The Faculty of Architecture, at The University of Manitoba, invites submissions for the annual disbursement from the Faculty of Architecture Endowment Fund.  The amount available for disbursement will be announced as soon as possible.

Interest revenue generated from the Fund will be allocated to projects providing academic enrichment, or advancing the academic and research goals of the Faculty of Architecture as represented by: Architecture, City Planning, Environmental Design, Interior Design, and Landscape Architecture. Applications are invited from constituencies related to the Faculty, normally to include staff, students, alumni and “friends of the Faculty”.

In the past grants have gone to support conferences, speakers, and other special events, the acquisition of library material and special equipment, as well as to encourage research and creative work.  A copy of last year’s Endowment Fund awards listing is available from the Dean’s Office (contact below).

Faculty Endowment Funds were established at the University to allow donors to contribute to the pursuit of excellence in areas of greatest interest to them. Each Fund is administered by a committee consisting of students, academics, support staff, alumni and other “friends of the faculty”.  The Committee meets each year to determine the most effective way of spending the interest from gifts received.

For more information please contact:
Philippa Alexiuk
Office of the Dean
201 Russell Building
t 204-474-6433  f 204.474.7532
Philippa.Alexiuk@ad.umanitoba.ca

 
Grant Applications should be submitted to:
Faculty of Architecture Endowment Fund Committee
c/o  Dean’s Office
Faculty of Architecture
201 Russell Building
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg MB  R3T 2N2
Canada

The deadline for submissions is Monday, March 1, 2013.  Late or incomplete submissions will not be accepted. Only hard copies of applications will be accepted. It is the applicant’s responsibility to submit a complete application package.  The Endowment Fund Committee will not accept any application materials by electronic transmission (ie. fax or e-mail).

The 2013 Grant Application package must include:

1. One copy of the Faculty of Architecture Endowment Fund 2013 Grant Application, typed, and signed.
   Applicants should exercise care in writing (7) “Detailed Description of Project” because it is crucial in the application review process.  A clear, concise summary description of the project must be limited to the space provided on the application form. However, 1 (one) additional 8 1/2” x 11” page of supporting material will be accepted (i.e. photograph, letter of support, etc.)


2. The Application Acknowledgement Card is attached to the Grant Application form.  Please be sure the card is completed before including it with the application package.


3. For 2012 grant recipients, please include a status report on funded project or activity.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Preamble
The “Faculty of Architecture Endowment Fund” is a fund to be used exclusively by the Faculty of Architecture, as described in the general policy statement adopted by the Board of Governors of the University of Manitoba, June 1986.  The fund shall be administered according to the guidelines set out in the June 1986 statement (attached)

Mission Statement
The Fund shall be used to provide academic enrichment, and to advance the academic and research goals of the Faculty of Architecture as represented by:  Architecture, Interior Design, Environmental Design, City Planning, and Landscape Architecture.

Fund Proponents
Proposals shall be invited from constituencies related to the Faculty, normally to include: alumni, staff, students, and “Friends of the Faculty”.

Administration of Funds
The Fund shall be administered by a Committee, whose principal role is to manage the process of disbursement of funds and fundraising.

Endowment Fund Committee Membership

Appointments to the Committee shall be as follows:

1. 1 appointed representative from each of the five departments in the Faculty of Architecture (Interior Design, Environmental Design, Architecture, City Planning , Landscape Architecture).


2. 1 appointed representative from each of the professional associations: MAA, PIDIM, MALA, MPPI.


3. 1 appointed representative from each of the student associations:  SAS, UMAAS, UMAPS, LASA, IDAS.


4. 1 appointed representative from the Department of Private Funding (non-voting).


5. the Dean (or designate) of the Faculty of Architecture (ex-officio and non-voting).


6. the Director (or designate) of the Partners Program of the Faculty of Architecture (ex-officio and non-voting).


7. a minimum of five and a maximum of ten non-faculty persons - “Friends of the Faculty” (subject to review before action).

Committee Appointment Terms shall be as follows:

1. Appointments of non-student members to the Committee shall be for a two-year term, with possible reappointment for additional two-year terms.


2. Appointments of student members to the  Committee shall be for a one-year term with possible reappointment for additional one-year terms.


3. A chairperson shall be elected by the committee from its membership, for a two-year term and may be eligible for reappointment for additional two-year terms.


4. “Friends of the Faculty” shall be appointed by the  Committee upon the recommendations of the Dean, the Partners Program Director, the Department of Private Funding, or the membership, and shall be for a two-year term, with possible reappointment for additional two-year terms.

Duties of the Endowment Fund Committee shall be:

1. Meet a minimum of twice per year.  One meeting (prior to March 31) will review policy and provide the committee with information pertaining to the Fund.  The second meeting shall be for the purpose of decision-making with regards to the fund.


2. Establish, at its discretion, sub-committees as required.


3. Develop and maintain procedures for soliciting  properly documented proposals for projects and activities to be funded.


4. Develop criteria for  judging relative merit of applications.


5. Issue an annual invitation for proposals for projects and activities to be funded.


6. Receive and review all proposals submitted.


7. Submit a list of selected proposals to the Dean of the Faculty of Architecture.


8. Prepare a letter of agreement, with terms specific to each proposal funded, to be signed     by the chairperson of the Advisory Committee and the recipient.  In this agreement, the recipient of funding  shall be responsible for reporting (prior to year end - March 31) on the outcome of their project or activity.         


9. Provide each proposer with a written record of the Committee’s selected proposals.


10. Prepare and distribute an annual report to include such information as the descriptions of projects approved for funding and the amount of funding for each project.  The report will also include an explanation of the Committee’s priorities with regards to distribution of Endowment Fund interest revenue.

Proposal Assessment (Selection Process and Criteria)
All eligible applications will be considered at a meeting of the Fund’s Committee.  In selecting the proposals, the Committee will refer to the following guidelines.  These guidelines function as broad indicators of the committee’s interests and are not equally weighted.

1. Do the proponents have the capability to carry out the proposal?
2. To what extent does the proposal involve and influence students?
3. To what extent does the proposal benefit a larger, rather than smaller, number of constituent members?      
4. How does the proposal enhance  the Faculty’s positive presence in the community?
5. Have alternate sources of funding been explored?
6. Does the proposal offer unique, inventive and creative stimulation for the Faculty?
7. To what extent will the proponents be able to lever additional financial support from other sources?
8. Does the proposal provide something of lasting value for the Faculty?      

It shall be the prerogative of the Advisory Committee to recommend support of part or all of a proposal.  In some cases, the Committee may recommend that work additional to that outlined in a proposal be carried out.  In all cases, the Committee will carefully evaluate the relationship between the activity proposed and the budget established by the applicant to complete the activity.  Where it is felt that the grant requested is not supported by the activity proposed, an award of lesser value may be recommended.  Provided program conditions are fully met, jointly funded projects may be considered. Negotiation with the applicant to improve some aspect of the proposal or adjust its funding can be done only by the Chair of the Fund, at the request of the Advisory Committee. 

Guidelines for Disbursement of Funds
A Letter of Agreement (LOA) co-signed by the Chair of the Endowment Fund and the successful recipient will formalize the funding commitment.  The LOA will outline the specific purpose for which the funds may be used, unless otherwise stipulated in the LOA.  The following criteria must be observed by all Fund recipients:

1. The Dean of Architecture is authorized to release funds in accordance with the Letters of Agreement.


2. Unless otherwise stated in the Letter of Agreement, funds committed to cover capital expenditures (equipment, supplies, etc.) will be disbursed upon submission of receipts; and funds committed to cover operating expenditures (salaries, consulting services, etc.) will be disbursed upon submission of invoices for services rendered.


3. Where final receipts and invoices exceed the amount committed, funds will be disbursed only to the committed amount; where final receipts and invoices comprise less than the committed amount, the receipts and invoices will be paid in full and the remaining funds will revert back to the Fund’s Capital Revenue account.


4. Where funds have been committed to cover specific capital and operating costs within the same project, over-expenditures in either category not exceeding 10% will be accepted provided the total project costs do not exceed the committed amount.


5. Other than the exception stated in point 4, any discrepancies between the request for funding and the Letter of Agreement will be referred for approval to the Endowment Fund Committee by the Dean.  Should funds be requested for purposes differing substantially from the purpose for which the funds were committed, the Endowment Fund Committee may decline payment. 


6. Unless otherwise stated in the Letter of Agreement, final receipts and invoices must be submitted to the Dean of Architecture prior to the first anniversary of the signing of the Letter of Agreement.


7. Under extraordinary circumstances, extensions to the one-year deadline indicated in point 6 may be granted by the Endowment Fund Committee.  A request for extension must be submitted in writing to the Dean of Architecture not less than 60 days prior to the anniversary of the signing of the Letter of Agreement.  The Endowment Fund Committee’s decision will be rendered at least 30 days from notification of the request for extension.


8. Funds  undisbursed at the anniversary date of the signing of the Letter of Agreement will revert back to the Fund’s Capital Revenue account.  This also applies if a request for extension is not approved by the Endowment Fund Committee.


9. The final request for payment must be accompanied by a report acknowledging that the funds were used in accordance with the Letter of Agreement and outlining the benefits that were realized as a result of the funding assistance.

Meetings of the Endowment Fund Committee

1. Meetings of the Committee shall be held at the call of the Dean, the Committee chairperson, or by the Dean upon the written request signed by any five members of the Committee.


2. In the absence of a waiver from all members of the Committee, meetings may be called upon the giving of seven days notice in writing setting out the date, time and place for the meeting.


3. Where practicable, an agenda should be sent with the notice calling a meeting.


4. A quorum shall consist of seven members.


5. The Dean’s Office shall provide administrative assistance to the Fund which may include:  the coordination of and attendance at meetings; preparation, packaging and distribution of meeting materials; committee liaison; preparation of financial reports; recording of all Committee activities; consultation with the Chair; plus, other responsibilities as prescribed by the committee.


6. The Dean’s Office will finance all expenses necessary to support the day to day operation of the Fund’s Advisory Committee (pending approval of the projected budget and scope of activities, by the Director).

ENDOWMENT FUNDS IN RESPECT OF FACULTIES AND SCHOOLS OF THE UNIVERSITY

Preamble
Donations from staff members, students or other benefactors to the University for general or unspecified purposes may be directed by the donor to the University’s general endowment fund or to a Faculty or School endowment fund.  The former fund is used for University-wide academic enrichment purposes such as funding entrance scholarships, while the latter are used for academic enirchment puposes within a particular Faculty or School.

Guidelines for Administration

>
1. A Faculty or School Endowment Fund (the “Fund”) shall be a University Trust established for the purpose of the general academic enrichment of a particular Faculty or School of the University.


2. (a) There shall be no encroachment of the capital of a Fund but investment income earned therefrom may be used, subject to Section 2(b) herein, for such specific purposes as will enhance the academic programs of the Faculty or School; for example, for scholarships, fellowships, lectureships, visiting professorships, and acquisition of equipment and library materials related to research and teaching.
   
   (b ) A portion of the investment income earned annually by a Fund normally shall be added to the capital of the fund in accordance with guidelines and policies established from time to time by the Board of Governors of the University, in order to maintain the value of the  Fund.
   
   (c) Investment income of a Fund available for distribution need not be disbursed in the year in which it is earned.


3. Scholarships and fellowships supported by a Fund shall be administered in accordance with the policies and guidelines of the Board of Governors of the University.


4. (a) A Faculty or School in respect of which an Endowment Fund has been established shall appoint an Endowment Fund Advisory  Committee.
   
   (b) Disbursement of the investment income of a Fund shall be effected by the Comptroller of the University on the recommendation of the Dean or Director of the Faculty or School in consultation with the Faculty or School Endowment Advisory Committee.
   
   (c) Notwithstanding any provision herein, the disbursement of investment income from a Fund, and the investment of the capital of the Fund, shall be subject always to the policies, bylaws, guidelines and practices established from time to time by the Board of Governors of the University.

June 1986   
Rev. April 1/05 & April 20/2011