SPIF Guidelines:

If you are starting a new student group or initiative, or have group project funding needs that arise after the Annual Funding cycle is over, please complete a SPIF Application. Please contact the SMSA Treasurer for the SPIF Application. 

SPIF awards are given to new projects or initiative that meet the following criteria:

1. Projects must be novel and unique. If an already-existent student group would be able to undertake it, the project would best fit under that group's purview.
2. SPIF grants can only be awarded to initiatives that are open and accessible to the entire School of Medicine student body. Ideas that target only a portion of the student body would best be funded through a different budget. If this is the case, contact individual SMSA Officers to see if they would be able to fund your idea instead.
3. The purpose of SPIF grants is to give one-year funding for a project that will be able to develop into an independent student group by the following academic year. Once a project has received SPIF funding, the projects' leaders will be expected to form a new student organization and apply for Annual Funding from SMSA (rather than SPIF) the next year.

If your project/initiative meets these criteria, we would love to read your application! 

Note that the SPIF budget is much smaller than the Annual Funding budget, so the size of SPIF grants tend to be much smaller than Annual Funding grants. Since SPIF awards are granted on a rolling basis throughout the year, it is possible that applications submitted late in the academic year will only be partially funded (or not funded at all if SPIF funds have all been disbursed).

Examples of previously funded SPIF projects include:

• Stanford Medicine Open Mic Nights
• Guided Meditation Sessions
• #ProtectOurPatients Calling Sessions

If you have any questions, please contact the SMSA Treasurer.