For all questions, please email Emily Haworth at emilyhaworth@arizona.edu.
About Annual Grants
The CSF maintains the majority of its budget for Annual Grants. The minimum allocation for an Annual Grant is $5,000 and the maximum allocation is $100,000. Depending on a project's goal and timeline, Multi-Year funding is available, but eligibility is at the discretion of the Committee. The Annual Grant application begins in the fall semester and closes in the spring semester. Approved projects will be allocated funding in July of that same year and must complete their project within the end and no later than the end of the fiscal year, June 30.
To apply for an Annual Grant that will receive funding in July 2025, applicants must submit both a Preliminary Application and a Final Application which requires written responses, project contacts, and a budget template that details funding requests and project expenditures. The responses to the questions in the written application must be thorough, thoughtful, and accurate. Only project applications that have made the effort to obtain all necessary preliminary information, research, and contacts will be considered.
Please ensure you have reviewed our Grant Application Info page fully in addition to what is detailed below.
To review the application questions for Annual Grants, please review our application form on our "Apply Here" page or you can view them here in a document. The Annual Grant budget sheet can be downloaded here.
Seed Funding
The CSF believes their role on campus is to help kick-start projects, programs, and initiatives that otherwise do not have funding. In this way, awards from the CSF act as seed-funding, rather than long-term funding. Annual Grants can support a maximum of three consecutive years of funding. If approved for a three-year grant, the Project Managers and partnering department will need to wait a minimum of one year to be allowed to reapply for funding for a related or similar project.
Annual Grant Timeline Overview
- Preliminary Application: November 18, 2024 - January 26, 2025
- Review and feedback: January 27 - February 14, 2025
- Final Application: February 3 - March 2, 2025
- Interviews: April 11 and 18, 2025
- Funding decisions: May 2025
- Funding dispersed: July 2025
All deadlines are 11:59 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
Annual Grant Process Overview
- Complete preliminary work and drafting
- Submit Preliminary Application
- Await feedback from the Committee
- Integrate feedback in Final Application
- Submit Final Application
- Attend interview with the CSF Committee
- Await funding decision from the Committee
Additional detail on each step of this process is provided below. Please do not hesitate to contact Emily Haworth, CSF Coordinator, at emilyhaworth@arizona.edu with any questions.
Recommended Virtual Office Hour
All prospective Annual Grant applicants are highly encouraged to attend a CSF Committee or CSF Coordinator Virtual Office Hour prior to submitting a Preliminary Application. Office Hours are held throughout the semester and are a casual way to get feedback, clarification on the process, and early assistance to ensure your application meets all requirements.
Alternatively, email the CSF Coordinator at emilyhaworth@arizona.edu to schedule a meeting!
Please note that CSF Office Hours will not be available from December until the second week of spring 2025 classes to account for Winter Break and the university’s Winter Closure. If you want to connect with a CSF Committee member, ensure you do so in October and November!
Preliminary Application
The Preliminary Application period opens at 8:00am on Monday, November 18, 2024 and closes at 11:59 p.m. on January 26, 2025. The Committee will provide feedback to Preliminary Applications between January 27 - February 14, 2025.
The Preliminary Application is a lower stakes application that will allow the CSF Committee to give feedback on the proposal prior to the submission of the Final Application. The Preliminary Application should demonstrate a strong, well-thought-out proposal with a solidified plan, but does not need to have solidified implementation objectives as is required in the Final Application. For example, the budget sheet and quotes from Facilities Management or other vendors do not need to be finalized, but should be in the works in order to meet the Final Application requirements and deadline.
Please note that while the Preliminary Application is open during Winter Break and the University's closure, the CSF Committee will not be in session and cannot provide feedback on applications until they return after Winter Break. The CSF Committee reconvenes the week of January 15, 2025 and will begin reviewing Preliminary Applications and providing feedback shortly after. It should be noted that Preliminary Applications will not be reviewed until January 2025, even if submitted earlier than this. Once they are reviewed, the Committee provides ample feedback for the applicant to incorporate into their Final Application.
All Preliminary Applications will be reviewed, but not all Preliminary Applications will be provided the go-ahead to submit a Final Application should the project proposal fall outside of the scope of the Fund.
Final Application
The Annual Grant Final Application opens at 8:00 a.m. on February 3, 2025 and closes at 11:59 p.m. on March 2, 2025.
Once applicants have received feedback on their Preliminary Application and the Final Application Period has opened, applicants may submit their Final Application. Applications must be completed and submitted to the Campus Sustainability Fund by the designated dates above to be considered for funding. Once the window for completing applications closes, materials will not be accepted or considered. Applicants should budget enough time to deal with any potential technological challenges that may arise and will not be considered as a valid excuse if a proposal cannot be submitted before the deadline.
Final Applications must include:
- A completed written application, submitted through the CSF’s form
- An official quote from any relevant party, including but not limited to University Facilities Services and/or other vendors/businesses
- Letters of commitment, partnership, or ongoing collaboration if any such relationship is noted in the proposal
- A complete and detailed budget sheet
Please consider what application requirements and details need to be identified in advance. Any project proposal that alters or makes modifications to campus requires University Facility Services consent and coordination as well as a quote through their online Estimate Request service portal. Please review our Estimate Request Guide for University Facility Services to get started. The timeline to receive authorization and a quote for the modification can take several weeks to several months from start to finish. Applicants should plan accordingly. The process and management of the quote or service request is the responsibility of the applicant. Projects that require a quote must have one at the time of submitting the Final Application and must be attached as a Supporting Document.
Funds may never be used for reimbursement for items that have already been purchased, for projects that have already begun, or for projects that are already completed. This includes requesting funding for items (including capital equipment) or for labor already purchased or completed. Funding also cannot be requested to pay for any expenses (labor or otherwise) that were going to be purchased regardless of the Committee’s funding decision.
Following review of the Final Applications, Project Managers will be invited to attend an informal interview with the CSF Committee which will allow the Committee to gain additional insight into the project and its plan and objectives. Interviews will be held April 11 and 18, 2025. Funding decisions will be released in June of 2025. It should be noted that funding for Annual Grants will be released in July of 2025. Please plan accordingly.