GRO Mini-Grants

Mini-Grants Closed Until Spring

The GRO Mini-Grant program is NOW CLOSED for the fall semester due to exhaustion of available funds. The program will reopen on January 6, two weeks prior to the start of the spring semester.

In the meantime, students are still encouraged to apply for Shaw Innovation Mini-Fellowships of up to $500 per award, available while funds last.

Overview

Fuel your ideas. Advance your research.

The GRO Mini-Grant program helps graduate students bring their projects to life by providing up to $750 in funding for specific research-related expenses. Whether you need materials, equipment, travel for fieldwork/presenting, or other critical resources, these funds are designed to help you push your scholarship to the next level.

Funding is awarded on a rolling basis during active award cycles, with a maximum of $750 per student per academic year.

Who Can Apply

• Open to eligible USM graduate students.
• Applicants must meet all current GRO eligibility and qualification requirements (see policies below).
• Not eligible: GRO Fellows and OLLI Fellows.

Before You Apply

Policies and requirements may have changed from previous years; please review them carefully before submitting your application. Only complete, accurate, and eligible applications will be considered. Applications that do not meet all criteria will be disqualified.

Important Funding Guidelines

• No retroactive funding: Expenses incurred before official approval cannot be reimbursed.
• Follow approval instructions: Do not make purchases until your application is approved and you have received written guidance from the GRO Program.
• Plan ahead: We cannot guarantee funding for experiences, events, or expenses needed within 4 weeks of application submission.

GRO Mini-Grant Terms and Conditions

It is the responsibility of all graduate students to review and agree to the GRO Mini-Grant Terms & Conditions before submitting an application. These guidelines, developed with input from faculty, staff, and graduate students, are fully aligned with University of Maine System (UMS) and University of Southern Maine (USM) policies.

Purpose of Grant

• Provide targeted financial support for expenses directly related to conducting or presenting graduate research.
• Award amounts are up to $750 per student per academic year.
• Awards may be limited at the discretion of the GRO Program to ensure equitable funding distribution.
• Funding availability is limited and not guaranteed through the posted deadlines.
• Submitting an application does not guarantee an award.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

• Be a USM graduate student matriculated in a degree or certificate program and enrolled in at least 3 credits during the semester the funds are used.
• Have completed at least one semester at USM.
• Be in good academic standing (3.0 GPA or higher) and making satisfactory academic progress.
• Be conducting faculty-mentored research, scholarship, or creative work.
• Have a letter of recommendation from their faculty mentor.
• Not be graduating before the funds are used (graduation date = program completion date, not ceremony date).
• Forfeit the award or reimburse GRO funds if eligibility changes before funds are spent.

Expenses

Allowable

Funds may only be used for research-related expenses, including:

• Travel (requires an approved University travel request before booking).
• Airfare (must be booked through Concur; third-party or direct airline purchases are not reimbursable).
• Conference registration fees and memberships.
• Professional editing services with Heartful Editors (processing time may vary).
• NVivo software subscription (12 months).
• Supplies and materials (must be purchased via University vendor; case-by-case review).

Not Allowable

Funds may not be used for:

• Compensation for time or labor.
• Food or living expenses.
• Gift cards.
• Travel upgrades (e.g., business class)
• Certain softwares

Equipment

• All equipment purchased with GRO funds (e.g., recorders, cameras) is University property.
• Equipment must be returned to the Office of Graduate Studies when the project ends or by the end of the funded academic year.

Process

Before you begin your application, we strongly recommend reviewing our Sample Mini-Grant Application (PDF) to understand the level of detail and formatting expected.

Review sample mini-grant application

Application

• Applications are accepted on a rolling basis during open cycles.
• Apply at least four weeks before the event or expense; late submissions are not considered.
• Incomplete, inaccurate, or ineligible applications will not be funded.
• The GRO Program may take up to four weeks to review applications.

Funding Restrictions

• No retroactive funding: Expenses incurred before written award approval are not eligible.
• Transfers: Funds are tied to the approved activity; transfers are rare and require prior written approval.
• Cancellations: Vendor or event cancellations may be considered for transfer on a case-by-case basis.

Travel Requirements

• All travel requires an approved University travel request before booking.
• Airfare must be booked via Concur; expenses booked outside the system are not reimbursable.

Post-Award

Award Acceptance & Use

• Award notifications are sent by email and include instructions.
• Students must accept the award within two weeks or funds will be forfeited.
• Funds may be accessed through:
  • Direct Payment (GRO pays vendor directly).
  • Reimbursement (requires pre-approval, processed after the event; student must use Concur).
• Maine sales tax is not reimbursable—purchases must follow University guidelines.

Follow-Up

• Awardees must coordinate with GRO staff to process funds within four weeks of receiving their award letter.
• Students are encouraged to complete a year-end feedback survey about their funded experience.

Non-Compliance

• Failure to follow these terms may result in forfeiture of funds and/or loss of future GRO funding eligibility.