The Ways and Means Fund is a fund of $245,564 divided equally into two sub-funds: the Emergencies Fund, and the Hardship Fund.
Any CUPE 3903 member who is (or has been) a dues-paying member during the current funding year or the five months preceding it (April 2025– August 2026) is eligible to apply to either or both sub-funds. All awards are subject to the Ways and Means Fund per-member, annual maximum of $1500.
Emergencies Fund
The Emergencies Fund assists members who demonstrate an acute financial need or hardship caused by a recent (within the previous 12 months) emergency or other significant adverse event.
Applicants must explain and document the emergency, expenses incurred as a result of it, and their inability to afford the expenses on their current (household) income. The Emergencies Fund provides grants to cover eligible emergency-related expenses on a reimbursement basis only. Applications must include supporting documentation to verify the financial information submitted, including receipts for all claimed expenses.
The Emergencies Fund has no set deadline; members can apply at any time. The Ways and Means Committee adjudicates applications for the Emergencies Fund at its twice-monthly meetings, awarding up to the yearly maximum of $1500 for approved applications.
Hardship Fund
The Hardship Fund assists members who demonstrate acute or ongoing financial need or hardship unrelated to emergency circumstances.
The Hardship Fund doesn’t reimburse members for specific, receipted expenses. To be eligible, members must demonstrate a general need for financial assistance based on their income and expenses, which they must report in the application. Applicants may strengthen their application by including supporting documentation to verify the financial information submitted, especially any significant expenses and debts, but this is not required.
The Ways and Means Committee will adjudicate Hardship Fund applications once per term/semester. The total amount available per term will be divided equally among approved applicants up to the maximum yearly limit of $1500. Applicants are limited to one Hardship Fund application per term.
| Adjudication Round | Application Deadline | Fund Disbursement Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Fall | November 30 | January 31 |
| Winter | March 31 | May 31 |
| Summer | July 31 | September 30 |
How to Apply
Submit your application to either fund using the online Jotform.
Applications to both funds require you to provide:
- A detailed explanation (approximately 1 page) of the financial hardship you are experiencing and any special circumstances contributing to it.
- A detailed budget, including all sources of personal and family income and expenses
- Proof of membership, i.e., a contract from the current funding year or the five months preceding it. (Proof of membership is optional, but submitting it may speed up processing of your application.)
- Supporting documentation (required only for Emergencies Fund applications) that verifies the budget you’ve submitted, especially any outstanding or significant expenses contributing to your financial need.
- Emergencies Fund applicants must include documentation of their emergency and receipts for all expenses claimed.
- Hardship Fund applicants may include documentation they feel will strengthen their applications.
How to Contact the Committee
If you have questions about a potential or existing application, email waysandmeans@cupe3903.org. Please allow up to 2 weeks for a response.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Click here for a webpage with answers to all of the most frequently asked questions about how the Ways and Means Fund works. We hope this FAQ is useful for you in applying to the fund!