photo credit: Flickr Pixieslayer
Funding Sustainability
This page provides a list of some sources of funding for operational and academic sustainability initiatives at UCLA.
This is an aggregate of different types of funding sources. The sources may target different groups such as students, faculty, or administrators; however, all are potential sources for sustainability activities.
Sources for Campus Efficiency and Greening
The Green Initiative Fund
Now present on several UC campuses, TGIF is a fund for student-initiated sustainability projects on campus. The UCLA undergraduate students voted to tax themselves a small fee to raise the money for this fund in the 2008 student election. The bill passed 3 to 1. Starting in Fall 2008, TGIF will raise $200,000 per year for UCLA sustainability projects. The TGIF committee will be formed this fall and the TGIF coordinator will be selected shortly after. The TGIF committee and the TGIF coordinator will help students apply for the funds as well as approve proposed projects. Learn more at the TGIF LA website. Check back here for more information.
UC/CSU/IOU Energy Efficiency Partnership
The University of California (UC), California State University (CSU), and Investor-Owned Utility (IOU) Energy Efficiency Partnership is a unique, statewide energy efficiency program achieving cost-effective immediate and persistent peak energy and demand savings. The program employs four key strategies to meet its goals: energy efficiency retrofits, monitoring based commissioning (MBCx), emerging technology demonstrations, and training and education. Learn more at their website
UC Contact: Dirk VanUlden (Dirk.VanUlden@ucop.edu)
Flex Your Power: Institutional Rebates, Incentives & Services
Flex Your Power is California's statewide energy efficiency marketing and outreach campaign. It is a partnership of California's utilities, residents, businesses, institutions, government agencies and nonprofit organizations working to save energy. The campaign's primary funding comes from the Public Goods Charge as approved by the California Public Utilities Commission, as well as contributing municipalities and partners. On the Flex Your Power website you can find a variety of rebates for energy and water saving systems, green energy equipment, energy efficient appliances, and more. Their region-based search engine lets you know what rebates are available for your home and for institutions like UCLA.
Higher Education Sustainability Act (HESA)
HESA authorizes a new $50 million grant program at the Department of Education that will annually support between 25 and 200 projects at higher education institutions. Individual institutions are eligible for funding to implement administrative and operations sustainability practices; establish multidisciplinary sustainability education, research, and outreach programs; conduct energy management, green building, waste and toxics management, green purchasing, transportation, and related initiatives; establish sustainability literacy as a requirement for degree programs; and integrate sustainability in all programs of instruction. The act has been signed into law, but the funds have not been appropriated yet. Stay tuned for more updates.
Energy Independence and Security act of 2007
The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 was signed into law late last year. The Act authorizes $250 million annually in grants and another $500 million in direct loans for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects at higher education institutions, public schools, or local governments. The legislation allows for grants of up to $1 million for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, and grants of up to $500,000 for innovative energy sustainability projects. Smaller grants for feasibility studies and other technical assistance are also authorized. The funds still need to be appropriated. Urging your member of Congress and Senators to fully fund section 471 Energy Sustainability and Efficiency Grants and Loans for Institutions of Public Law 110-140, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 will help insure fund appropriation.
Learn more about the act from an interview with Senator Bernie Sanders
Sources for Academic Initiatives
UCLA Office of Instructional Development
The UCLA Office of Instructional Development (OID) supports the instructional mission of the University and enhances teaching and learning opportunities. Through grants, programs and services OID promotes the effective use of current and emerging instructional methodologies and technologies. OID has grant money for faculty and departments as well as a mini-grant program for teaching assistants and faculty. To learn more visit the OID website
Higher Education Sustainability Act (HESA)
As listed in the HESA heading in the previous section, HESA will provide funds to establish multidisciplinary sustainability education, research, and outreach programs; establish sustainability literacy as a requirement for degree programs; and integrate sustainability in all programs of instruction. Stay tuned for more updates.
Sources for Student and Faculty Research
EPA's 6th Annual P3 Awards Competition RFA: Grants to Design for Sustainability
Through this design competition, student teams and their faculty advisors apply for $10,000 grants to design scientific, technical, and policy solutions to sustainability challenges in the developed or developing world. Teams use the $10,000 grants to design and develop their projects throughout the 2009/2010 school year. Then in the spring of 2010 all teams will come to Washington, DC, to compete for EPA's P3 Award at the 6th Annual National Sustainable Design Expo. The students' projects will be evaluated by a panel of experts in all relevant fields, including sustainability. EPA will use these recommendations to choose the P3 Award winners who will be eligible for an additional grant up to $75,000 to further develop their designs, implement them in the field, and take them to the marketplace.
The challenge addressed by these projects can be in any of these areas: water, energy, agriculture, built environment, materials & chemicals, or information technology.
Applications are due by December 23, 2008.
Visit our Web site for more information and to view the P3 program video: http://www.epa.gov/p3
For information about this request for applications go to: http://es.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2009/2009_p3.html
For basic information go to: http://www.epa.gov/ncer/p3/fact_sheet.html
