Green Fund

A grant program to provide students with the opportunity to devise projects that can improve campus sustainability and reduce the University's environmental impact.

As part of the University of Chicago’s commitment to student research, scholarship and innovation around sustainability, Campus and Student Life has launched a Green Fund in collaboration with the student-led UChicago Environmental Alliance (UCEA) and Undergraduate Student Government (USG). Up to $50,000 in grants will be available in the 2025-2026 academic year to support student-led research and projects for improving campus sustainability and reducing the University’s environmental impact.

Applying to the Green Fund

2025-2026 applications are now open! To apply to the Green Fund, please read the following webpage carefully for eligibility requirements and process. Please fill out the Proposal Form (open in Microsoft Word for optimal viewing) and submit it through the Application Google Form.

Fall quarter applications are now closed. Check back here for winter applications.

Green Fund applicants can expect to receive a funding decision via email by the end of the quarter during which they applied.

Questions? Get in touch at greenfund@uchicago.edu.

Who Can Apply

All current University of Chicago undergraduate, graduate and professional students and student groups are welcome to apply. Students may apply as individuals, teams or as part of a Recognized Student Organization (RSO). Teams may include faculty, other academic appointees and staff, but the project lead(s) should be students. Students must be enrolled and in good academic and disciplinary standing for the duration of their funded project. Grant awardees will be required to submit either a Midterm Poster or Report detailing the progress of their project one quarter after receiving funding, and are expected to present their findings at the Green Fund End of Year Symposium in the spring.

Proposal Criteria

Successful proposals will seek to examine and reduce the environmental impacts of University operations, broadly defined, via either original scholarly research or a stand-alone project. The research and/or project should have practical and tangible implications for one or more campus functions and UChicago’s overall sustainability goals.

Project proposals must reduce the environmental impacts of campus life, broadly defined. The student project should have tangible impacts; generally, one-time events will not be approved unless the event(s) are part of a larger initiative with tangible impacts. If additional funding is available, the Green Fund will consider approving one-time events as long as they have the potential for tangible impact on campus sustainability. Applicants should discuss how the project will be implemented, identify relevant stakeholders and create potential contingency plans.

Examples:

  • Establish composting in campus cafés
  • Create a community garden or greenhouse on campus
  • Implement a zero-waste initiative for major RSO events

Although the Green Fund has been in the past used to fund seed projects, the Green Fund now offers funding for long term projects and renews funding for pre-existing projects so long as there are remaining funds available after seed projects are funded, and pre-existing projects have proven successful in the past.

Tips for successful proposals:

  • Connect with relevant campus partners and get approval or confirmation of collaboration (this includes a consideration for your audience; for example, if you are a graduate student who wants to work within dining halls, connect with undergraduates who regularly visit these venues).
  • Create supporting materials such as graphics, images, surveys, etc. to further illustrate your project or demonstrate campus need (please note that supplemental materials must be anonymous and have no identifying characteristics).
  • Seek an advisor or mentor for the project.
  • Spend time creating an accurate and feasible budget.

Application Process

Green Fund grant proposals for 2025–26 can be submitted by one of the two following deadlines:

  • Fall cycle: Friday, October 31, 2025, at 11:59 PM CST (Week 5)
  • Winter cycle: Friday, February 6, 2026, at 11:59 PM CST (Week 5)

A maximum of $25,000 will be awarded in each application cycle. Applicants will be notified of their funding status by the end of the quarter during which they applied. Grants of $500-$5,000 will be awarded for impactful, short-term (≤1 year) research or projects. Grant proposals requesting over $5,000 for long-term (>1 year) research or projects will be considered with increased supervision and mentorship expectations.

If selected, the Green Fund will contact you by Week 5 as regards to the submission of the Midterm Report. You must submit the report within 5 weeks of when contacted or by the end of spring quarter, which ever date is soonest.

To be eligible for review, grant proposals must include the following:

  • Executive summary
  • Experiences and Qualifications of the applicant(s)
  • Needs Assessment: Problem or need at UChicago
  • Project Goals and Outcomes
  • Implementation Plan
  • Impact Statement
  • Evaluation Plan and Timeline: Metrics and key milestones for measuring project impact and defining success, including how results will be communicated to University stakeholders
  • Itemized Budget
  • Documentation of Mentorship (recommended)

Please note if your project receives funding, all corresponding promotional materials must state that the project was funded by the Green Fund.

2024-2025 Awardees

Congratulations to our recipients! Click the links below to view their quarterly reports.

Read reports from recipients from previous cycles here.