Mutual Aid Fund
The Mutual Aid Fund (MAF) was established by AGSEM’s General Assembly on October 24, 2018. The purpose of the MAF is to support the political and social goals of the union by providing resources to individuals and causes in the McGill and wider Montreal community.
The fund is intended for solidarity initiatives including, but not limited to:
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Strike support
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Legal support including legal or paralegal fees, court fees, and other costs associated with facing charges as a defendant or bringing a civil or criminal suit against an individual or institution.
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General financial hardship resulting from precarity, inequality, and/or institutional austerity, including difficulties resulting from the COVID-19 crisis.
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Community childcare or other family care
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Healthcare
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Counselling and other mental health care related to trauma, abuse, and/or sexual violence
The Mutual Aid Fund is intended to support both individuals and organizations/collective initiatives.
A Mutual Aid Fund Committee was established to manage the Fund autonomously and report to the AGSEM Delegates’ Council for final approval of requests. The committee respects anonymity in Delegates’ Council meetings and General Assemblies and will not disclose the applicants' identity without their consent. Resources for the Fund are constituted by contributions from the AGSEM general operating budget from union membership dues upon approval of the budget at a General Assembly.
The Mutual Aid Fund has a limited budget of $10,000 to distribute for the union's fiscal year (from March 1, 2023 until February 29, 2024) and operates on a first-come, first-serve basis. Depending on the applicant's need and budget, the Mutual Aid Fund Committee can offer between $100 and $1000 per request.
The amount available in the fund as of August 3, 2023 is $6,818.
The Committee accepts applications to the Fund on a rolling basis. However, because final approval for an application must be made by the Delegate’s Council or the General Assembly, applicants are encouraged to submit their applications ten days prior to an upcoming Delegate’s Council or General Assembly meeting (check the dates here). This is to ensure that the MAFC has enough time to properly evaluate the applications. For applications that are received after this soft deadline, the MAFC reserves the right to postpone reviewing applications until the MAFC’s next meeting. The MAFC will overlook this soft deadline when the allocation of funding is time sensitive, such as for strike support, legal support, or health emergencies.
In order to apply, please send a filled Application Form to mutual.aid@agsem-aeedem.ca. All requests are treated with the strictest confidence.