About
In recognition of the importance of health and well-being in higher education, the McMaster Okanagan Office of Health & Well-being has developed the McMaster Okanagan Special Project Funding (MOSPF). The purpose of this fund is to encourage creative and impactful projects focused on health and well-being that benefit the McMaster community. All current McMaster staff, faculty and students are eligible to apply for up to $5,000 in funding per project.
Applications for the 2024 MOSPF are now closed. The results will be released in Spring 2024.
MOSPF in the News
Daily News ➚
Library’s new book club kits aim to spark conversations and foster acceptance
McMaster Okanagan Special Project Funding
January 11, 2024
Daily News ➚
Bounce at McMaster podcast celebrates the resiliency found through failure
McMaster Okanagan Special Project Funding
October 21, 2021
Daily News ➚
Music therapy improves student mental health, study shows
McMaster Okanagan Special Project Funding
April 17, 2023
Daily News ➚
Open Campus Day brings together McMaster Students and Older Adult Community Members
McMaster Okanagan Special Project Funding
October 18, 2023
Daily News ➚
Video series brings a professional chef home — virtually
McMaster Okanagan Special Project Funding
October 20, 2020
Daily News ➚
The passing of the coat: Science student launches project to reuse lab coats
McMaster Okanagan Special Project Funding
March 13, 2024
January 22, 2021
MOSPF 2023
In 2023, the McMaster Okanagan Office of Health & Well-being launched the fourth annual McMaster Okanagan Special Project Funding (MOSPF) competition. Students, staff and faculty were invited to apply for up to $5,000 in funding to launch their health and well-being project ideas. A total of 11 projects were selected and are currently underway.
Learn more about each of this year’s ongoing projects below.
MOSPF 2023 Projects
Collective Care
Collective Care is a program operated by the MSU Student Health Education Centre (SHEC) and the MSU Women & Gender Equity Network (WGEN) that distributes digital gift cards to help students buy the resources they need, no questions asked. These resources include gender-affirming items, parenting and pregnancy items, safe(r) sex and menstrual items, personal care items and much more! Recognizing that the spectrum of student needs is ever-evolving, the program is dynamic, adaptable, and responsive to diverse individuals.
While the MSU services continue to play a pivotal role in student support, Collective Care bridges the gap for those whose needs may not be fully met by existing resources offered in our in-person spaces. It acknowledges that each student’s experience is unique, and barriers to well-being can manifest in various ways.
Celebrating the Diversity of the McMaster Community
We’re Here! Celebrating the Diversity of the McMaster Community is a photo and image-based public art installation that aims to render visible the diversity of the McMaster community. The images are meant to increase a sense of belonging amongst marginalized students, faculty, and staff and serve as an outstanding welcome for racialized, queer, trans, disabled, Deaf, Mad, migrant, or otherwise traditionally marginalized individuals when they step on our campus.
Working with two artists from McMaster’s School of the Arts (SOTA) Artist in Residence program for 2023, four iArts undergraduate students will develop a series of images championing the contributions of McMaster’s diverse student and employee populations that will be displayed throughout campus.
Engineering Inclusivity by Design Workshop
At the core of this workshop lies an inspiring Design Challenge that will help you design and create better solutions for people by learning and embracing equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (EDIA) to shape the future of design and innovation.
The mission is to cultivate a culture that values inclusivity and well-being within the engineering community. Through the Design Challenge, you will be co-designers in an interactive workshop at the start of the school year. This workshop will not only create awareness of the value of your unique identities but also showcase the benefits of diversity in applying equity-driven approaches, such as design thinking, to engineering work.
This Design Challenge isn’t just an event; it’s a catalyst for your growth as a creative leader who values equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. We’re excited to witness your journey toward becoming a transformative force!
Moccasin Making Workshop
The “Indigenous Moccasin Making Workshop” project is dedicated to enhancing the spiritual and emotional well-being of self-identified Indigenous students at McMaster University. By collaborating with the Indigenous Health Learning Lodge (IHLL) and Indigenous Student Services (ISS), the project aspires to create a nurturing environment that fosters cultural engagement and community-building. The core objective is to offer participants an immersive experience, guided by a local Indigenous facilitator, in crafting their own moccasins over a comprehensive full-day workshop. This endeavor not only emphasizes cultural preservation but also includes the provision of nourishing meals, recognizing the interplay between spiritual and physical well-being.
In essence, the “Indigenous Moccasin Making Workshop” project is a platform for Indigenous students to connect with their heritage, enrich their well-being, and forge bonds within their community. By intertwining cultural practices with a holistic approach to health, the project echoes the importance of self-care in a supportive environment. Through collaboration, craftsmanship, and cultural exploration, the project’s vision is to empower students with a deeper sense of identity and belonging.
International Food & Grocery Tour
International Student Services within the Student Success Centre is partnering with the Student Wellness Centre to host monthly international grocery trips in Hamilton for international (undergraduate and graduate), exchange and refugee students. A private bus will be chartered monthly to take students to grocery stores that may be harder to get to by public transport or that they may not be familiar with.
Through these free trips, students will get to know the Hamilton community and its diverse grocery options. Additionally, this project aims to promote intercultural learning wherein students learn about cultural foods while maintaining a sense of connection to their culture through gaining access to familiar foods and ingredients.
Participants will receive free food tastings, as well as tips on how to maintain a healthy diet while grocery shopping on a budget.
Some of the grocery stores we have visited include:
Fall 2023 Dates
- October 21 – Latin Food & Products ; Hamilton Farmer’s Market; Nations Fresh Food
- November 18 – AfroCan Supermarket; Swadesh Supermarket
- December 16 – Bombay Spices; Eastern Food Market
Winter 2024 Dates
- January 20 – AfroCan Supermarket; Swadesh Supermarket
- February 17 – Rama Tropical Foods
- March 23 – Samir’s (Halal butcher) & Punjab International
- April 20th – The Chaeum Market
Opening Campus to Our Community
Join the McMaster Institute for Research on Aging and the Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging, along with partners from across the main campus, for an “Older Adult Open Campus Day”. We will be welcoming older adult community members to campus to explore and experience different services and opportunities available at McMaster University. The day will be supported by undergraduate student volunteers and campus partners. The event will be happening in September 2023. If your office or lab is interested in hosting guests, we welcome support and participation from interested campus partners. Contact Allison Dube at warda2@mcmaster.ca for more information.
ReCoat
Ever wonder what happens to McMaster lab coats when that final lab course ends? We did too.
Powered by McMaster Okanagan, ReCoat partners with the McMaster community to keep lab coats in the lab and not the landfill. Instead of tossing used lab coats in the garbage or the back of a closet, ReCoat promotes awareness by collecting lightly used lab coats and redistributes them to students.
By disrupting the Make-Take-Waste linear journey of a McMaster lab coat, ReCoat is reimagining reusability. By encouraging students to participate in the circular economy on campus: we improve economic equity by offering free recirculated lab coats, improve safety by sanitizing lab coats, and support campus carbon reduction goals by eliminating used lab coat waste. The success of ReCoat reflects our shared commitment to sustainability by committing to share resources within our community. Helping each other and helping the environment, our journey to ensure a better future includes returning a lab coat for reuse or choosing a ReCoat lab coat instead of buying new.
If you would like to get involved in our circular economy initiative, fill out the form!
Questions? Reach out at recoat@mcmaster.ca
Waterloo Regional Campus Staff Lounge
The E3 Lounge was created to give staff and faculty at the Waterloo Regional Campus a shared space to promote collaboration and team building. This space has been created with the support of the Regional Assistant Dean Dr. Margo Mountjoy and the Regional Campus Manager, Tami Everding. When the staff were returning to the office after the pandemic, we assigned them offices to help with social distancing and to ensure privacy during their virtual meetings. The E3 Lounge gives them a space to come out of the office, relax, collaborate, eat their lunch, and get away from their computers. The funds from the Okanagan Office of Health and Well-being will be instrumental in promoting the wellness of our faculty and staff at the Waterloo Regional Campus, establishing a comprehensive and sustainable program focused on providing nourishing snacks and drinks to enhance the health and well-being of our campus community.
World Restart a Heart CPR-A-Thon
The “World Restart a Heart CPR-A-Thon” project aims to equip members of the McMaster University community with essential CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) skills, coinciding with the global “World Restart a Heart Day” in October. With support from the Okanagan Special Project Funding, the initiative seeks to establish McMaster’s active involvement in this international event. Through a multi-faceted approach, the project strives to enhance CPR training accessibility and awareness within the student body. This involves hosting widespread training sessions in high-traffic areas and partnering with varsity sports teams to cater to specific needs. By prioritizing practical knowledge over certification, participants gain confidence in intervening during emergencies. Moreover, the project endeavors to foster a deeper understanding of cardiac arrest research by collaborating with experts in the field. Insights and findings will be shared through various mediums, contributing to a more informed and prepared McMaster community.
The “World Restart a Heart CPR-A-Thon” project endeavors to provide McMaster University’s community with essential CPR skills through comprehensive training initiatives aligned with “World Restart a Heart Day.” With a focus on practical training and collaboration with experts, the project aims to empower individuals to respond effectively to cardiac emergencies while raising awareness about the importance of CPR and AED usage.
WRaP Toolkit
The Well-being of Residents and Partners (WRaP) in Medicine Toolkit and Workshop is an initiative aimed at addressing the burnout crisis faced by postgraduate medical trainees (residents & fellows) and their partners. Despite the professional growth and fulfillment that medical training offers, it can have a negative impact on trainees’ well-being, mental health, and personal relationships. The WRaP project seeks to better address the challenges facing this population and promote flourishing by enhancing and protecting trainees’ social support and personal relationships, which are novel and under-explored targets for intervention.
The WRaP project involves co-designing a practical toolkit and workshop with residents, fellows, partners, educators, leaders, and relationship experts. Insights will be used from emerging quantitative and qualitative research conducted at McMaster University, including in-depth interviews. The WRaP workshop will engage medical learners, educators, practicing physicians, and other healthcare professionals to raise awareness about medical training’s impact on trainees, staff, partners, and patients. Through these initiatives, the WRaP project aspires to promote and provoke change at the individual, couple, and educational levels, as well as the broader healthcare system’s practices, policies, and culture.
Choose to Reuse
Choose to Reuse – ReusePass – is a new reusable to-go container program open to active students, staff, and faculty and available at Centro@Commons. In three easy steps, you can help McMaster University achieve its sustainability goals while also taking steps to protect the environment.
- Order your to go order in a “green container” and check out at cash with your ReusePass.
- Return your empty container to the Commons “Choose to Reuse” bin where it will be washed and sanitised.
- Save $1.25 and reduce waste by selecting to dine-in or “Choose to Reuse” each time you eat at Centro.
Past Projects
In 2020, the McMaster Okanagan Office of Health & Well-being launched the first annual McMaster Okanagan Special Project Funding competition. Explore all MOSPF projects from 2020-2022 below.
Information Box Group
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Below is a list of FAQ about the application process and general requirements for the McMaster Okanagan Special Project Funding. If you have further questions, please email us at okanagan@mcmaster.ca.
Expandable List
The Okanagan Charter resulted from the 2015 International Conference on Health Promoting Universities and Colleges in Kelowna, British Columbia. The Charter was crafted by representatives from education and health institutions from 45 countries and the World Health Organization.
The purpose of the conference was to create a plan for how to improve global health and well-being. This led to the understanding that in order to improve the world, we should start with postsecondary institutions. This led to the creation of the Okanagan Charter and its calls-to-action.
The Okanagan Charter calls-to-action include:
- Embed health into all aspects of campus culture, across the administration, operations, and academic mandates.
- 1. Embed health in all campus policies.
- 2. Create supportive campus environments.
- 3. Generate thriving communities and a culture of well-being.
- 4. Support personal development.
- 5. Create or re-orient campus services.
- Lead health promotion action and collaboration locally and globally.
- 1. Integrate health, well-being and sustainability in multiple disciplines to develop change agents.
- 2. Advance research, teaching and training for health promotion knowledge and action.
- 3. Lead and partner towards local and global action for health
In 2017, McMaster University signed the Okanagan Charter. Inspired by the Okanagan Charter, the McMaster Okanagan Office of Health & Well-being is dedicated to enhancing health and well-being at McMaster University.
To view the Okanagan Charter, please click here.
In recognition to the importance of health and well-being in higher education, the McMaster Okanagan Office of Health & Well-being has developed the McMaster Okanagan Special Project Funding. The purpose of this fund is to encourage creative and impactful projects focused on health and well-being that benefit McMaster students, staff, and faculty.
The Project Management Institute (PMI) defines a project as temporary efforts to create value through unique products, services, and processes.
The McMaster Okanagan Office of Health & Well-being encourages creative and out-of-the box thinking when it comes to new health and well-being initiatives. We welcome all ideas, however all projects must be:
- Intended for members of the McMaster community as the target audience (may also benefit others in addition to the McMaster community)
- Managed by a current McMaster student, staff or faculty member
Also, projects cannot be:
- Part of a research study
If you have questions about the eligibility of your project, please email us at okanagan@mcmaster.ca to discuss your project idea further.
Applicants are responsible for all areas of development and operation of the project. The McMaster Okanagan Office of Health & Well-being will provide guidance when required, however the day-to-day function of the project is the responsibility of the applicant(s).
Each project must have at least one active student, staff or faculty member to act as the contact person throughout the life of the project. Graduating students may be part of the application process but the contact person must be a currently enrolled student (full or part-time).
The McMaster Okanagan Office of Health & Well-being encourages creative and impactful ideas. Below are a few examples of projects that may be funded:
- Provide more benches, picnic tables, or yellow benches on campus
- Create a meditation room on campus
- Provide yoga classes in downtown Hamilton
- Hire a student to help develop a new well-being initiative
If you are considering hosting a conference or talk, we encourage you to reach out to one of the many McMaster experts available before bringing in a speaker outside of McMaster.
To explore MOSPF projects from previous years, please visit the “Past Projects” tab in the menu above.
The McMaster Okanagan Office of Health & Well-being believes that all areas of our daily lives influence our health and well-being. For that reason, we have adopted the use of The Eight Dimensions of Well-being for the classification of our health and well-being programs, services, and educational opportunities.
The eight dimensions include physical, emotional, spiritual, social, intellectual, financial, environmental and occupational.
In your application, you will be required to choose up to 3 dimensions that you would like your project to be reviewed under.
We want to ensure that the selected projects are representative of the vast array of well-being. Therefore, applications must indicate what dimensions it would like to be assessed under. Each project can choose up to 3 dimensions.
All current McMaster students, staff, and faculty members are eligible to apply. Applications can be submitted by groups or individuals.
Note: If you are a student graduating or an employee leaving the year of your project application, you must have a plan for who will take over the project in your absence. Please include this information in your application.
The application form is hosted on Microsoft Forms. Applications will only be accepted online through the official MS form.
Links to the MS form will be provided when applications are opened. Please check-in regularly at our website and social media for updates.
Applications must be submitted through Microsoft Forms.
Funding is available up to $5,000 per project. Projects must submit a detailed budget request along with the application outlining how the funds will be used.
Please download the project budget template that will be used as part of the evaluation criteria for projects.
Expenses that will not be approved for the McMaster Okanagan Special Project Funding include, but are not limited to:
- Staff or faculty salaries
- Primary research costs
- Small equipment purchases that are not ergonomically safe or effective
- Office renovations, office furniture, or artwork
- The purchase of stereo or electronic equipment for entertainment purposes
- Individual monetary reimbursements for gym memberships/fitness classes/ assessments
- Charitable donations
- Alcohol or illicit substances
- Any expenses not directly related to the project
If you are unsure if your expense will be covered, please email us at okanagan@mcmaster.ca.
There is no limit to the number of applications an individual or group is allowed to submit. However, each project must have its own application.
Yes, every applicant can re-apply the following year when the application re-opens. Applicants can re-apply with the same project but the McMaster Okanagan Office of Health & Well-being recommends applying with a new project.
Funds will be transferred to a project-specific account via Mosaic.
All projects will be required to submit an end-of-project report and financial report. Applicants will be given a three-month time period to submit their final project report after their project ends.
Projects might be requested to present their achievements at an internal conference.
Application Opens: January 2024
Application Closes: February 29, 2024 at 11:59 PM (now closed)
Evaluation Period: March 2024
Results Released: Spring 2024
Once approved, the projects from the McMaster Okanagan Special Project Funding will have 12 months to develop their activities. If necessary, extensions can be negotiated on a case-by-case basis.
For any additional questions related to the McMaster Okanagan Special Project Funding, please email okanagan@mcmaster.ca.
MOSPF Testimonials
Interested in applying? View the videos below for testimonials from previous McMaster Okanagan Special Project Funding recipients.