- Do SCIF projects have to be on campus?
- SCIF projects must be either on campus or directly associated with campus. There have been off-campus projects with University partners in the past. For more information, see past annual reports.
- What is a Sustainable Project?
- A sustainable project is a project that contributes to one or more of the following areas of consideration.
- Greenhouse gas reductions
- Energy conservation
- Water conservation
- Sewage and storm water output reduction
- All types of pollution reduction
- Hazardous waste
- Solid waste
- Liquid waste
- Gaseous emissions
- Operations improvements that decrease environmental impacts
- Environmental procurement practices
- Environmental leadership development within the University
- Number of individuals with improved environmental literacy and increased levels of participation in conservation/sustainable activities
- Education of and reputation building with surrounding community
- Creative ways to convey and communicate aspects of conservation and climate change to the larger university community
- A sustainable project is a project that contributes to one or more of the following areas of consideration.
- Who can apply for SCIF grants?
- Undergraduate students
- Graduate students
- Faculty
- Staff
- How can I use SCIF grant money?
- There are all sorts of projects that utilize SCIF funding. For more information, read the selection criteria and past annual reports.
- What is the best size grant for my project?
- Your grant size (small, medium, or large) should depend on your budget needs.
- Those working on projects for course credit are recommended to apply for small or medium grant awards.
- Those who have the flexibility to work on a project over multiple semesters (such as Block U final projects, theses, or departmental projects) are invited to apply for all three sizes of grants.
- Medium grant projects that require a high degree of campus approval or have a high degree of complexity may be asked to apply with large grants so applicants can have increased levels of support during the design and implementation processes.
- Do I need to work with any other departments on campus?
- Many project ideas require collaboration with other departments on campus. These cross-departmental collaborations can occur with a range of the departments, including:
- Facilities Management (including Energy Management, Landscape Maintenance, and Recycling)
- Dining Services
- Housing & Residential Education
- Academic Affairs
- Academic departments
- Athletics
- Student Services
- Undergraduate Research
- Many project ideas require collaboration with other departments on campus. These cross-departmental collaborations can occur with a range of the departments, including:
- Can I apply for more than one SCIF grant?
- Yes, you are able to apply for additional grants as long as past grant contracts are fulfilled.
- Students who have been successful on previous projects have a higher likelihood for success on larger/more-complex projects
- What do I need for SCIF?
- To be a student, faculty member, or staff member
- A project idea
- An advisor
- A budget
- An application
- To contact the SCIF manager
- Emerson Andrews, SCIF manager, 801-581-7510
- Who can be an advisor?
- Any University faculty or staff member.
- Does SCIF give me credit?
- No, but some classes have SCIF projects built into their curriculum.
- Who decides whether or not a SCIF project receives funding?
- There is a seven-person committee, called the SCIF Allocations Committee, comprised of a cross section of campus that makes decisions for all grants over $1,000.
- See more information on the SCIF Allocations Committee
- For all projects less than $1,000, the decisions are made by the SCIF Micro-grant Committee, which is comprised of the chief sustainability officer, a student representative, and the SCIF manager.
- There is a seven-person committee, called the SCIF Allocations Committee, comprised of a cross section of campus that makes decisions for all grants over $1,000.
- What is the process?
- The application process is as follows:
- Set up a meeting with the SCIF manager.
- Plan and design your project.
- Contact all relevant parties – SCIF manager can help.
- Submit rough draft of application and proposal to the SCIF manager for review.
- If you are planning on doing a project that will change the landscape or is permanent, please refer to the SCIF Landscape Structure Checklist.
- Once feedback is received, revise your application and submit final draft to SCIF manager.
- All final drafts will be sent to the Allocations Committee.
- The Allocations Committee will meet to discuss the project. During this time it is common for the committee to provide questions and feedback for the applicant.
- The applicant will have one week to draft responses that will then be submitted to the Allocations Committee for final decision.
- The Allocations Committee will vote on all submitted applications (this process can range between 1-2 weeks).
- The SCIF manager will inform all candidates about the decisions and then all approved projects will begin
- The application process is as follows:
- How do I complete a SCIF project?
- Make sure you gather and submit all of the following
- A line-item budget and copies of all receipts/invoices
- At least 5 photos of the project
- A 100-200 word abstract summarizing the project
- Fill out the final report form and submit it to the SCIF manager – found here.
- Make sure you gather and submit all of the following