About the Green Fund

Potential projects that could be approved by the Green Fund Committee include any type of educational project or event (e.g. art exhibit, speaker, workshop, performance art) related to sustainability, sustainability enhancements (e.g. student-designed green roof or rain garden, solar charging stations, drinking water solution for events), pilot programs, student projects to study potential resource saving strategies, etc. Projects are not required to have a financial payback. Projects should take place on one of the campus locations and be focused on serving the Tufts community.

Applying to the Green Fund is a simple, one-step process. Applicants complete the application form and follow the submission instructions located at the bottom of the form. The application will ask questions regarding the project idea, who would be involved, estimated costs, and how the project would benefit the Tufts community.

There are two rounds of funding each year, allowing the Tufts community to take advantage of this program often. Funds for accepted projects will be released soon after the application due date to fast-track project implementation.

The first round of funding applications are due in early September and the second round is due in early January. See the current application page for specific dates.

Funded proposals approved for implementation may be provided with assistance in the form of staff time in order to begin the implementation process of the project(s) within the next calendar year.

Project teams must submit a report at the conclusion of the project that outlines the impact it has had on the Tufts community, including metrics such as energy or emissions saved, people, reached, etc.

These are a list of criteria that will be considered, but applicants do not need to satisfy all requirements:

• Environmental impact (energy savings, emissions reductions, water reductions, etc.)
• Social impact
• Education
• Feasibility (including whether or not the applicant is willing and able to contribute time to any project requiring heavy student involvement and adherence to all federal, state, local and Tufts rules and regulations)
• Ability to measure success
• Immediate cost savings (if relevant)
• Life Cycle Cost savings (including impacts on operating budget)
• Regulatory compliance
• Public relations value
• The Tufts Community’s interest and support
• Number of collaborators from different disciplines/constituents (e.g. faculty, staff and students)
• Sustainability of the project in regards to the timeline of the overall initiative (e.g. one time and ongoing projects will both be considered)

Linked here is a list of past rejected Green Fund projects and their reasons for rejection. This document is an example of projects that have been rejected for specific reasons related to the above criteria.

Each year, the program can fund any number of projects with budgets adding up to $40,000.

Projects can include the funds needed for student workers as part of their proposal.

Please use this form to describe a sustainability project that you are interested in having implemented at Tufts.

• Funded applicants will need to provide a financial contact (a staff person at the university) to manage the funds.
• All Green Fund funded projects will need to have some sort of signage referencing the Green Fund.
  • The Office of Sustainability has logos for the funded projects
  • This signage will need to be approved by Office of Sustainability staff.
•  There will be periodic check-ins with the Green Fund intern on the progress of the project.
• At the end of the project applicants will be asked to provide a report on their project.

Have questions? Email our Green Fund Intern at GreenFund@tufts.edu.