QPIRG | GRIP McGill

What QPIRG | GRIP McGill does

QPIRG McGill (Quebec Public Interest Research Group at McGill University), operating bilingually as GRIP McGill, is a student-run, non-profit organization founded in 2008 and based at 3516 Avenue du Parc in Tio'tia:ke/Montreal. It delivers social and environmental justice programming on the McGill campus and in the broader Montreal community through an opt-outable student fee levy of $6.75 per semester per student, supplemented by discretionary grants, summer research stipends ($4,000 each, two per summer), event co-sponsorship up to $500 per event, Friends of QPIRG community memberships, and Rad Frosh registrations ($80 with pay-what-you-can option). Its core offerings include an Alternative Library with a free textbook loan program, an Activism Archive (Demilitarize McGill, GRASPé), publications such as School Schmool and Convergence (co-published with QPIRG-Concordia), three flagship annual event series (Rad Frosh, Culture Shock, Spring into Action), Prisoners' Justice Day programming, and a Community-University Research Exchange (CURE). Underpinning these is a network of 14+ autonomous Working Groups addressing issues from climate justice to prisoner correspondence, supported with financial, administrative, and meeting-space resources from QPIRG.

The organization operates under a consensus-based volunteer Board of Directors with representation from the Student Society of McGill University (SSMU) and the Post-Graduate Student Society (PGSS), under a Memorandum of Agreement with McGill University. It has no proprietary technology platform — its operations rely on a website, email newsletter, social media, and standard office and library infrastructure. Go-to-market is community-led, reaching students via the automatic opt-out fee, working groups via direct outreach, and Montreal community members through events, tabling, posters, and word-of-mouth networks. Following a roughly two-year closure (2022-2024) for financial reorganization, QPIRG resumed operations in 2024-2025, reopened its funding and stipend programs for the 2025-2026 cycle, launched a retroactive funding window through July 2026, and announced plans for a fee levy increase and expanded Working Group resources. Partnerships with SSMU, PGSS, QPIRG-Concordia, and the Young Canada Works program anchor its operational and funding model.

Name

QPIRG | GRIP McGill

Legal name

QPIRG-McGill (Quebec Public Interest Research Group at McGill University)

Website

https://qpirgmcgill.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

QPIRG McGill is a student-run, non-profit social and environmental justice organization at McGill University, funded primarily by an opt-outable $6.75/semester student fee. It serves McGill students and the broader Montreal community through an Alternative Library, 14+ Working Groups, annual event series (Rad Frosh, Culture Shock, Spring into Action), and grant programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Organizing Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB), Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

Keywords

• Student activism organizing
• Community research support
• Grassroots funding programs
• Social justice education
• Alternative resource library

Headquarters

HQ city

Montreal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Student Fee Levy: McGill students who pay their student fees automatically contribute $6.75 per semester to QPIRG McGill through an opt-out fee. This is the primary revenue stream funding the organization's operations, working groups, and programming.
2. Discretionary Funding Program: QPIRG's Board of Directors allocates an annual budget for funding smaller-scale, non-institutional external projects aligned with the organization's mandate. Maximum $500 per request, disbursed twice monthly.
3. Summer Research Stipends: Funding provided to individuals or groups conducting community-based research during summer months. Two projects funded at $4,000 each per summer.
4. Event Co-Sponsorship: QPIRG offers up to $500 in funding for co-sponsored social justice events organized by campus and community groups, providing both financial support and organizational collaboration.
5. Membership Fees (Friends of QPIRG): Non-student community members can become 'Friends of QPIRG' members for additional perks including tote bag, thank you card, and surprise bonuses throughout the year.
6. Rad Frosh Registration: Rad Frosh alternative orientation for McGill students has a $80 registration fee with pay-what-you-can bursary option to ensure accessibility.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

QPIRG McGill is a student-run, non-profit organization that provides community organizing infrastructure for social and environmental justice on the McGill University campus and in the broader Montreal community. It operates funding programs (discretionary grants up to $500, $4,000 summer research stipends, event co-sponsorship), an alternative lending library with free textbook loans, annual political education event series (Rad Frosh, Culture Shock, Spring into Action, Prisoners' Justice Day), publications (School Schmool agenda, Convergence journal), and administrative support for 14+ autonomous working groups.

Product overview

QPIRG McGill operates as a non-profit campus-based organization providing community organizing infrastructure rather than a traditional technology product company. Its offerings consist of social justice programming (event series, working groups, funding programs, research support, and alternative library services) rather than software products. The core portfolio includes Discretionary Funding and Summer Research Stipends for grassroots projects; event series Rad Frosh, Culture Shock, and Spring into Action for political education; an Alternative Library with textbook loans; publications School Schmool and Convergence; and 14+ Working Groups addressing issues from climate justice to prisoner support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Spring into Action: Annual event series organized by QPIRG-McGill and SSMU featuring workshops, discussions, film screenings, and social events on social justice issues. Marking its 18th year in 2026.
• Culture Shock
• Rad Frosh
• School Schmool
• Alternative Library

Products and services

• Alternative Library A radical lending library on the ground floor of 3516 Avenue du Parc, Montreal, offering free access to books, zines, and alternative knowledge resources, plus printing services (up to 500 political posters and 100 personal prints per year for members). Open to members and the public.
• Free Textbook Loan Program A program within the Alternative Library offering free textbook loans to McGill students to alleviate educational costs.
• Discretionary Funding Grant program providing up to $500 per request for smaller-scale, non-institutional external projects aligned with QPIRG's social and environmental justice mandate. Disbursed twice monthly by the Board of Directors.
• Summer Research Stipends Funding program providing $4,000 stipends to individuals or groups conducting community-based research over summer months (June–August) leading to action and change in Montreal. Two projects funded per summer.
• Event Co-Sponsorship Program offering up to $500 in funding plus organizational support for social justice-oriented events organized by campus and community groups, with priority given to events unlikely to receive mainstream funding.
• Retroactive Funding Special funding program for eligible activities conducted between April 1, 2024 and April 1, 2026, available until July 31, 2026 or until funds are allocated.
• Rad Frosh Three-day alternative orientation for McGill students focusing on social justice, activism, and community building, featuring workshops, panels, free vegetarian meals, art spaces, and skill-building activities.
• Culture Shock Annual fall event series on anti-racism, migrant justice, and Indigenous solidarity, bringing panels, workshops, film screenings, and performance nights to McGill and broader Montreal communities.
• Spring into Action Annual winter/spring event series organized with SSMU featuring workshops, discussions, film screenings, and social events engaging local and global social justice issues.
• Prisoners' Justice Day Annual commemoration on August 10 memorializing people who died in prison the previous year; a tradition started in 1975. A week of events including panels, film screenings, concerts, and vigils.
• School Schmool Annual ad-free, corporate-free social justice-oriented resource guide and academic agenda published jointly with QPIRG-Concordia, featuring anti-oppressive resources, community profiles, and practical tips for new students.
• Convergence Montreal-based journal highlighting undergraduate and community contributions to social and environmental justice research and art, featuring articles, papers, photos, and artwork.
• Working Groups Autonomous collectives undertaking action and research on social and environmental justice issues, receiving financial and administrative support from QPIRG including office resources, meeting space, and promotional support.
• Community-University Research Exchange (CURE) Community-driven research programming that supports outreach, workshops, and skillshares, treating research as a tool for social transformation accountable to communities.
• Activism Archive Digital archive documenting activism at McGill, including the Demilitarize McGill Archive and GRASPé Archive, preserving records of social justice movements and providing access to historical documents.

Quantifiable outcome

• 11+ working groups supported annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• SSMU (Student Society of McGill University)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSSMU co-organizes major event series including Spring into Action and co-hosts programming with QPIRG. SSMU representatives sit on QPIRG's Board of Directors. The Popular Education Coordinator position is hired through SSMU.
• PGSS (Post-Graduate Student Society)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPGSS representatives sit on QPIRG's Board of Directors, providing governance oversight and representing graduate student interests.
• QPIRG-ConcordiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint publication of School Schmool (annual resource guide/agenda) and Convergence journal. Organizations share resources and co-coordinate on various community events and initiatives.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MASSPIRG: Massachusetts state Public Interest Research Group, the largest U.S. PIRG, operating with student fee funding at universities across the state. Directly comparable in mandate (public interest advocacy, research, organizing) and fee-based funding model.
• UAPIRG (University of Alberta PIRG): Student-funded Public Interest Research Group at the University of Alberta operating with the same opt-out fee model and supporting working groups, community research, and social/environmental justice programming in Edmonton.
• OSPIRG (Oregon State Public Interest Research Group): Oregon state Public Interest Research Group operating under the U.S. PIRG federation with student fee funding and advocacy programming. Directly comparable in structure and mission to QPIRG McGill.
• SFPIRG (Simon Fraser Public Interest Research Group): Student-funded PIRG at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia operating under the same opt-out fee model, supporting working groups, community-based research, and social/environmental justice programming. Directly comparable institutional and operational model.
• QPIRG-Concordia: Sister PIRG at Concordia University in Montreal, jointly publishing School Schmool and Convergence with QPIRG McGill and co-coordinating community events. Operates the same opt-out student fee model and working-group structure, making it the most directly comparable peer organization.
• CalPIRG: California state Public Interest Research Group operating with student fee funding across University of California and California State University campuses. Comparable student-fee-funded advocacy, research, and organizing model.
• NYPIRG: New York Public Interest Research Group, one of the original U.S. PIRGs, operating with student fee funding at campuses across New York State. Comparable student-fee-funded public interest advocacy and research mandate.
• PIRG @ University of Toronto (UTPIRG): Public Interest Research Group at the University of Toronto funded through student fees and operating working groups, research grants, and community programming. Same mandate and funding mechanism as QPIRG McGill, with a larger institutional base.
• COPIRIG (Canadian Organization of Public Interest Research Groups): National coalition of Canadian PIRGs that supports and coordinates PIRGs including QPIRG McGill, QPIRG-Concordia, and others. Provides a direct peer benchmark for governance, fee structures, and shared advocacy across the Canadian PIRG network.

Others

• Student Society of McGill University (SSMU): McGill's central undergraduate student society, which sits on QPIRG McGill's board, co-organizes Spring into Action, and houses the Popular Education Coordinator position. Acts as institutional partner rather than competitor but is the upstream body that administers the student fee referendum framework on which QPIRG's funding depends.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/QPIRG.GRIP.McGill
• Instagraminstagram.com/qpirgmcgill
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/qpirg-grip-mcgill

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about QPIRG | GRIP McGill