Faculty awards and funding
Our faculty make outstanding contributions to teaching, research and community outreach throughout their careers. We honour their work and commitment with a wide range of initiatives.
The following awards are administrated by the Office of the Provost (Academic).

Merit awards
Merit awards are available in these categories:
- Teaching — up to eight awards
- Research, scholarly work and other creative activities — up to eight awards
- Service — up to six awards
- Any combination of teaching, research, scholarly work and other creative activities, and service — up to eight awards
- Promoting Indigenous achievement — up to three awards
- Application Form
- Application Deadline: Monday, March 27, 2023
Teaching awards
The University of Manitoba rewards excellence in teaching through a number of awards and programs.
Dr. and Mrs. H. H. Saunderson Award for Excellence in Teaching
This award recognizes an outstanding University of Manitoba educator who has demonstrated continuing teaching excellence and who made contributions to advancing teaching and learning at both UM and the national or international level.
The award consists of a plaque and a monetary award of $10,000, presented annually at May convocation. The recipient also delivers a presentation within the University of Manitoba New Faculty Orientation and/or the Teaching and Learning Certificate program.
Application deadlines:
Executive summary - March 3, 2023
Full Nomination - April 7, 2023
Olive Beatrice Stanton Award for Excellence in Teaching
This award recognizes an outstanding University of Manitoba educator who has demonstrated continuing teaching excellence and who has made contributions to advancing teaching and learning at UM.
The award consists of a plaque and a monetary award of $5,000, presented annually at May convocation. The recipient also delivers a presentation within the University of Manitoba New Faculty Orientation and/or the Teaching and Learning Certificate program.
Application deadlines:
Executive summary - March 3, 2023
Full Nomination - April 7, 2023
Students' Teacher Recognition Reception
The Students’ Teacher Recognition Reception (STRR) is an opportunity to celebrate teaching excellence.
Recognizing that academic growth and development occurs over many years, each faculty nominates an outstanding graduating student, who then selects two teachers who have made important contributions to their education – one from Kindergarten to Grade 12 years and one from their years at the University of Manitoba.
Community Engagement Awards and Fund
Each year, the University of Manitoba honours both support and academic staff who have been active in community engagement activities.
Annual Community Engagement Award
Each year, the University of Manitoba honours both support and academic staff who have been active in community engagement activities, particularly during the previous year, through presentation of sterling silver pins bearing the outreach logo. An annual reception is held in late fall to recognize the winners.
Nomination process
Suggestions for nominations are to be sent to the appropriate dean or director, or the appropriate Vice-President (Administration, External or Research) for consideration.
Community engagement is defined as activities above and beyond what an individual does as an employee of the university. The committee identifies the general purpose of community engagement as enlarging and enriching the contacts between the university and all segments of the community by such means as:
- increasing access to the existing programs of the University
- extending the nature and range of the programs and services it offers
- sharing more effectively with the community the resources of the University
- drawing on the talent, experience and resources within the community
Deans, directors and vice-presidents will consider all suggested individuals from their unit in consultation with a suitable number of colleagues. While there are no restrictions with respect to nominating a previous recipient again, the case for doing so should be based on outreach activities undertaken since the previous award.
Heads of larger units can nominate more than one person, although this should normally be done only for exceptional reasons. It is not anticipated that every unit will nominate each year.
Deans, directors, and vice-presidents are to send their nomination(s), using the nomination form, to the Chair of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Outreach, Dr. Tracey Peter.
Application deadline: Mar. 6, 2023
Please ensure you download a local copy of the application form using a PDF reader to complete and save the form for submission.
For more information, please contact Jill Christie, Assistant to the Vice-Provost (Academic Affairs).
Campbell Outreach Award
To mark the end of the term of Dr. Ralph Campbell as president of the University of Manitoba, his colleagues and friends established a trust fund to support the Dr. and Mrs. Ralph Campbell Outreach Award for meritorious service in outreach activities.
Presentation
The Campbell Award is normally presented each fall to a staff member of the University of Manitoba. The value of the award will be determined from time to time by the Board of Governors. In each of the past years the award has been $1,000.
If, in the judgment of the committee of selection there are two candidates of equal merit, the committee may recommend that the Campbell Award be divided between the two candidates.
No recipient of a Campbell Award is eligible to receive it a second time until the tenth year after the first receipt of the award.
Selection committee
The Presidential Advisory Committee on University Outreach will continue to act as the selection committee for the Campbell Award and to advise the president of the most appropriate recipients for this year. The committee will bear in mind the diversity of faculties, schools and administrative units within the University and will attempt to give due recognition to all areas over a period of time.
Nominations
The nomination form must be accompanied by three letters of support, including at least one letter from outside the University of Manitoba.
Application deadline: Mar. 3, 2023
Please ensure you download a local copy of the application form using a PDF reader to complete and save the form for submission.
For more information, please contact Jill Christie, Assistant to the Vice-Provost (Academic Affairs).
Community Engagement Fund
The Community Engagement Fund provides support for activities that engage the university, its people and programs, with external constituencies that enhance the public good.
The purpose of the fund is to enlarge and enrich the contacts between the University of Manitoba and all segments of the community, particularly through sharing more effectively its resources through such means as:
- Increasing access to the existing programs of the university
- Extending the nature and range of the programs and services it offers
- Sharing more effectively with the community the resources of the university
- Drawing on the talent, experience and resources within the community
Community Engagement Fund guidelines (PDF)
Community Engagement Fund application form (PDF)
Please ensure you download a local copy of the application form using a PDF reader to complete and save the form for submission.
Faculty Development Initiatives Fund
The FDI Fund supports initiatives at the faculty/school or department level that enhance faculty development. The fund provides financial support for projects focusing on unit development such as department or faculty retreats, strategic planning, priority setting activities and capacity building.
Competition deadlines
Current deadline: January 27, 2023
Normally there are three calls per year. The normal deadlines are:
- July 1
- November 1
- February 15
Application guidelines
Purpose
The purpose of the Faculty Development Initiatives (FDI) Fund is to support initiatives at the faculty/school or department level that enhance faculty development. Generally, initiatives should focus on the development of academic staff members, rather than non-academic staff or students.
Eligibility
Applications to the FDI Fund should be submitted by a unit head (e.g., dean/director, department head, coordinator, program director). Where an application is submitted by someone other than the dean or director, there should be some indication of support for the initiative, including financial support, from the dean or director.
Type, nature and extent of support
The fund provides financial support for projects focusing on unit development such as department or faculty retreats, strategic planning, priority setting activities and capacity building.
Some Calls for Proposals may address specific issues relevant to the university as a whole. Initiatives should involve all faculty members or a group of faculty members with particular needs. The exact nature of potential projects has purposely been left open in order to encourage creativity and to allow units to determine how best to support faculty development.
This fund is not for the enhancement of teaching and learning, for purchasing equipment, or to fund activities that benefit individual faculty members only.
As a general rule, the FDI Fund will not support the full costs of an initiative. It is expected that applicants will seek funding from sources internal to their unit. These sources of funding should be fully documented in the application.
The maximum FDI award is $5,000, although most awards are in the range of $2,000 - $4,000.
Normally, funds are to be expended within the fiscal year in which the award is granted.
Evaluation process
Applications for funding are reviewed by the Vice-Provost (Academic Affairs) and assessed on the basis of the degree to which the proposed initiative is in accordance with the purpose of the FDI Fund.
Specific evaluation criteria include:
1) the quality of the proposal, with a focus on the quality of the initiative being proposed
2) the proposed budget
3) the anticipated outcomes and potential impact of the initiative on the faculty members within the unit
How to apply
Please read the FDI Guidelines and current Call for Proposals.
Complete the application here:
Incomplete applications will not be considered