Campus Sustainability Grants
Spring 2008 Request for Proposals
Purpose
Campus Sustainability Grants provide funds for individuals or teams of UC Davis students, staff and faculty to research, develop and design solutions to campus sustainability challenges. Grants will be awarded for projects fostering a more sustainable campus.
Funding Amount
Proposals submitted in response to this solicitation will be competing for a total of $11,525. Past awards from the Campus Sustainability Grant program have ranged from $295 to $4000.
Eligibility
This competition is open to all undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty and staff at UC Davis in all departments and disciplines. Students and employees must be enrolled or in active service for the expected duration of their proposed project.
Project teams with more than one applicant, interdisciplinary teams, interdepartmental teams and teams composed of a mix of students, faculty and staff are highly encouraged. Proposals submitted by single applicants will also be accepted. All team applicants must choose an individual to serve as the Primary Applicant. This is the person who will be responsible for reporting on the project. Faculty, instructors and course organizers may also submit proposals on behalf of a future course whose participants are yet to be determined (as long as the course will take place in the time frame of this competition).
Prior recipients of Campus Sustainability Grants are eligible for this competition.
Selection Criteria
Priority will be given to proposals which demonstrate:
- High relevance and impact
- Originality and innovation
- Cost-effective use of funds
- High potential for success
Applicants should review the grant evaluation form (pdf) that will be used by reviewers for details about each of these criteria.
Proposals will be compared to one another and to projects funded by past Campus Sustainability Grants.
Reviewers will be looking to award a mix of projects that makes the best possible use of the funds available during the current funding cycle.
Proposals that include any new structure or adaptation to an existing structure must be reviewed and approved by the appropriate department(s) prior to submission of the grant proposal (see FAQ). Additionally, proposals that include skilled trade work by university staff, for installation or maintenance, may entail additional costs for project management, inspections, permits and/or trade work. These should be factored into the project budget proposal.
Review and Award Procedures and Timeline
Wed, May 7, 2008, 5 p.m. |
Deadline to submit proposals to Matthew Guilfoil, mguilfoil@ucdavis.edu (Office of Administration). |
May 9 – May 23, 2008 |
Proposals reviewed by members of the UC Davis Sustainability Advisory Committee and its Education and Outreach Subcommittee. |
Tuesday, May 27, 2008 |
Award announcements made via the Sustainability Web site and e-mail. All applicants whose e-mail is provided in the application should be notified of their status. |
Thurs, June 12, 2008 |
Deadline to confirm acceptance of the award with Matthew Guilfoil, mguilfoil@ucdavis.edu. Matthew will work with the awardees to complete the Memorandum of Understanding, which much be signed before the funds are distributed. The Memorandum of Understanding will define the progress and final report due dates, grant administration details,* and any permissions or approvals that must be formalized. If a confirmation is not received by this date the award may be rescinded. |
Mon, June 23, 2008 |
Earliest award distribution. Awardees will work with Damian Chapman (Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administration), dachapman@ucdavis.edu, to sign the Memorandum of Understanding. Before signing the Memorandum of Understanding, all award recipients will need to supply a UC Davis department or organization fund number.* |
To be determined |
Progress report due – a brief, informal report should be submitted to mguilfoil@ucdavis.edu. This is not required for projects lasting under 3 months. |
To be determined |
Final report due – this more detailed report evaluates the project effectiveness, reports project results and addresses all components of the original proposal. It must be submitted to mguilfoil@ucdavis.edu. |
Tues, June 23, 2009 |
Maximum project duration, including final reporting. |
* All grant awards are administered through university departmental accounts. Funds cannot be disbursed to personal bank accounts. Therefore, individual projects need to be sponsored by a university department. This could be the department that offers your major, a student organization or the department where you work. Sponsors need not have any involvement beyond administering grant funds. These arrangements will need to be made, and a UC Davis account number provided to Damian Chapman dachapman@ucdavis.edu, before your Memorandum of Understanding is signed.
Proposal Preparation and Submission
Applications must be submitted electronically in Microsoft Word or PDF format. The proposal form for this solicitation is available to download at http://sustainability.ucdavis.edu/grants/forms/2008-Spring/proposal-form.doc. All completed forms should be submitted to mguilfoil@ucdavis.edu by Wednesday, May 7, 2008, at 5 p.m.
Instructions for each section are as follows:
1. Cover Sheet
The cover sheet specifies the primary applicant, who will be responsible for meeting all requirements of the grant and will be accountable for use of university funds allotted for this grant. This section should also include an abstract, or summary of the project – goals, audience, processes. The abstract may be published if the project is awarded.
2. Additional Team Members, Project Advisors and Collaborators
All additional team members, project advisors and project collaborators should be listed in the project proposal. Collaborators are people who are indirectly involved with the project – authorizing space, structural changes, donating materials, agreeing to maintenance, providing environmental health and safety inspections, etc.
3. Project Proposal
A successful proposal will clearly describe who the project will influence, how it will be carried out, why it should be a priority on the UC Davis campus, how much it will cost, and how its outcomes will be measured (i.e. resources saved, students educated, etc.). If the project goals are long-term, i.e. beyond the duration of the project or grant timeframe, the proposal should still give an idea of what would constitute “success” over time and how it might be measured down the road.
The proposal may also include a brief biography of the applicant(s), describing their interest in the subject and how it fits into their professional or personal goals.
If the proposed project includes a new or adapted structure, or a substantive change to an established university procedure, the proposal must include a description of contacts made, permissions needed to ensure the successful implementation of this project.
PROJECT CONSULTING
The Campus Sustainability Advisory Committee realizes that applicants may wish to explore ways to focus their general topic so that it is of more relevance to the campus. For example, they may wish to learn about what research has already been done regarding their topic or how their project might be integrated into campus practice or policy. There are many contacts on the UC Davis campus who are experts on several of the topics being addressed in the proposals. Should applicants wish to make contact with any of these resources during the course of the proposal writing process, they may make inquiries to members of the Campus Sustainability Advisory Committee or its Education and Outreach Subcommittee, or ask Matthew Guilfoil, mguilfoil@ucdavis.edu.
4. Project Budget
All supplies, equipment and other expenses must be itemized to the best of the applicants’ ability. Budgets that do not include itemized listings may either be disqualified or returned to the applicant(s) to complete, which will delay the review process.
The budget should document estimated project start and end dates, including final reporting. No project costs funded by this grant should be incurred prior to June 23, 2008 or after June 23, 2009.
The budget should describe and itemize all costs associated with the project. Funds are intended for materials and supplies necessary to achieve project goals. At this time, grants for travel, food and/or entertainment expenses will not be awarded. For projects involving large time requirements and low material costs, honoraria to cover labor costs up to $500 per month will be considered. These “labor” honoraria are applicable only for graduate and undergraduate students who are listed as team members in the project proposal. Such honoraria must be clearly justified in the proposal and may not be used to pay wages for departmental student employees. Presenter honorariums will also be considered. A minimal amount of costs may be requested for skilled trade services needed for installation or maintenance, but departments are encouraged to arrange such services in-kind in support of campus sustainability. Members of the Campus Sustainability Advisory Committee may be able to facilitate this.
If applicable, please include a description of other funding amounts and sources (including any in-kind contributions) that you will leverage with the Campus Sustainability Grant.
Questions
, 530.754.6600; Grant Program Logistics, campus operations 'expert' liaison; Business Analyst, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administration
; Grant Review Committee Chair; Chair, Education and Outreach Subcommittee of the Campus Sustainability Advisory Committee; Communications and Marketing Manager, John Muir Insitute of the Environment