diff --git a/config/branding/config.ini b/config/branding/config.ini
index d339c773..2d40aa6e 100644
--- a/config/branding/config.ini
+++ b/config/branding/config.ini
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ admin = "hpc@it.umass.edu"
 admin_name = "Unity Cluster Admins"
 sender = "updates@unity.rc.umass.edu"
 sender_name = "Unity Cluster Updates"
+pi_approve = "piapproval@umass.edu"
+pi_approve_name = "PI Approval"
 
 [page]  ; which sql objects to use for the content on these pages
 home = "home"
diff --git a/resources/init.php b/resources/init.php
index ae52b760..bae0959e 100644
--- a/resources/init.php
+++ b/resources/init.php
@@ -66,7 +66,9 @@
     $BRANDING["mail"]["support"],
     $BRANDING["mail"]["support_name"],
     $BRANDING["mail"]["admin"],
-    $BRANDING["mail"]["admin_name"]
+    $BRANDING["mail"]["admin_name"],
+    $BRANDING["mail"]["pi_approve"],
+    $BRANDING["mail"]["pi_approve_name"]
 );
 
 //
diff --git a/resources/lib/UnityGroup.php b/resources/lib/UnityGroup.php
index 72359f80..dde43d63 100644
--- a/resources/lib/UnityGroup.php
+++ b/resources/lib/UnityGroup.php
@@ -93,6 +93,17 @@ public function requestGroup($send_mail = true)
                     "email" => $this->getOwner()->getMail()
                 )
             );
+
+            $this->MAILER->sendMail(
+                "pi_approve",
+                "group_request_admin",
+                array(
+                    "user" => $this->getOwner()->getUID(),
+                    "org" => $this->getOwner()->getOrg(),
+                    "name" => $this->getOwner()->getFullname(),
+                    "email" => $this->getOwner()->getMail()
+                )
+            );
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/resources/lib/UnityMailer.php b/resources/lib/UnityMailer.php
index 9d2c728c..90c39414 100644
--- a/resources/lib/UnityMailer.php
+++ b/resources/lib/UnityMailer.php
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ class UnityMailer extends PHPMailer
     private $MSG_SUPPORT_NAME;
     private $MSG_ADMIN_EMAIL;
     private $MSG_ADMIN_NAME;
+    private $MSG_PI_APPROVAL_EMAIL;
+    private $MSG_PI_APPROVAL_NAME;
 
     public function __construct(
         $template_dir,
@@ -34,7 +36,9 @@ public function __construct(
         $msg_support_email,
         $msg_support_name,
         $msg_admin_email,
-        $msg_admin_name
+        $msg_admin_name,
+        $msg_pi_approval_email,
+        $msg_pi_approval_name
     ) {
         parent::__construct();
         $this->isSMTP();
@@ -87,6 +91,8 @@ public function __construct(
         $this->MSG_SUPPORT_NAME = $msg_support_name;
         $this->MSG_ADMIN_EMAIL = $msg_admin_email;
         $this->MSG_ADMIN_NAME = $msg_admin_name;
+        $this->MSG_PI_APPROVAL_EMAIL = $msg_pi_approval_email;
+        $this->MSG_PI_APPROVAL_NAME = $msg_pi_approval_name;
     }
 
     public function sendMail($recipients, $template = null, $data = null)
@@ -105,6 +111,8 @@ public function sendMail($recipients, $template = null, $data = null)
 
             if ($recipients == "admin") {
                 $this->addBCC($this->MSG_ADMIN_EMAIL, $this->MSG_ADMIN_NAME);
+            } elseif ($recipients == "pi_approve") {
+                $this->addBCC($this->MSG_PI_APPROVAL_EMAIL, $this->MSG_PI_APPROVAL_NAME);
             } else {
                 if (is_array($recipients)) {
                     foreach ($recipients as $addr) {