Social Impact Lab

About the lab

The Social Impact Lab (SIL) is a learning platform for students to expand their knowledge beyond the classroom and build community. Students work with each other, local community partners, and faculty to develop ideas and solutions through actionable projects that tackle social and environmental issues using a systems thinking and collective impact approach.

At the Social Impact Lab, students address social and environmental challenges by moving from early stages of awareness to real-time action. By joining the program, you will:

Apply your classroom learning to the real world
Put your values into practice
Develop new career skills
Network with other passionate students and community organizations
Launch new ideas and solutions to address critical social and environmental challenges on a local and global scale

Climate Justice: Activating Solidarity Economies lab series

Social and solidarity economies (SSE) advocate for solidarity, sharing, and caring within communities. This means prioritizing communities over profit and building collective care for one another through people-driven strategies.

This series is composed of 3 sessions focused on supporting community-based initiatives addressing climate justice. Students learn from community organizers and collaborate with each other to develop innovative solutions, bringing their ideas to action through an opportunity to receive up to $1,000 in grant funding.

Date and time	Session topic
Thursday, Nov 4 5:00 - 7:00 pm	Human Library Learn about community barriers from local organizers.
Thursday, Nov 18 5:00 - 7:00 pm	Strategize for Action Build an achievable climate justice project with a team.
Thursday, Dec 2 5:00 - 7:00 pm	Pitch Party Pitch your project idea for an opportunity to receive up to $1,000. Register by Mon, Nov 29 at 5:00 pm.

You are strongly encouraged but not required to attend all three sessions. To register, sign up for each session above with the links provided, or register for all three sessions.

About the Pitch Party

The Social Impact Lab Pitch Party allows UBC students and their community partners to create, implement, and pitch a meaningful project for grant funding of up to $1,000.

Applicants can request funds between $200 and $1,000 for their proposed project, which must be completed within 6 months of the funds being awarded.

Eligibility requirements

To receive grant funding, your project must accomplish one of the following:

Address a challenge or issue experienced by an existing community organization or the community sector
Build student engagement and/or resources to support the Social and Solidarity Economy sector, particularly to strengthen work in climate action or climate justice
Start a student-led co-operative, network, campaign or other form of social entrepreneurship

Funds can be used towards the cost of materials, printing costs, space rentals, snacks, and other relevant project needs.

Due to COVID-19, all project proposals must follow UBC and BC Government public safety protocols. For more information, visit UBC's COVID-19 Health Guidance page.

Before you apply

Read the following documents that you will need to complete your application:

CCEL Grants Eligibility Guidelines (pdf)
CCEL Grants Partnership Agreement (pdf)
Grant Budget Template (Excel)

Applying for the grant

You must provide a written submission and present a 5-minute pitch at the live event.

If you are ready to pitch your project, register for the Climate Justice: Activating Solidarity Economies Pitch Party through the online application form by 5:00 pm, Monday, Nov 29, 2021.

Apply now

Application timeline

Fri, Oct 8, 2021: Application opens
Mon, Nov 29, 2021: Application closes at 5:00 pm
Dec 2021: Winners announced

If you have questions

For more information regarding the Social Impact Lab, or to book an advising appointment or brainstorming session, please email community.learning@ubc.ca.