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Getting Started
Getting started can feel overwhelming and we understand that. If you would like to schedule an appointment with us to walk through these details, we are happy to help.
Reach out to Merriah, our Outreach Coordinator, to schedule an appointment with a team member: hsfoutreach@uw.edu .
Table of Contents
Eligibility
Anyone requesting funding from the Husky Sustainability Fund must meet at least one of the following eligibility requirements:
- UW Tacoma registered student
- UW Tacoma RSO
- UW Tacoma Faculty working with UW-Tacoma students
- UW Tacoma staff working with UW-Tacoma students
All projects seeking funding from the Husky Sustainability Fund must meet the following basic eligibility criteria:
- The project must address a social, environmental, or economic sustainability issue.
- The project must directly impact the UW Tacoma campus or the surrounding community.
- The person submitting the project must be a student, faculty, or staff member at UW-Tacoma.
- Projects must provide the necessary documents, letters of support, and project authorization from relevant partnering departments prior to submission.
Special Note: If you are seeking conference, training, or travel funding please apply to the Conference and Training Fund.
Funding Guidelines
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The HSF cannot provide advanced payment for services;
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The HSF cannot cover the labor costs expended by UW faculty or staff working on HSF projects;
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Funding cannot be used to purchase gift cards;
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The HSF will not fund food, drinks, or for-sale merchandise as a part of project budgets;
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HSF will not fund any conference/training requests ;
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The HSF cannot fund travel requests;
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The HSF will not cover student tuition. Any projects including tuition requests will be denied;
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The HSF will not fund projects that should be financed by another department without a thorough explanation;
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The HSF will not approve funding for permanent positions;
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The HSF cannot provide funding for living creatures with very limited exceptions;
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The HSF cannot provide funding for permanent furniture pieces that require special procurement processes and/or approvals;
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The HSF will not fund projects that go against the guidelines of the University of Washington and local, state, and federal laws.
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Before requesting funding for tech devices, the HSF expects that thorough research has been carried out on the handling and upkeep of the equipment, as well as having received a reasonable product rating (ex: 4.0/5 minimum review) to ensure its use and longevity;
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Any funds allocated to a project that has not started within 3 months of the indicated project timeline, may be rescinded by the HSF Committee and reallocated to other projects. Amendments to timelines may be submitted before the three month deadline;
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HSF funds are not to be used for any purposes other than those outlined in the original application. Any change to fund allocation requires a submitted amendment and approval before official spending may occur;
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HSF fund recipients must keep a full accounting of their expenditures and report the status of their budget and project at least two times a quarter. At the completion of a project, fund recipients will be expected to submit a full impact report outlining student leadership, student participation, awareness, and improvement of campus sustainability;
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Requests for additional funding will be considered on a rolling basis by the HSF Team and voted on during quarterly HSF Committee meetings.
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HSF Funding may be used to purchase materials to complete a project. Please consider sustainability when requesting materials (See Preferred Vendor list);
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Promotional items are allowable only if justified as supporting a core aspect of a project or initiative on campus.
The HSF is funded by student fees and will be used to support not only student-led projects, but provide limited financial support for student stipends as determined appropriate by the HSF Committee. If a project is requesting funding for student compensation, the following funding preferences should be considered:
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HSF will give funding preference to requests that support the creation of a formal internship under a faculty member or campus organization/department;
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Compensation requests will only be considered when tasks are clearly outlined and completed during any paid time funded by HSF. In addition, applicants are encouraged to provide any additional information justifying the requested compensation amount in the budget template;
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All compensation requests must include fringe into the final budget requested.
The HSF has limited funds for large infrastructure proposals, but when appropriate will invest in one-time transformational interventions in campus operations. The HSF cannot fund routine operations that would normally be covered by the larger university budget. When considering projects led by campus departments, preference will be given to projects demonstrating that they are not likely to be feasible or undertaken in the near future without HSF funding support, and can demonstrate that they will be operationally sustainable long term. Examples of projects include but are not limited to: implementation of larger solar panel arrays, creation of green spaces, university construction projects, etc.
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The eligibility of funding for an event is at the discretion of the HSF Team. Any recurring event should show the following in order to be eligible for funding after the first award:
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If using HSF funds to purchase more sustainable products or materials, the event organizer must provide use and waste reduction data to the HSF Team;
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Quantifiable impact and student participation data;
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Demonstrate improvement or new innovation upon the previous event.
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HSF will only provide funding for research if the project has an actionable component on the UWT campus.
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An actionable component could include a pilot project, educational session/demonstration/workshop, or feasibility study outlining specific actionable next steps.
You can only submit one amendment per approved proposal for up to 50% of the total amount of the original allocation.
Types of Grants
Mini Grant
A mini grant funds projects that are $1000 or less.
Mini grant applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout each quarter. Small-scale projects may include but are not limited to: making student events more sustainable, pilot or feasibility studies, sustainable materials, etc.
Large Grant
A large grant funds projects that are more than $1000.
Large grant applications are accepted for review once a quarter. Large grants are intended to fund projects that will be implemented in the following quarter and will likely need more approvals from campus departments and organizations. Large grants will require you to meet with a HSF team member before starting the application process.
Mini Grants
Project Guidelines
- Projects must directly benefit or impact UWT students.
- Projects must demonstrate an application to sustainability: environmental, social, or economic.
- Projects seeking funding within the same quarter as submitted must do so three weeks in advance of the planned event/project implementation.
- Funding for events must incorporate/address at two pillars of sustainability.
- Because of the dollar amount restrictions on mini grants, we will only consider funding personnel compensation on a case by case basis.
- The HSF cannot fund any food or gifts.
Special Note: If you are seeking conference, training, or travel funding please apply to the Conference and Training Fund.
Application Deadline
The HSF Team accepts mini-grant proposals on a rolling basis throughout each quarter. You may submit requests and be approved for funding anytime during each quarter until the following deadlines:
Important Dates | Autumn Quarter | Winter 2025 | Spring 2025 | Summer 2025 |
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Classes Begin/ Grants Open | 25-Sep-24 | 6-Jan-25 | 31-Mar-25 | 23-Jun-25 |
Mini Grants | Rolling Review | Rolling Review | Rolling Review | Rolling Review - review hiatus in June |
Large Grants
Project Guidelines
Projects requesting funding from the Husky Sustainability Fund will be evaluated based on how they address the following:
- Three Pillars: Projects should address at least one sustainability pillar including environmental, social, or economic. A strong preference will be given to projects with heavy student participation.
- Sustainable Impact: Projects should build a more robust culture of sustainability. Possible sustainable impacts can include:
- Social sustainability: providing or expanding representation of underrepresented communities, interdisciplinary collaboration, wellness/health/safety, community engagement, and sustainable community building
- Environmental sustainability: reducing carbon footprints, reducing resource use, biodiversity, improving habitats and living systems, and environmental justice.
- Economic sustainability: reducing the ongoing adverse financial impact on the university, students, and the community
- Student Involvement: Student initiated projects will be prioritized over all other projects. If staff or faculty is involved with a project, the roles of all individuals must be clearly outlined in the application materials. Projects must center student voices, needs, and demonstrate student leadership and involvement throughout the application process to be considered for funding.
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Initiatives focusing on serving the diverse student body at UW Tacoma will be prioritized. All projects aiming to create greater accessibility, safety, and student wellness will be given priority during funding decisions.
- Education, Outreach, and Behavior Change: All projects seeking funding must include an education/outreach component to help cultivate a more engaged and inclusive community. If a project is not visible or interactive, the education and outreach plan will need to include strategies for student awareness and provide a monitoring plan to ensure project transparency.
- Feasibility and Accountability: Applicants must provide proper departmental/organizational approvals and demonstrate the necessary technical knowledge to complete the project. We encourage students to utilize the knowledge and support of a faculty or staff member. The Husky Sustainability Fund cannot provide significant funding for ongoing maintenance or staffing, therefore the project should demonstrate a plan to meet long-term needs.
- Reporting and Communication: Professors, Staff and Students who request funding for both Mini and Large Grants are required to submit all project deliverables and reports prior to the completion of each academic quarter. This is to ensure that all required components are addressed before scheduled quarter breaks. If your proposed project spans over multiple quarters, we will request a Project Completion date.
Application Deadline
The HSF Committee will only hold one voting meeting per quarter to review and vote on proposals. The application, voting, and notification deadlines are as follows.
Important Dates | Autumn Quarter | Winter 2025 | Spring 2025 | Summer 2025 |
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Classes Begin/ Grants Open | 25-Sep-24 | 6-Jan-25 | 31-Mar-25 | 23-Jun-25 |
Large Grants | December 6th | 1/6/2025- 3/31/2025 | 3/31/2025-5/25/25 | September 12th |
Application Forms
Apply here: https://forms.office.com/r/5xZ8w2uJ0M
Before applying for a large grant please book a meeting virtually or in person with a member of our team. This meeting will ensure that your project fits into HSF funding guidelines, allows our team to connect you with resources on campus, and will save you time.
Apply here: https://forms.office.com/r/DwS3DQTFCM
You can only submit one amendment per approved proposal for up to 50% of the total amount of the original allocation. Amendments go through the same review process as other grants and are not guaranteed approval.
Submit here: https://forms.office.com/r/7U6atQQejA
Fill out the details of your project status here: https://forms.office.com/r/C521sH2fGk
Please fill out this form when you have completed your project: https://forms.office.com/r/y8kRuBduBC
Grant Review Process
- Once submitted, the HSF team will review your application;
- We will contact you with any questions, concerns, or clarifications;
- Mini grants: The HSF team will review and vote on applications on a rolling basis each quarter;
- Large grants: Once vetted, all large grants will be presented to the HSF Committee for a vote;
- Final funding decisions will be sent to you via email;
- As needed, submit midway and final project status reports.