Environmental Sustainability Challenge

Submission Deadline:

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SUBMIT A PROPOSAL

Want to make an impact on environmental sustainability, but need funds to get your ideas off the ground? Submit a proposal for UE's Environmental Sustainability Challenge to have your projects considered for funding from The Green Fund.

The Environmental Sustainability Committee will accept proposals for the challenge during both the Fall and Spring semesters every year by the following dates:
Fall Semester Submission Deadline: October 20
Spring Semester Submission Deadline: February 20

Two Types of Proposals

1. Environmental Sustainability Rotating Fund Proposals

These proposals have the goal of generating savings through increasing environmental sustainability. The funds that are saved will be rolled back in to The Green Fund for future use. Likely, but not necessarily, such funds will pertain to resource use efficiencies on campus and implementation of technologies that have been shown to increase efficiencies which generate fiscal savings. Evidence is required that all affected departments have been with communicated with, and are receptive to the proposal. If a project will generate funds, please submit that project as a rotating fund proposal.

2. Environmental Sustainability Community Proposals

These proposals have the goal of generating environmental sustainability in the community (be that the UE community, the wider Evansville community, and all the way up to the global community). The emphasis is on long-term initiatives where continuing relationships between UE and additional organizations or communities are developed.

SUBMIT A PROPOSAL

Judging Criteria

  • realistic nature of the goals set
  • thoroughness of the planning of the initiative
  • how the project helps the environment and how significant the environmental improvements to be gained are
  • how significant the community benefits are, with specification of the community to be benefited (e.g. UE-wide, city-wide, and so on)
  • whether the project serves to generate long-term benefits and partnerships
  • how significant the fiscal savings are (if applicable)
  • timeline and budget, with reporting by Spring reading/study day of each year

The Green Fund

Money from the Green Fund goes only to supporting environmental initiatives proposed and approved through UE's Environmental Sustainability Challenge. Such proposals must include robust student involvement. Money from the Green fund cannot be used for any other purposes to support the campus. Funds awarded to students and mentors must be distributed within one year.

The type of project would determine how savings are computed and proposals thus verified. The Green Fund will be used only for projects that robustly support commitments to environmental health and sustainability. The University and the Environmental Sustainability Committee will be vigilant about ensuring that no green-washing occurs.

The Green Fund began with a $25,000 environmental sustainability grant from Siemens. Additional funds are generated internally through fundraising or potentially through savings gained through the successful completion of Environmental Sustainability Challenge projects.