Reimbursement grants are awarded on a case-by-case, funds-available basis.
The Social Enterprise Independent Project Reimbursement Grant payments will be processed as checks, made payable and mailed to eligible team members. The reimbursement grant amount given to team members is based on actual expenses incurred and therefore may be less than the amount of the original grant, and will never exceed the original grant. The team lead is responsible for ensuring that the individual expense reports do not exceed the total grant awarded to the team. Failure to meet all program guidelines and to provide SEI with the necessary expense receipt documentation and/or to get approval for expenses in advance may result in the forfeiture of your project grant award.
Timing: Students will receive payment at the end of the semester. It can take 6 weeks or more from the date you submit your paperwork for you to receive a reimbursement check. For Spring term participants: please submit your Expense Form and related documents to align with when you will need to receive payment.
NOTE ON GRANT: For Non-U.S. Citizens, the grant may be subject to tax withholdings and reported to the IRS by Harvard. For U.S. Citizens/permanent residents, students do not receive a 1099. All students should consult with a tax advisor to determine how to report it on their taxes.
All approved budget line items eligible for grant funding will be the sent by email to the team leader with the subject line "SE Independent Project - Application Status", along with the total team grant amount. To request changes to budget line items (i.e. travel destination) students must send an email to se@hbs.edu detailing the changes and the reason(s) for the request prior to incurring the expense. You will be notified by email about the status of your request within a week of the application deadline.
Travel should be directly related to the project. Travel to or from non-project sites is not eligible for grant funding. Please note: Packaged deals for hotel/airfare/car rental are not fundable unless each component of the expense can be identified. For foreign travel, exchange rates must be included, and the amounts must be calculated into U.S. dollars. The traveler can be reimbursed for these expenses after the trip has occurred and upon presentation of appropriate documentation.
Airline & Train Expenses
Rental or Personal Car Expenses
If you use your personal vehicle for Independent Project travel, the funding award rate is $.625 per mile as of 07/01/22 set by the IRS. This rate includes the cost of gas. NOTE: this rate is subject to change.