Investment & Finance

Introduction

Collectively, colleges and universities invest hundreds of billions of dollars. Like other decisions that institutions make, these investments have impacts that are both local and global in scope. Institutions with transparent and democratic investment processes promote accountability and engagement by the campus and community. By using the tools of sustainable investing, institutions can improve the long-term health of their endowments, encourage better corporate behavior, support innovation in sustainable products and services, support sustainability in their community, and help build a more just and sustainable financial system.

719 resources

Leveling Up Sustainability Funds for Strategic Goals and Bigger Impact

  • University of Washington, Seattle (WA)
  • McGill University (QC)

In today's rapidly changing world, sustainability initiatives have become paramount for higher education institutions. As universities embrace their responsibility to lead by example, the management of campus sustainability funds ...

  • Posted Feb. 21, 2024
  • Conference Presentations
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Investing in the Just Transition: How to Leverage Your Endowment

  • University of New Hampshire (NH)
  • Intentional Endowments Network (MA)
  • Mercer Investment Consulting (MD)
  • Global Endowment Management (NC)

The half trillion dollars in endowment funds invested by the nation's higher education institutions represent a relatively untapped resource containing immense economic and social power. The past few years ...

  • Posted Feb. 21, 2024
  • Conference Presentations
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Transforming the Future of Finance Through Student Engagement

  • Bentley University (MA)
  • Harvard University (MA)
  • Northeastern University (MA)
  • Intentional Endowments Network (MA)

This session will discuss the growth and proliferation of student-managed investment funds pursuing sustainable investing strategies, as well as the growth of sustainable investing curriculum development. Speakers will highlight examples ...

  • Posted Feb. 21, 2024
  • Conference Presentations
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Climate Crisis University: Federal Funds for Transitioning Campuses of Zero Waste Zero Emissions

  • Haverford College (PA)
  • Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc. (GBB) (VA)

The recent passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) signifies that for the first time in the history of the United States, the full financial power of the federal government ...

  • Posted Feb. 21, 2024
  • Conference Presentations
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Moving Money: A reinvestment toolkit for college climate activists

  • Harvard University (MA)
  • University of New Hampshire (NH)
  • Warren Wilson College (NC)
  • Whitman College (WA)

This toolkit, written by college students in the US and Canada, outlines key steps in the process of launching a reinvestment campaign.


Notre Dame makes historic compensation investment, surpassing $75 million

  • University of Notre Dame (IN)

Landscape crew managing greens in front of the golden dome


HKUST the First to Launch New ESG Investment Policy for its Net-Zero Carbon Goal

  • Hong Kong University of Science & Technology (Hong Kong)

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) became the first university in Hong Kong to make a pledge to eliminate investments in fossil fuels, with a concrete environmental ...


FIEUS

  • Université de Sherbrooke (QC)

The Student Investment Fund of the Université de Sherbrooke (FIEUS) is a responsible fund for close to one million dollars for the benefit of the University. It is managed by ...


Teddy Toro (CSUDH)- Finance and Investment

  • California State University, Dominguez Hills (CA)

SCI 2023 photo, Top Performer, Investment & Finance


Greening the Bottom Line: Advancing Institutional Sustainability Goals With Green Revolving Funds

  • Sustainable Endowments Institute (MA)

Greening the Bottom Line: Advancing Institutional Sustainability Goals with Green Revolving Funds tracks the latest trends and highlights best practices to enable more institutions and communities to learn about and ...

  • Posted Aug. 17, 2023
  • Publications
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Higher Ed and Climate Provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA)
  • Aspen Institute (NY)
  • Second Nature

With $369 billion in climate and energy provisions, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) signifies the largest climate investment in US history and has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by ...


Funding Opportunities from DOE to Advance Climate Solutions

  • AASHE (PA)
  • United States Department of Energy (DC)
  • Urban Sustainability Directors Network (IL)

A webinar brought to you by AASHE, Second Nature, and the Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP) at the Department of Energy.

The Office of State and Community ...

  • Posted July 26, 2023
  • Videos & Webinars
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Using Strategies Elites Understand: Divestment as an Approach to Social Change

  • Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick Campus (NJ)
  • University of Southern California (CA)

Over the past 50 years, student activists and community organizers on college campuses have advocated for divestment as a strategy to enact necessary change. These activists and organizers are often ...

  • Posted June 15, 2023
  • Publications
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Ameresco leads partnership in establishing Colorado’s largest of its kind battery energy storage system complex at Colorado Mountain College

  • Colorado Mountain College (CO)
  • Ameresco, Inc. (MA)

As the largest installation of its kind in Colorado, completed in September 2022, the combined solar and battery work furthers HCE’s goal of increasing the clean energy sources it ...


Divestment and its Effects on Enrollment: A Win-Win?

  • University of the Incarnate Word (TX)

In the burgeoning field of research on university divestment campaigns, much has been written about the motivations, validity, and outcomes of divestment movements at campuses in North America and the ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
  • Conference Presentations
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Making the Case: Raise Funds, Cultivate Donors, & Position Sustainability as a Strategic Priority

  • Stanford University (CA)
  • Swarthmore College (PA)

Want to raise money for sustainability?! Come learn how to partner effectively with advancement officers to “make the case” to raise funds for sustainability at colleges and universities. Learn about ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
  • Conference Presentations
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Fossil Fuel Divestment in US Schools: Lessons From Analysis

  • Smith College (MA)

The fossil fuel divestment movement was started in 2011 as a response to the climate crisis. Since the first divestment announcement from a U.S. higher education institution (HEI) in ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
  • Conference Presentations
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Lightning Talks: Governance & Administration

  • Austin College (TX)
  • Ball State University (IN)
  • Southern New Hampshire University (NH)

This session consists of 3 15-minute Lightning Talk sessions related to governance and administration. The Lightning Talks are: Harvesting Carbon Capital: Using the Carbon Credit Purchasing Program (C2P2) - This session ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
  • Conference Presentations
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Franklin University Switzerland’s ACT Program: A Case Study in Stakeholder Carbon Markets for College Campuses

  • Franklin University Switzerland (Ticino)

At Franklin University Switzerland, Academic Travel (“AT”) has historically been the university-funded activity that generates the greatest amount of carbon emissions by the Franklin community each year. In order to ...


CSUF Unleashes 1.16MW of Solar Power

  • California State University, Fullerton (CA)

With a flip of the switch, Cal State Fullerton continues to capitalize on the power of the sun.

The university today celebrated the completion of a solar-energy network for the ...

  • Posted April 19, 2023
  • Photographs
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Campus Physical Master Plan

  • California State University, Fullerton (CA)

CSUF's Campus Physical Master Plan is our blueprint for providing a safe, sustainable, welcoming and cohesive learning environment that supports student success into the future.

The Campus Master Plan ...

  • Posted March 6, 2023
  • Publications
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Sustainability Policies and Plans in Higher Education: Recommendations for Florida State University

  • Florida State University (FL)

This capstone project examines how higher education institutions (HEIs) use policies and plans to institutionalize their commitments to sustainability and the key success factors that influence their implementation. A systematic ...

  • Posted Nov. 10, 2022
  • Publications
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Alternative Energy Initiatives

  • University of Idaho (ID)

This $1.75 per full time student, per semester fee provides funding to innovative student-led campus projects relating to alternative energy and green infrastructure to further the university's goal ...


Support for Strategic Initiatives

  • Middlebury College (VT)

The Provost has funds available to support initiatives that further Middlebury’s strategy. The Provost’s Academic Council (PAC) makes decisions about which ideas to pursue and prioritize, consulting regularly ...


Charity fundraising basketball game to support the underprivileged

  • National Tsing Hua University

NTHU partners with local businesses to host charity basketball tournament to raise funds for scholarships for economically disadvantaged students.


Successful alumni donate to remediate representative school lakes

  • National Tsing Hua University

The most representative lake on campus needs remediation, and successful alumni donated funds.


Sustainable Investments Concordia University

  • Concordia University (QC)

Concordia's GM and MB buildings where business courses such as courses on sustainable investing are taught.


Concentration in Sustainable Investing

  • Bentley University (MA)

Finance majors have the option of a concentration in Sustainable Investing and all majors are eligible for a sustainable investing minor. Students graduating from this curriculum will have knowledge in ...

  • Posted June 10, 2022
  • Academic Programs
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Minor in Sustainable Investing

  • Bentley University (MA)

Finance majors have the option of a concentration in Sustainable Investing and all majors are eligible for a sustainable investing minor. Students graduating from this curriculum will have knowledge in ...

  • Posted June 10, 2022
  • Academic Programs
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Katz Graduate Certificate in Sustainability

  • University of Pittsburgh (PA)

Any Katz MBA student is eligible to pursue the Katz Graduate Certificate in Sustainability in addition to their declared degree program. This 10.5 credit certificate guides students to act ...

  • Posted June 10, 2022
  • Academic Programs
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Green Revolving Loan Fund

  • Weber State University (UT)

In 2010, Weber State University created a $5 million revolving loan fund to finance energy efficiency projects, water conservation projects, and renewable energy projects. Money is borrowed from this fund ...


Climate Action Commitment Roadshow Series

  • Virginia Tech (VA)

Virginia Tech recently approved a revised version of the Climate Action Commitment. To educate the campus community about it, our Climate Action, Sustainability, and Energy (CASE) Office went on a ...


Can student managed investment funds (SMIFs) narrow the environmental, social and governance (ESG) skills gap?

  • Queen's University
  • Memorial University of Newfoundland (NL)

The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, it endeavors to document the current state of environmental, social and governance (ESG) pedagogy within undergraduate finance courses of business schools, and ...


The nexus between stakeholders’ materiality and sustainable development goals: evidence from higher education institutions

  • Yildiz Technical University

The purpose of this study is to shed light on the association between stakeholders’ materiality and the sustainable development goals (SDGs), highlighting how higher education institutions (HEIs) can pursue sustainable ...


Pathways to eliminate carbon emissions via renewable energy investments at higher education institutions

  • Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Newark Campus (NJ)

Higher education institutions are among the many public and private sector entities that have committed to long-term sustainability goals in response to the threat of climate change. A key challenge ...


Green Fund for UofL

  • University of Louisville (KY)

The UofL Green Fund provides the seed money to help start and advance campus sustainability initiatives and pilot projects for which additional financial support will be required. Anyone who has ...


Energy Efficiency Reserve

  • Washington University in St. Louis (MO)

Consistent with the intent of the Missouri Energy Efficiency Investment Act (MEEIA) and Ameren’s BizSavers program, Washington University’s Energy Efficiency Reserve provides a dedicated funding source for energy ...


Green Initiatives Fund

  • Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering (MA)

Established as their senior class gift, the members of the Class of 2007 presented this endowment to fund green initiatives at Olin. The annual payout made available for distribution from ...


Student Green Energy Fund

  • University of South Florida (FL)

The Student Green Energy Fund was launched in 2011 to support the University of South Florida's commitment to reduce and eventually eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from the Tampa campus ...


Campus Sustainability Student Projects Fund [CSSPF]

  • Michigan State University (MI)

The CSSPF supports selected student-driven, staff-supported sustainability projects such as pollinator gardens, green walls and roofs, tree plantings, renewable energy demonstrations, sustainable art projects, and more. The fund was established ...


ÉTS Student Association Sustainable Development Fund (FDDAÉÉTS)

  • École de Technologie Supérieure (QC)

The objective of the FDDAÉTS is to contribute to the financing of projects carried out by members of the ÉTS community that promote the integration and application of the principles ...

  • Posted March 31, 2022
  • Green Funds
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Green Fund Program

  • Carleton University (ON)

The major $1 million Green Revolving Fund (GRF) provides capital for high performance campus design, operations, maintenance, and occupant behavior projects. The micro Green Engagement Fund (GEF) provides capital limited ...

  • Posted March 31, 2022
  • Green Funds
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Sustainable Initiatives Fund (SIF)

  • Mohawk College (ON)

The Sustainable Initiatives Fund is an ancillary-fee based project fund which is jointly administed by the Sustainability Office and the Mohawk Students' Association. 4$ is collected each semester from every ...

  • Posted March 10, 2022
  • Green Funds
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Student Sustainability Fund

  • University of Maryland, College Park (MD)

The Student Sustainability Fund supports student, staff, and faculty proposals that improve the environmental performance of campus, create opportunities for student engagement with sustainability, and/or are research proposals that ...

  • Posted March 10, 2022
  • Green Funds
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Educating the Next Generation of Sustainable Investment Leaders: A Report on the State of the Field of Student-Managed Investment Funds

  • Intentional Endowments Network (MA)

This report compiles information on the 40 sustainably invested student-managed investment funds engaged in the Intentional Endowment Network's Sustainable and Impact Investing Learning & Knowledge (SIILK) Network. It highlights ...

  • Posted March 10, 2022
  • Publications
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Sustainability Engagement & Enrichment Development (S.E.E.D.) Fund

  • University of Massachusetts Lowell (MA)

UMass Lowell’s S.E.E.D. Fund provides funding for projects that promote environmental sustainability and positively impact and enhance the student experience at the university. The S.E ...


Green Revolving Fund

  • University of Dayton (OH)

The UD Green Revolving Fund is a revolving loan fund that sponsors energy efficiency and other sustainability projects on campus. Generally these projects have a 7-year or less simple payback ...


Sustainability Fund

  • Prescott College (AZ)

Students pay $50 per semester as a fee which contributes to the Sustainability Fund. Originally, this fee was voluntarily created by students for the purpose of pooling resources that are ...


Green Initiative Competition

  • University of Miami (FL)

The Green Initiative Competition was launched by the Student Government ECO Agency to incentivize sustainability innovation among students. The prizes are funded by ECO. In 2008, UM students decided to ...


Learned Lessons and Tips for GRITS and Green Revolving Funds

  • Bentley University (MA)
  • Champlain College (VT)
  • Denison University (OH)
  • Sustainable Endowments Institute (MA)
  • AASHE (PA)
  • GreenerU (MA)

In this session, you will hear from a wide variety of users of Green Revolving Funds and the GRITS tool sharing both best practices and learned lessons. We will also ...

  • Posted Feb. 1, 2022
  • Videos & Webinars
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This tab provides access to data collected through AASHE’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS). STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS enables meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions using a common set of measurements developed with broad participation from the campus sustainability community.

All responses reference content from reports under the latest version of STARS, version 2.2. AASHE membership and log-in is required.

PA 9: Committee on Investor Responsibility

PA 10: Sustainable Investment

PA 11: Investment Disclosure

Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.

Investment & Finance Partners