²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½'s Sustainability Fund
Overview:
²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½ offers a Sustainability Fund to support ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½ students, faculty and staff to engage in educational activities and projects to advance the actions and strategies of its Sustainability & Climate Action (S&CA) Plan. This funding aims to support projects led by individual members of the ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½ community (up to $500) or by groups (up to $2,500). Collaborations between students and faculty/staff are encouraged in creating and implementing S&CA projects.
Eligibility of Applicants:
Current members of the ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½ community are eligible to apply to this Fund, including ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½ graduate students (currently registered in an ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½ program), ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½ faculty, ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½ staff (with manager's approval), and ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½ sessional lecturers (currently teaching at least 1 course at ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½). Group applications are encouraged (the Lead applicant must be a current member of the ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½ community.) Graduate students applying for individual projects will be asked to provide an academic reference of an ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½ professor.
Project Eligibility:
Funded projects must:
- be initiated and led by current members of the ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½ community
- be awarded funding through an application and adjudication process
- support and enact at least one of the actions and strategies of ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½â€™s Sustainability & Climate Action (S&CA) Plan Strands
- involve and positively impact the ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½ community
- adhere to the Sustainability Fund guidelines, as well as to existing ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½ and ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½ policies, principles and practices
Funding can be used for the following:
- Projects that plan & implement ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½ educational campaigns, programs and/or events for the ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½ community related to S&CA (i.e. speakers’ fees for public events, promotional costs, catering costs, materials, resources, etc.)
- Projects that deepen awareness of S&CA at ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½ (e.g., developing educational resources related to S&CA)
- Projects that encourage/enable community behaviours that reduce ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½â€™s carbon/ecological footprint (e.g., water, waste & energy reductions or conservation)
- Projects that bring S&CA to ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½â€™s practices and spaces through individual and community behaviours and choices
- Projects that mobilize/share knowledge & research around S&CA (e.g., events, lectures, resource development)
- Conference registration fees for ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½ graduate students to present on S&CA research (up to a maximum of $200)
- ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½ students’ work on S&CA events, programs or projects (hourly rate for ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½ students’ time on a funded S&CA project up to a maximum of $500)
Funding cannot be used for the following types of projects:
- Projects that duplicate another project, program or service currently being offered
- Retroactive funding for costs incurred before the application submission
- Course development
- Students’ work for which they receive course credit (e.g., coursework or course assignments)
- Cost of alcohol or cannabis served at any event
- Fundraising events for individuals, groups or donations to charities
- Administrative or operating costs of an organization or company
- Travel expenses associated with projects, events or conferences
- Conducting research for faculty, staff, sessional lecturers or graduate students (e.g., literature reviews, data collection or analysis)
- Compensation for staff or faculty
Conditions:
- Projects will be considered only if a full Sustainability Fund Application Form is submitted by the deadline (applications will be reviewed by the Sustainability Fund Adjudication Committee as soon as possible)
- Funded projects must be completed within one year of receiving the funding.
- The Project Lead must submit a one page final report within 30 days of the project end-date, outlining the project’s outcomes, impacts, and future potential of the project
- A Sustainability Fund Reimbursement Form must be completed within 30 days of the project end-date to access funding.
How to Apply:
The most recent fund application period (²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½ 1 - December 10, 2024) has now closed. Consider downloading the for reviewing & preparing the info required in advance of completing the official application. The online official Application Form will be re-opened again in the spring.
Questions? Reach out to the SCAN Team at oise.scan@utoronto.ca
