Tufts University
IN-40: Sustainability Projects Fund

The Green Fund (a.k.a Campus Sustainability Fund) is a program to provide funding for the implementation of sustainability projects and ideas from and for the Tufts community. Students, faculty, and staff from all of Tufts' campuses are eligible and encouraged to apply. The funds come from the Sustainable Investment Fund’s endowment payout, which refreshes every year, making the program accessible to non-payback sustainability enhancements. Each year, the program can fund any number of projects with budgets totaling $40,000.

The fund is managed by a committee made up of students, faculty, and staff from all of Tufts' four campuses. A student intern is paid to organize the decisions of the committee between meetings, follow up with project implementation, to create progress reports, and other tasks that may arise. They will serve as a support position to the Green Fund and serve as a member.

Timeline for the 2021-22 Application Process

By October 1st, 2021 at 11:59pm, interested parties will submit the initial idea submission form.
The Green Fund committee reviews all the proposals for duplicates, redundancy, and any unattainable ideas (e.g. putting a wind turbine on a building that has known structural issues). The committee will vote on whether to advance each project to the next round of the application process.
All proposed projects are posted to this website for public viewing.
By October 15th, applicants will know whether their project is advancing to the next round. Applicants may be asked clarifying questions or provided with feedback to help refine their idea.
Applicants that are asked to submit answers to clarifying questions from the selection committee must do so by October 22nd at 11:59pm EST. The committee will then vote on whether each project will advance to the next stage. The next stage includes submitting a detailed revised project proposal.
All projects invited to submit a revised proposal must complete and submit them by November 18th at 11:59pm.
Ideas that are chosen to move to the final stage will be notified by December 1st. Between this and the final stage, the committee may ask further clarifying questions.
Those selected to advance to the final stage will be asked to present their project in front of the committee and the Tufts Community on December 13th at 7:00 pm in Alumnae Lounge on the Medford/Somerville Campus. There will be a virtual Zoom option for those who want to attend virtually.
Depending on the funding requested, one or more finalists will be selected. All funding decisions will be made by the end of December 2021.

Funds are provided from the returns of a special endowment fund, not a donor, department, or student fees.