of funds includes employing students, providing honoraria and incentives, hiring an instructor, promotional and project materials and distributing community micro grants.
  • View a summary of funded projects in 2024/25.
Teaching & Learning Resources
  • Creating positive classrooms, lecture halls, and research environments where students feel supported and connected helps to promote and enhance learning outcomes and equip them for success. Find tools for faculty to help support student wellbeing here: Wellbeing Teaching & Learning Resources. 
Advance community and planetary wellbeing through health equity

Provides up to $5,000 to support health equity projects that recognize and address any or all the social, economic, and environmental factors that influence wellbeing. A health equity approach aims to eliminate avoidable and unfair differences that hinder individuals and communities at UBC from reaching their fullest wellbeing potential. At UBC, the StEAR framework roadmap and the Indigenous Strategic Plan are key guiding resources as they lay out specific goals and actions in support of reducing health disparities experienced by HPSM groups at UBC. 

Examples of projects considered for funding (but not limited to)
  • Review, analyze and better understand health equity related information within your setting to inform planning. Review tools may include the Health Equity Impact Assessment (HEIA), Gender Based Analysis Plus (GBA+), or Indigenous Gender Based Analysis Plus (IGBA+). 
  • Pilot and evaluate new practices or programs. 
  • Develop a new resource (ideally shareable) or adapt existing resources for your context. 
  • Convene and/or capacity building.
  • Past typical use of funds includes employing students, providing honoraria and incentives, hiring an instructor, promotional and project materials and distributing community micro grants.
  • View a summary of funded projects in 2024/25.
Resources

 

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA 

  • Must be a current UBC faculty or staff to apply. Student-led projects not affiliated with a student society require a staff or faculty sponsor.
  • Initiatives must have a clear linkage to UBC's Wellbeing Strategic Framework in line with our commitment to the Okanagan Charter.
  • Funding may not be used retroactively, or exclusively for the purchase of equipment or for academic research that would be carried out in the normal course of work or study.
  • Recipient must agree to report back on project outcomes and how the funds were used.

  • Projects must take place and funds be used by March 31, 2026. Projects running until the end of semester can request an extension to the end of April.


SELECTION CRITERIA

Preference will be given to proposals that:


FUNDING DECISIONS

  • Project proposals will be reviewed for eligibility and alignment to priority areas by the Priority Area Committees and/or representatives from the Office of Wellbeing Strategy; VPHR Health Wellbeing & Benefits; VPS Health Promotion & Education; UBCO Student Wellness; UBCO Workplace Health and Wellbeing Human Resources and The Teaching and Wellbeing Community of Practice.

  • Decisions will be made approximately one month after applications close.


REPORTING

Funding must be used by March 31, 2026. Projects running until the end of semester can request an extension to the end of April. In April 2026, applicants who have received funding will be asked to complete a brief report about project outcomes within 30 days. 


QUESTIONS

If you are a department or unit with an idea that you feel is well suited to this fund, we are happy to chat with you about it, help make connections, and/or put you in touch with the appropriate committee chair/lead unit for that area. Please email your questions to sara.kozicky@ubc.ca.


APPLYING

Applications open on April 28, 2025, at the link below, and close on June 4th, 2025. View the full application here.

Apply here

 

Reports & Announcements

2024/25 Strategic Initiatives Fund Summary Report


Project Examples

Here are just a few UBC Wellbeing SIF projects from last year.

Intersectional Equity: Scaling Wellbeing Initiatives for IBPOC Students 

Project Lead: Department of Family Practice, Midwifery Program

This project adapted an existing framework from within UBC to guide and implement wellbeing initiatives that specifically support IBPOC students and other students.

Supporting Indigenous Student and Staff Wellness and Food Security through Community Gardening

Project Leads: Indigenous Programs and Services 

This project supported the planned construction of an Indigenous Student Community Garden at the Okanagan Campus and Indigenous student food security through growing food that can be used at several of IPS's community events and our outreach work.  

Creating an Inclusive Wellness Space for Diverse Students, Staff, and Faculty   

Project Lead: Department of Education and Counseling Psychology, School and Applied Child Psychology program 

1) Facilitating a “Wellness Space” for UBC students, staff, and faculty, which will be dedicated to culturally responsive resources and materials. 2) Reporting on the “Wellness Space” (and informing the design of a similar space) at The Inaugural Conference on Critical Social Justice in Psychology.


Other funding opportunities

Looking for other UBC funding opportunities for your project or initiative? Visit the links below from UBC’s centralized funding webpage.

 

We all have a hand in shaping campus environments that support health, wellbeing, and sustainability. By championing wellbeing, we can build stronger and more inclusive communities at UBC and beyond.