Role of the Mathematics Endowment Fund in the funding ecosystem
The Mathematics Endowment Fund (MEF) is an income-generating fund housed within the Faculty of Mathematics at the University of Waterloo. It exists to finance initiatives that are in the best interests of undergraduate mathematics students. MEF channels investment income back into the student community through structured grant programs that support both large-scale projects and individual professional development, complementing other university and student-union funding sources.
Types of funding offered
MEF operates two main funding streams. The Project Funding stream is the default and supports initiatives involving groups or operations that impact many students. Typical projects include student conferences and hackathons, engineering and design teams, student club activities, equipment purchases, learning resources, and improvements to student spaces within the Math and wider Waterloo community.
The Professional Development Funding stream supports individual undergraduate mathematics students seeking to advance their careers. Eligible costs can include publication fees, online training, conference registration, travel and accommodation, and similar activities that clearly benefit the student’s professional trajectory, subject to annual and per-term limits.
Governance and decision-making
MEF’s funding decisions are student-centred and transparent. An elected Funding Council of undergraduate representatives from different years and programs reviews project proposals each term and recommends allocations across the competing requests. The Executive Director coordinates the call for proposals, schedules presentations to Funding Council, and assesses professional development requests directly, taking into account available funds and eligibility.
After Funding Council sets recommended allocations for project grants, the Board of Directors formally approves them. This governance structure ensures oversight, accountability, and fair distribution of the fund’s income among diverse initiatives serving the undergraduate math community.
Application and reimbursement process
For project grants, applicants complete a standard project funding proposal form, outlining objectives, benefits for students, timelines and detailed budgets. Proposals are due by term-specific deadlines, and applicants normally present their plans to Funding Council. Because council and board meetings occur later in the term, MEF advises groups to apply at least one academic term before funds are needed.
Professional development applicants submit a dedicated proposal form and, if approved, may receive up to a stated cap per academic year, with one grant per term. Retroactive funding is generally not permitted. Once funding is approved, recipients follow clear reimbursement procedures, using expense claim forms, receipts and proof of payment, and in some cases working through WUSA clubs, university departments or team accounts.
Supported audiences and impact
MEF primarily serves undergraduate students in the Faculty of Mathematics but often funds interdisciplinary initiatives across the wider campus where math students benefit. The public “Projects Funded” record highlights support for orientation programs, student design teams, academic conferences, hackathons, club equipment, study resources and renovations to student spaces. Over its history, MEF has granted more than $4 million, significantly enhancing the educational, social and professional environment for Waterloo math undergraduates.
