Grant Application Information

Each project proposal requires two Project Managers. If the primary Project Manager is a student who graduates 6 month to a year from the application window, the second Project Manager must be a staff or faculty member OR a student who graduates after the proposed end date of the project. Projects where both Project Managers are students require a Project Advisor, either a staff or faculty member within the applicable department, to supervise the project.

All projects require a Fiscal Officer. The Fiscal Officer is a staff member within a Project Manager’s or the project’s department who is responsible for financial transactions. Fiscal Officers/ Business Office staff members within the awarded department will be responsible for assisting Project Managers with purchases and processing position distributions for employee funding on the award. Fiscal Officers must coordinate with the Project Managers to explain their department’s protocol for making purchases at the beginning of the project. Fiscal Officers must provide access to means of purchasing (e.g. University Card, assistance with position distributions to add personnel expenses, assistance with requisitions/purchase orders, etc.) that are aligned with the university’s best practices for purchasing.

Please coordinate with your department to properly identify an individual who is a designated Fiscal Officer. If awarded, this will be the individual who will help Project Managers access the approved funding.

Please ensure that Project Managers, Project Advisors, and Fiscal Officers listed on your project application have all been asked to be part of your proposal prior to application submission. It is the Project Manager's responsibility to inform and coordinate all contacts for the proposal to ensure that everyone has access to project details and budgetary needs.

• Project Description, Alignment, & Metrics
  • The proposal provides a clear description of the project, its purpose, and its intended results. Strong proposals articulate both what will be done and what will change because of the project, with measurable metrics aligned to the university’s draft Sustainability & Climate Action Plan and the CSF's required, standardized input metrics.
    • Is the project description thorough, clear, and compelling?
    • Has the project identified one or more specific Action Plan goals to which it is directly aligned?
    • Has the project articulated strong, output- or outcome-focused metrics that demonstrate tangible impact, along with the Campus Sustainability Fund’s required standardized metrics?
    • Most importantly: What will change because of this project?
• Timeline & Logistics
  • The proposal demonstrates feasibility through a realistic timeline, identified responsibilities, and evidence of necessary approvals or partnerships. Strong proposals show the project can be completed as proposed and within the grant period.
    • Does the project have a clear and achievable timeline with deadlines or milestones identified?
    • Has the team identified the logistical steps required for successful completion?
    • Have any necessary approvals, authorizations, or partnerships been secured?
• Budget Narrative
  • The proposal presents a realistic and well-justified budget that supports the project’s goals. Strong proposals explain the purpose of requested funds, connect them to project outputs and outcomes, and identify any matching or supporting resources.
    • Is the budget reasonable, clear, and aligned with project goals?
    • Does the budget narrative provide sufficient justification for requested expenses?
    • Are matching or supporting funds identified?
• Environmental & Social Sustainability Impact
  • The proposal demonstrates meaningful environmental and social sustainability benefits for the campus community. Strong proposals show how the project will enhance environmental quality, strengthen community well-being, and advance a culture of sustainability on campus.
    • Does the proposal identify clear environmental and social sustainability benefits?
• Student Relevance & Involvement
  • The proposal creates opportunities for student leadership, engagement, and impact. Strong proposals demonstrate how students will be actively involved in planning, implementation, or education through the project.
    • How will this project benefit or involve students?
    • Does the project provide meaningful opportunities for student leadership or professional development?
• Education, Outreach, & Behavior Change
  • The proposal includes education, outreach, or engagement efforts that foster a culture of sustainability on campus. Strong proposals reach beyond already-engaged groups and support lasting behavior change.
    • How will the project educate the campus community about sustainability?
    • How will the project’s impacts be communicated to the wider campus community?

Projects may be “Approved”, “Approved with Stipulations”, or “Not Approved.”

The CSF Committee reserves the right to approve a project with stipulations. Stipulations are conditions or requirements requested by the CSF Committee that must be agreed upon by the Project Manager(s) before funding is formally approved and released.

Stipulations are not intended to be burdensome or to drastically change the purpose or scope of a proposed project and instead are meant to positively benefit the project, often increasing the potential impact of the project. Once agreed upon, stipulations will become formal additions/changes to the approved project and will be integrated into the Letter of Agreement and Work Plan processes.

• Student employee and personnel wages, including employee-related expenses
  • Eligible personnel includes: 
    • Mini: Staff and Faculty wages (up to $1,000), student employee wages, Graduate Assistant supplemental compensation
    • Annual: Staff and Faculty wages (up to $5,000), student employee wages, Graduate Assistant supplemental compensation, and Graduate Assistantships
• Capital equipment between $5,000 and $50,000 in value (Annual Grants only)
• Reasonable and relevant travel expenses
• Food for engagement events, should the event meet food policy requirements. Please consult with your Fiscal Officer to ensure you have a valid business purpose for food purchasing
  • Please buy from local restaurants

• Research without application or an applied solution to campus sustainability challenges
• Supplementary compensation for faculty or staff
• Projects that serve a small population of the student body relative to the amount of money requested, or projects that do not broadly benefit the student body
• Reimbursement requests of any kind
  • 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
• Proposals with unrealistic timelines
  • A realistic amount of lead time should be given in order for proposals to be eligible for review. Tight timelines are potential grounds for disapproval, as the proposal could lack logistics and feasibility. 
• Student fees or tuition (with the exception of graduate student tuition remission)
• Projects smaller than $500 and over $50,000
  • You may not apply for a Mini Grant to supplement an Annual Grant or vice versa. The Committee requires that applicants ensure their project can be accomplished within the maximum amount of the funding and seek supplemental funding elsewhere should the project require more funding than the maximum of a Mini or Annual Grant.
• Gift cards
• TerraCycle projects, unless the use of TerraCycle is specific and has a clear and high-impact use
• Purchases from Amazon and other large retailers unless the application specifies that all other avenues have been explored and there is no other way to purchase those specific items. Sourcing from ethical, responsible, and local vendors when feasible is a high priority of the CSF
  • We always recommend inquiring about wholesale options for projects buying in bulk as it will save money and enable Project Managers to purchase more products. Most reputable vendors offer wholesale options when customers inquire about purchasing larger quantities
  • Higher product costs due to sourcing from smaller retailers will not negatively impact an application’s chances for approval
• Give-aways or merchandise items that do not support the mission of the project/mission of the Fund (i.e. “swag” such as t-shirts, hats, tote bags, lanyards, cups, etc. as they are typically inherently unsustainable and end up underutilized or entirely unused)
  • Items that promote sustainability such as reusable goods will be considered but are not a priority for funding. The application must note why these items are key requests and demonstrate that there is a need for these for the target population and that they will be utilized and serve a specific use for the intended event/community
• Projects without official quotes from University Facility Services that require them
• Proposals for events that do not include relevant estimates or supporting documents
• Projects that have not received pre-authorization from all necessary parties (i.e. a sign installation on campus requires quotes/approvals from University Facility Services, the Building Manager, if applicable, the University of Arizona Sign Committee, etc. OR a water bottle refill station in the Student Union requires quotes/approves from University Facility Services and Student Union leadership)
• Projects that would result in profit through sale of a service or good. If your project proposal includes a fee or the sale of a service, please meet with us to ensure it will fit within the scope of the Fund

All projects are expected to follow the Campus Sustainability Fund's Terms and Conditions. Please review this document before applying.

Project Managers and Advisors are responsible for adhering to the terms of their proposed project and ensuring that project expenditures are in line with the approved budget. Each purchase made by Project Managers and Advisors must be clearly aligned with the line items on the approved budget. 

Project Managers and Advisors will coordinate with their Department Fiscal Officer or Business Office as needed to make purchases (ie University-card, purchase order) or to add personnel to the award. Project Managers are responsible for ensuring that their means of purchasing have been approved prior to making purchases.

Fiscal Officers/Business Offices within the awarded department will be responsible for assisting Project Managers with purchases and processing position distributions for employee funding on the award. Fiscal Officers must coordinate with the Project Managers to explain their department’s protocol for making purchases at the beginning of the project. Fiscal Officers must provide access to means of purchasing (e.g. University Card, assistance with position distributions to add personnel expenses, assistance with requisitions/purchase orders, etc.) that are aligned with the university’s best practices for purchasing.

Once a grant has been approved, the Project Manager(s) will use the CSF Project Summary and Work Plan template to outline project team roles, key goals, deadlines, and objectives to make a plan to keep the project on track. This document will be the baseline for comparison when evaluating project success, and will give the CSF Committee a reference point for your expected progress.  

All Project Managers will track and report on metrics throughout their project to demonstrate the funding’s impact on the campus and Tucson community. All projects will track standard metrics, but additional metrics will be selected by the Project Manager(s). The metrics should align with the project's goals and objectives. The CSF will review and approve the selected metrics. 

Project Managers are responsible for completing and submitting a final, cumulative impact report through our online form at the end of your project. The Final Impact Report is a comprehensive report that provides a detailed overview of the project's accomplishments, metrics tracked, and challenges faced during the project. Since we request one report, the Final Impact Report is the principal way for the campus community to learn about the totality of the project’s impact – diligent tracking throughout the year is required to inform this report.

CSF grants are not a one-time transaction, but instead encourage ongoing communication and collaboration between the CSF Committee and Project Manager(s) to ensure project success and adequate tracking of project impacts. We believe building relationships across campus is key to long-lasting sustainability efforts!

Each project will have one or two designated Project Facilitators from the CSF Committee. Project Facilitators will coordinate bi-monthly or monthly meetings with Project Managers and will assist Project Managers with project coordination. These meetings will be the team’s opportunity to share project achievements, challenges faced, next steps, and metrics collected. 
 
It will also be an opportunity for the CSF Committee to help enhance your project when appropriate. Project Facilitators can assist at workdays or tabling events, attend planning meetings, provide support to social media or communication efforts (like designing social media posts, writing up blog posts for newsletters, and so much more). Project Managers must notify their assigned CSF Committee member of upcoming events, presentations, and other outreach opportunities at least two weeks in advance.   
 
In some cases, CSF Project Facilitators are less involved and can act more in more of a consultive role when appropriate. 
 

The CSF must be recognized in all project marketing and communications materials by its full name and the appropriate CSF logo. This includes social media posts, physical fliers, print assets, reports, news stories, and any other such communications. The Office of Sustainability must be tagged on any social media post about the project so that we are correctly credited and can re-share the post to amplify it.  
 
The CSF logo must also be included whenever the department’s logo is used in advertising events or other outreach for the project.