Sustainability Fund

 

NC State students began contributing a sustainability fee per semester in fall 2013 following a student-led campaign that included pledges of support from more than 2,000 students and letters of support from faculty, staff and other campuses with sustainability fees. The fee is expected to generate $85,000 per year (minus reserve) for the Sustainability Fund, which awards grants for campus sustainability projects that impact students. A student-led board manages the fund, which offers competitive grants for sustainability-related projects, education and resources that enhance campus and student learning. The fee started as $1.50 per semester in 2013 and increases in small increments over time.

 

Apply For A Grant

The deadline for grant requests has closed for the 2017-2018 grant cycle. The application period for the 2018-2019 grant cycle will open in winter 2017.

 

Current Grant Recipients

2017-2018 Grant Cycle’s recipients (learn more)

• The completion of a roof-top garden on Talley Student Union, which will expand research, education and production of local food in an urban campus environment
• Installation of solar-powered scoreboards in University Recreation’s Method Road Field Complex
• Installation of a campus aerated static pile (ASP) composting system, which will become the largest ASP system on a university campus in the Southeast, as well as one of the largest in the country
• Creation of a composting program in Wolf Village Apartments that will reduce waste while also educating residents about composting
• Support for the student-led development of a solar-powered vehicle prototype that would seat four people and weigh under 900 pounds
• Campus installation of “bee hotels,” a series of solitary bee nesting habitats, along with signs to educate the public about the importance of these pollinators
• Improvements and expansion of the student-built aquaponics system that is in On the Oval restaurant on Centennial Campus
• Research on healthy urban trees, which will maximize campus tree health while educating the public about best practices in tree care
• Make-a-thon, a four-day challenge during which student teams research, design, prototype and build a new solution that addresses a sustainability challenge
• Installation of a campus bin for safe, responsible disposal of prescription medications at Student Health Services pharmacy
• New vegetables and infrastructure to deter deer at the student-led SOUL Garden on Centennial Campus
• Installation of a water-efficient drip irrigation system for garden beds at SOUL Garden
• Educational campaign in NC State dining halls about food sustainability

 

The Sustainability Fund Board manages the fund with oversight of the Division of Academic and Student Affairs, which appoints board members who have knowledge of sustainability and/or student life at NC State. Operating under a constitution and bylaws, the student-led board consists of 7 voting members, which includes at least one faculty member as well as staff liaisons. Ex officio members are added as subject matter expertise is needed. If you have questions, please email the Fund Advisory Board Chair at dasa-sfab-chair@ncsu.edu. The Board’s responsibilities include:

• Regularly review grant priorities for campus that align with NC State’s Sustainability Strategic Plan
• Know the sustainability priorities of the university.
• Offer an annual or semi-annual request for proposals (RFP) for sustainability project ideas from the NC State community
• Produce written grant parameters, submission form, and a timeline for the grant cycle that align with the academic calendar
• Vote, by simple majority, on projects to fund that represent both campus priority projects and campus community project ideas and determine the fund apportionment
• Establish project monitoring to ensure accountability of funds allocated
• Document project environmental, social, economic, or other impacts
• Submit an annual summary of the projects funded, account financial status, and project impacts to DASA, CEST, and the University Sustainability Office. This summary will be included on the Sustainability Fund website and in NC State’s Annual Sustainability Report for public reporting.
• Participate in marketing and outreach activities for the Sustainability Fund
• Review annually the student fee used to support the Fund and submit all necessary materials to the University Budget Office to be used in the Student Fee Review process

 

How many proposals are selected? How many were selected last year?

In the inaugural year of the Sustainability Fund, five proposals were selected to receive grants. However, this was with a limited $30,000 grant cycle. This year’s grant cycle is $120,000. With limited experience, it is difficult for the Board to say how many proposals are likely to be selected. However, we can say that proposals up to the full $120,000 budget will be considered, so the Board may choose to fund just one $120,000 grant or twelve $10,000 grants, or two $50,000 grants and a $20,000 grant. The number of grants awarded will depend on the quality of the proposals.

Can Sustainability Fund grants fund student interns?

Yes, the Sustainability Fund can award funds for student interns. However, funds will not be allocated for staff/faculty salary.

Do projects have to complete a final report at the conclusion of the project?

Yes, all projects submit both a mid-year report and a final report to the Sustainability Fund Advisory Board. This provides the Board an opportunity to learn about the impact of the project.

Does the Board prefer a long-lasting impact project that makes a continued difference?

The Board is looking to fund projects that will make an impact in terms of sustainability. We will fund one off conferences or speaker events, solar panel installations, or large-scale sustainable infrastructure improvements as examples. The Board prefers projects that can impact as many students as possible, but a project that deeply impacts 10 students can be just as important and beneficial as a project that briefly impacts 2,000 students.

Can projects be completed before the due date of the following summer?

Yes, projects are encouraged to follow their own timeline, which could result in completion in September or completion on the June 15, 2016 deadline. The only requirement is that the project is completed.

Who can apply?

Students, staff and faculty can apply for grants. Staff and faculty applications must display impact on students and student involvement.

Will the Board partially fund a project? Do they require matching funds?

Partially funded projects occur on a per-case basis. The Board does not require matching funds, though matching funds or an outside monetary commitment can strengthen an application.

Can you submit multiple proposals?

Yes, students, staff and faculty can submit as many proposals as they wish.

How many people can you have on a project?

There is no limit to the number of people on a project, though there should be one or two project leads. Students are encouraged to have a staff/faculty mentor for projects as well.

How long is the application?

Applications can be a maximum of six pages. An attached document section is not counted toward this maximum.

When does the project have to start? And why is the start date July 1?

The start date of July 1 is the beginning of the new fiscal year. Projects are not required to start over the summer, though they are encouraged to start as soon as possible to ensure the project follows its timeline and is successful.

For a project with some optional components in the budget, should I submit one application or two?

If you have a project that has optional components, please include all components in one application and note in the application which components of the project are necessary and which are optional. Please also set up the budget accordingly so the price of each components, necessary or optional, are included. This gives the Board the most flexibility in potentially funding projects in whole or in part depending on each component. Please do not submit each component as a separate application, or separate applications with components added or subtracted. That being said, groups and individuals can still submit multiple applications as long as they are for different projects.

Can I see a proposal of a successfully funded project from previous years?

Yes, please find several proposals below from 2014-2015 funding cycle as well as the 2015-2016 cycle. These are the initial proposals and several of the projects had changes of scope after the initial review by the board. These changes of scope are not included here, but if more information on any project to this date is necessary please contact the Board Chair.

• Less than $3,500: Bio Blitz, SOUL Garden
• Between $3,500 and $15,000: Solar Compactor Expansion, Agroecology Education Farm, BikeShare
• Greater than $15,000: Great Animal Orchestra, Recirculating Farm, Solar Umbrellas, Solar Compactors