GREEN GRANTS
Our grant competition for sustainable projects on campus.
COVID-19 UPDATE
Due to the unforeseen circumstances wrought by COVID-19, the Green Grants competition and the President’s Sustainable Solutions Challenge will be postponed until further notice. If you would like to submit an idea to the ASCP for funding in the interim, you may submit a proposal at any time. We recommend reaching out to us beforehand so we can connect you with campus resources and knowledge!
THE CHALLENGE
Do you have an idea to make the Auraria campus more sustainable? Partner with classmates and friends from any institution to develop a "Green Grants" proposal for the chance to see your project implemented and/or win a prize!
In 2020, the Auraria Sustainable Campus Program decided to elevate the presence of our proposal process through a grant funding competition: Green Grants. In this challenge, students will present well-thought-out proposals to fund on-campus sustainability projects that support the ASCP’s mission. Be sure to monitor the spring grant schedule below to stay up-to-date with all Green Grant developments.
*CU Students can participate in this competition and the University of Colorado's President's Sustainable Solutions Challenge (PSSC). CU Denver Students have the option to pursue the final round of the PSSC by first participating in the ASCP's Campus Pitch Night on April 9th. Round One of the PSSC at Auraria will be judged by the same panel evaluating applicants to Green Grants, but will include an additional CU Denver judge. They will weigh the "innovation" criteria in conjunction with the ASCP's criteria. The top two teams from CU’s PSSC will be selected to continue on to the final round, held at CU Boulder on April 22nd. For more information, please visit cu.edu/pssc.
REGISTRATION
Students are encouraged to register to compete by filling out the registration form before March 20th.
Note: CU Denver students pursuing the PSSC must register on this form and the Green Grants registration form by March 9th.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Proposal will be evaluated by the criteria outlined in the proposal application; Impact, Feasibility and Justification, as well as by the clarity and presentation of the proposal itself. The evaluation rubric will be posted later in February. CU Denver students pursuing the PSSC will additionally be evaluated on the innovation of their project (see PSSC criteria here) by a CU Denver representative to determine whether or not they will pass through to the final round.
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS (SMEs)
We will be identifying Subject Matter Experts that can provide a real world “reality check,” as well as guidance on the direction of proposals as they evolve. A list of SMEs will be provided at the end of February. In the meantime, stop by one of our Open Office Hours/Info Sessions to gauge the feasibility and scope of your idea!
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
The ASCP will be hosting a ROI and a Triple Bottom Line workshop as part of our Spring Workshop Series. We recommend applicants attend these workshops in order to bolster their applications, but this is not mandatory.
*CU students can earn a Sustainability Leadership Certificate by registering through MyLinks! Learn more and register for this certification here!
PROPOSAL BUILDING
Download the proposal form and submit your proposal by April 1st to compete. Teams are encouraged to register ahead of time and attend Open Office Hours/Info Sessions. The ASCP works across seven pillars of sustainability, with an overarching goal of reducing the campus’s ecological footprint and greenhouse gas emissions. To learn more about our campus sustainability efforts and tailor your proposal to support or enhance our mission, check out all the guides, reports, and research on our resource page. Pay special attention to the Draft 5-Year Strategic Plan and 2018-2019 Annual Report (includes ASCP goals for each pillar). It's highly encourage you read documents relevant to your proposal idea as the discovery process is well-weighted in our campus evaluation criteria.