Green Action Funding Process

Who Can Apply?

The Green Action Fund grants funding to students, faculty, and staff members on the UCCS campus. Projects must promote sustainability and benefit the student population and/or campus at-large. Faculty and staff projects should include students or student assistants.

When Can I Apply?

The Green Action Fund accepts proposals on a rolling basis, meaning applications may be submitted at any time during the academic year. However, just four proposals per month will be offered the opportunity to present to the Green Action Fund General Committee for funding consideration. As such, funding and contracts may take some time to process, so applying a month or two ahead of your project's start date is always a good idea. We do not accept new project proposals during the summer semester. 

Questions? 

Reach out to the Grant Coordinator at st-sus01@uccs.edu for assistance.

Below is an overview of the project proposal process:

• Project Idea and Sponsor
  It all starts with an idea to make UCCS more sustainable! Research and develop your idea, then find a staff member, faculty member, or department to act as your Project Sponsor. All student proposals MUST have a Project Sponsor. Staff and faculty projects are strongly encouraged to include students and/or student assistants to act as Project Coordinators. 
   
• Application
  Submit a Grant Application on the Green Action Fund website. The Grant Coordinator will reach out to confirm receipt of your application, request any outstanding materials or clarification as necessary, and offer a time for you to present to the General Committee.
   
• Presentation to the Green Action Fund General Committee
  You will be allocated 10 minutes to present your proposal, followed by a 5-minute Q&A session for General Committee members to gain additional insight about your project prior to voting.
   

• General Committee Vote
  The General Committee will discuss and vote on projects after all presentations conclude. Proposals must receive a 2/3 majority affirmative vote to be approved for funding. If your project is approved, you will receive a grant agreement to review and sign. If your proposal is not approved, you will be provided feedback from the General Committee as to why. You are welcome to reapply for funding at a later date if you so choose. 

   

• Kickoff Meeting
  If approved for funding, Project Coordinators and Sponsors are required to attend a kick-off meeting with the Green Action Fund Grant Coordinator. This meeting will address all terms and conditions of the grant agreement: timeline, assignment of duties, award, reporting, and other details. Failure to adhere to the terms of the grant agreement may result in a grant funding hold, revocation of grant funding, and possible denial of future Green Action Fund grant applications.

   

• Reporting
  All projects must submit a Project Progress Report to the Green Action Fund at the end of every semester during which the project is active. In addition, Project Coordinators and Sponsors will be responsible for recording all expenditures for the project. All expenditures must be reported within 30 days succeeding the date of the expense. Project Coordinators and Sponsors must keep a scanned copy of all receipts, invoices, and transaction records. Liability for unrecorded expenditures will rest on the Project Coordinators and Sponsors. 

   

• Project Completion
  Project Coordinators and/or Sponsors must submit a Final Project Report within thirty (30) days of the project's completion. Failure to submit a final report will result in disqualification from future grant funding by the Green Action Fund to project-associated Coordinators and Sponsors. The final report template will be provided by the Green Action Fund Grant Coordinator.

   

All Grant Applications require the following:

1. A sponsoring faculty, staff, or department.
2. A project timeline, including major milestones and estimated completion date.
3. An itemized budget and budget narrative.
4. How your project relates to the Three Pillars of Sustainability.
5. Clearly stated goals and deliverables. What is the impact? How will you measure your project's success?
6. Review the University's Sustainability Strategic Plan