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Sustainability

Sustainability Fund Grants Award $199,000 to 14 Campus Projects

April 29, 2025
The Belltower is framed with spring flowers on a warm May afternoon. Photo by Becky Kirkland.

Fourteen sustainability projects have been awarded a combined $199,000 through the NC State Sustainability Fund. These projects, set to be implemented during the 2025-2026 academic year, aim to create meaningful impact for students and advance the university’s sustainability goals.

Generated by a $2.50 per semester student fee, the Sustainability Fund supports innovative ideas from across the NC State community. Projects are selected based on their potential to deliver high-impact, lasting change with a strong benefit to students.

“This year’s submissions reflect the strength of sustainability innovation at NC State,” said Zialliah Ascalon, chairperson of the student-led Sustainability Fund Advisory Board. “The Board received grant proposals totaling over $360,000 in funding requests, making this another very competitive year for the Fund.”

The 14 funded projects span a range of focus areas and demonstrate NC State’s commitment to a more sustainable campus. The selected projects include:

  • Planting of a Piedmont Prairie outside the new Apiculture Research Facility
  • A fall climate symposium hosted by the KIETS Climate Leaders Program
  • Building of the first mass timber cross-laminated outdoor structure on campus
  • Expansion of the aerated static pile infrastructure at the Compost Facility and Research Cooperative to increase capacity
  • A student-led environmental education series featuring film, panels, workshops and service events
  • Faculty-mentored student training to identify and address water quality issues across North Carolina
  • Expansion of paper towel composting to Becton, Berry and Bagwell residence halls
  • Evaluation of bee hotels and building of five additional bee hotels on campus
  • Adding seating, a rain barrel system, vertical garden structure and hosting of outreach events at the student-led SOL Garden on campus
  • Enhancement of member events and incentives for the Sustainability Career Development Program
  • Expanded composting efforts at Carter-Finley Stadium
  • Sustainability-themed talks and performances as part of the annual TEDxNCState event
  • An electric cart for Wolfpack Pick Up
  • Installation of a rooftop weather station supporting power and data infrastructure and engagement at Woodson Hall

The next request for Sustainability Fund grants will open this Fall 2025. These requests include:

  • FastTrack Grants, which are for student-led project proposals of up to $1,000 and completed within the spring semester
  • Normal Grants, which are open to the entire NC State campus community for larger projects of any amount and completed the following academic year.

Applications for students to join the Sustainability Fund Advisory Board will also open this Fall 2025 semester.

Learn more about the board, grant cycles and previous projects funded by the Sustainability Fund at go.ncsu.edu/SustainabilityFund.