Funding Standards

General Funding Rules

• Illinois students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to submit requests for funding sustainability projects. All student-led projects require a confirmed faculty or staff advisor and a staff financial contact in order to have funds awarded.
• Funding can only be granted to university-affiliated projects from Illinois students, faculty, and staff.
• As 100% of SSC funding is derived from student fees, all projects funded by these fees must provide substantial benefit to students.
• All projects funded by SSC must clearly demonstrate how sustainability is advanced through the project.
• SSC and SSC partners including iSEE (Institute for Sustainability, Energy, Environment), F&S (Facilities and Services), and the Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs reserve the right to deny a project if it is deemed not feasible.
• Student-led projects requesting $10,000 and less are eligible to submit a student-led application that will be voted on during SSC's bi-weekly voting meetings.
• All student-led projects requesting $10,001 and more as well as all projects with a faculty or staff as the Project Lead regardless of amount of request must submit a Step 1 application.
• All budgeted materials and supplies are expected to be of a sustainable nature (e.g., recycled, organic, plant-based, locally-made, regionally native and wild-type (for plants)) to the extent possible.
• All university vendor procurement policies are applicable to SSC grants. Please be sure to take this into consideration when you are planning your budget and project activities.
• NOTE: We will not reimburse for items purchased prior to funding being issued. 

Things SSC Can Fund, On A Case-By-Case Basis

(Student-Led Under 10K and Step 1/Step2 applications)

• SSC can fund feasibility studies and design work; however, such projects must work toward ultimately addressing a sustainability need on campus.
• SSC can fund staff positions filled by Illinois students that are related to improving campus sustainability. Strong preference will be given to proposals receiving matching funding from departments and/or plans for maintaining the continuity of the position after the end of the initial grant.
• SSC can fund outreach events with a central theme of sustainability, provided their primary audience is the campus community.
• SSC discourages requests for non-travel-related food and prizes but will consider proposals on a case-by-case basis.
• SSC can fund repairs and improvements to existing building systems as long as it works toward the goal of improving campus sustainability.

Things SSC Will Not Fund

• SSC will not fund projects with a primary end goal of generating revenue for university or non-University entities.
• SSC will not fund travel expenses, including personal lodging, food and beverage, rental vehicles, and mileage reimbursement.
• SSC will not fund tuition or other forms of personal financial assistance.
• SSC will not fund pay/stipends for faculty.