Sustainable Initiatives Fund
Vandals are known for our vision, innovation and willingness to give back to our community. The Sustainable Initiatives Fund give students an opportunity to strengthen their diverse skill sets and improve our campuses in creative and positive ways.
Every year, the Student Sustainability Cooperative awards $10,000 to fund student-led projects that advance campus sustainability or use campus as a living laboratory.
Please contact the Campus Projects Lead to discuss your project ideas at ssc@uidaho.edu.
*Applications will open Spring 2024*
How to Apply
Applicants must be full-time University of Idaho undergraduate students enrolled at the university during the entire duration of the project. Applicants must be in good academic standing.
Group submissions and partnerships are encouraged, including those with non-students (staff, faculty, community partners, etc.); however, students must play the central role in project design, execution and reporting.
All project applications require a student project lead and a U of I-affiliated advisor that can help guide the applicants for the duration of the project. This can be a faculty or staff member on your local campus.
Projects must either:
- Contribute directly to campus sustainability
or - Use campus as a living laboratory
If you want to make a difference in campus sustainability, but don’t know where to start, you can reach out to the Sustainability Coordinator at ssc@uidaho.edu or visit our office in the Department of Student Involvement to work with others to bring your big ideas to life!
Once you have your idea, your team, and your advisor, you can start the application process. The Funding Application requires:
- Project Title
- Project lead(s), group members and advisor(s)
- Project description (two to five sentences)
- Desired outcomes
- Amount of funding requested
- Detailed project budget to support requested funding*
- General project timeline
- Advisor’s Statement of Support
* Limitations on funding include: No purchasing of alcoholic beverages or meals, cash advances, paying of salaries or wages, fuel for personal vehicles, travel reimbursement, taxable hospitality expenses, and no monetary awards, prizes or gift cards.
The Funding Board will evaluate the applications and announce partial or total funding awarded to the Project Lead.
Applicants may be asked for clarification or revision based on feedback from the Funding Board.
Once funding has been awarded, project leads can start to work with group members, advisors and the Campus Projects Lead to finalize budgets, timelines and action plans.