Opportunity details
With the generous support of the Agnese Nelms Haury Program, the CSF has two Indigenous-Centered Mini Grant opportunities for the 2023 – 2024 school year. Each Mini Grant is $5,000 and is reserved for funding Indigenous-focused projects that are oriented toward environmental and/or social sustainability.
The opportunity is broad and can support a project related to art, science, community engagement, the built environment, and so much more. Preference will be given to projects that are student-led. Proposals must be led by an Indigenous campus community member or, preferably, that they are led by someone that is part of an Indigenous-centered group, center, club, or organization on campus. The proposals should support an Indigenous-centered program, project, group, club, center, or initiative on campus.
This opportunity is open until filled and applicants have until June 30, 2024 to complete their project.
If you need some inspiration, please review the "Indigeponics - Community Food Resiliency Project" webpage to see what this student-led project accomplished.
Eligibility
Prospective applicants must be current members of the University community (student, staff, faculty, designated campus colleague, etc.). Students are especially encouraged to apply! Applicants from the University’s Main Campus in Tucson, the Sierra Vista Campus, and the Phoenix campus are all eligible to apply for funding.
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 and who will support reporting by pulling requested expenses against awarded funding and ensuring that funding is spent within awarded categories. 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.
Proposal restrictions and requirements
Please visit our webpage outlining proposal restrictions and requirements, as they will also apply to this opportunity. The primary restriction is that the CSF does not fund research-based projects that do not have an applied solution to campus sustainability challenges. Please review this page thoroughly.
Please consider what application requirements and details need to be identified in advance. Any project proposal that alters or makes modifications to campus requires Facilities Management consent and coordination as well as a quote through their online Estimate Request service portal. Please review our Estimate Request Guide for Facilities Management to learn more. The timeline to receive an authorization and 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 Support 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. Therefore, 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. The CSF highly recommends that projects that are set to take place in early spring with specific timelines apply in fall to allow themselves enough time.
Approved project requirements
Please visit our webpage outlining approved project requirements including tracking and reporting expectations, communication with the CSF Committee, and marketing of projects as they will also apply to this opportunity.
Virtual Office Hours
The CSF Committee members hold Virtual Office Hours dedicated for drop-ins! Please utilize them for anything CSF-related. Drop into Virtual Office Hours on Zoom when you have questions on your proposal idea and whether or not it fits within the scope of the Fund, how to strengthen your proposal’s application or impact, and anything else!
Ready to apply?
The CSF Committee is no longer accepting applications this semester. The application cycle will begin again in August 2024.
To apply, applicants will only need to submit one application through our online portal to have a more streamlined process. Please only submit a "Final Application."
The first step is to email the CSF Coordinator at emilyhaworth@arizona.edu to let them know you're applying.
To view our application questions, visit our application. If the application isn't open, please download the application template to review the questions.
Once you submit your application through the online portal, the Coordinator will email you shortly with a timeline of when you can expect your application to be reviewed and voted on.