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.
Featured Resources
Latest News from AASHE Bulletin
New Resources
AASHE Webinar: Going Green - Financially and Environmentally
- Texas A&M University (TX)
- Siemens Industry, Inc. (IL)
- AASHE (PA)
This introductory webinar is designed to help campus representatives think critically about what it means to "go green" both financially and environmentally.
- Posted April 12, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
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Enabling Divestment from Fossil Fuels: Characterizing Divestment Awareness and Support at Dalhousie University
- Dalhousie University (NS)
A team of students at Dalhousie University has come together to develop a comprehensive research report on the state of divestment from fossil fuels at their University. Divestment campaigns have ...
- Posted April 11, 2018
- Publications
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Implementation Strategies for Campus Green Revolving Funds
- Agnes Scott College (GA)
- University of New Hampshire (NH)
- AASHE (PA)
- ICF International (VA)
Many colleges and universities have begun to adopt or seriously consider the green revolving fund model to help finance urgently needed energy efficiency upgrades on campus. This webinar will provide ...
- Posted April 3, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
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Investment and Divestment: Making Sustainable Choices with Campus Endowment
- Unity College (ME)
- Responsible Endowments Coalition (PA)
- AASHE (PA)
- 350.org (NY)
You've read about it in the news and have maybe even participated in the discussion or campaign on your campus -- divesting the campus endowment from fossil fuel resources is ...
- Posted April 3, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
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Pedagogical methods for sustainable development: business educational projects generating direct impact on stakeholders through fundraising and fund management
- Arizona State University (AZ)
- Duquesne University (PA)
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
- Universidade Federal Fluminense
Business Schools have faced the challenge of emphasising ethics and sustainability by developing students as professionals able to meet current sustainability needs. To date, there is limited practical guidance in ...
- Posted March 29, 2018
- Publications
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Green Gigawatt Partnership: Ramping Up Renewables in Higher Education
- Cornell University (NY)
- University of California, Office of the President (CA)
- AASHE (PA)
- Edison Energy (CA)
The Green Gigawatt Partnership seeks to catalyze one gigawatt of green power development by 2020 by recognizing colleges and universities who have signed long term contracts to purchase green power ...
- Posted March 27, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
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Integrated circular economy and education model to address aspects of an energy-water-food nexus in a dairy facility and local contexts
- Başkent University
Universities have responsibilities for accelerating pedagogical innovation to enable a more sustainable future. This research work develops a three-phased approach for integrating principles of a circular economy system within a ...
- Posted March 22, 2018
- Publications
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The Impact of Sustainable Purchasing Decisions
- Delta College (MI)
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
- National Association of Educational Procurement (TX)
- AASHE (PA)
- Interface Global (GA)
- Ray C Anderson Foundation (GA)
This is the 4th and final webinar in the Sustainable Consumption: Sustainable Campus (SC2) series by AASHE supported by the Ray C. Anderson Foundation. The webinar will address the impact ...
- Posted March 12, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
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Advanced Strategies and Analytics for Campus Green Revolving Funds
- California Institute of Technology (CA)
- Sustainable Endowments Institute (MA)
- AASHE (PA)
- ICF International (VA)
As more colleges and universities create green revolving funds on campus to finance urgently needed efficiency projects, they may encounter complex problems related to the technical aspects of running a ...
- Posted March 9, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
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Empowering Procurement to Transform Your Campus and the Economy
- American University (DC)
- Emory University (GA)
- AASHE (PA)
- Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council (DC)
Learn how campuses spend money and how they can develop practices and policies that make spending a positive contribution to sustainability. Attendees will gain insight from sustainability officers, campus procurement ...
- Posted March 9, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
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Education for Sustainable Development: Business modelling for flourishing
- OCAD University (ON)
- Halmstad University
As companies and other organizations increasingly recognize society’s demand for greater social and environmental sustainability, university and college business schools have responded with new pedagogic approaches. Business schools have ...
- Posted Feb. 20, 2018
- Publications
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Fossil fuel divestment in US higher education: student-led organising for climate justice
- Pitzer College (CA)
- Responsible Endowments Coalition (PA)
Based on over one year of participant observation within the student-led fossil fuel divestment (FFD) movement, this article contextualises the origins, successes, challenges, and inner workings of the FFD movement ...
- Posted Dec. 22, 2017
- Publications
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Evalutation of TETFUND contributions for the management of universities for sustainable development in southeast Nigeria
- Imo State University
Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) was established as an Intervention Agency under the Education Tax Act No. 7 in 1993 as Education Trust Fund. As an aspect of community participation ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Student-Driven Climate Outcomes: A Liberal Arts College's Journey in Energy/Sustainabiity
- Entegrity (AR)
This poster tells a story about students that were the drivers of bringing a focused engagement to their campus to achieve climate goals. The students researched initiatives at other campuses ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Pareto principle for your carbon reduction goals: Purchasing offsite renewable energy while addressing stakeholder needs
- BayWa r.e. Solar Projects LLC (CA)
You want to take a big chunk out of your university's carbon footprint with a minimum of effort. This presentation will lay out a vision for making big strides ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Lean Green Financing at MSIs
- Huston-Tillotson University (TX)
In the rapidly evolving field of sustainability, both new technology and financing mechanisms are opening possibilities for green projects on campuses previously perceived as unattainable. Over the past three years ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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A Working Model: The Synergy Between UW Sustainability and Student-led Campus Sustainability Fund
- University of Washington, Seattle (WA)
Green fee funds are managed in different ways on college campuses. For this panel, we will be sharing the ways that University of Washington, Seattle Sustainability department and the Campus ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Developing a Green Fund
- University of Nebraska - Lincoln (NE)
The Green Fund at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln (UNL) is a pool of money that is available to all students to do projects on campus that relate to creating ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Breaking Barriers to Facilities-Academic Collaboration Through Green Revolving Fund Projects at the University of Dayton
- University of Dayton (OH)
Beginning in 2016, the University of Dayton Green Revolving Fund (UDGRF) has been the primary source of funding for energy projects on campus. The purpose of the fund is twofold ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Johnson County Community College Student Sustainability Committee
- Johnson County Community College (KS)
The Student Sustainability Committee is a leadership opportunity for students at Johnson County Community College that manages the institution's fee based Sustainable Initiatives Fund. This workshop will guide attendees ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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New England's Largest Campus Solar Project
- University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)
In early 2017, UMass Amherst completed the installation of 5.5 MW of solar power over two parking lots and five rooftops making it the largest solar project on a ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Student Governments and the Power Purchase Agreement: A Tool for Financial Sustainability
- Southern Oregon University (OR)
Students at Southern Oregon University are exploring the potential for their student government to invest in solar panels and sell the resulting electricity back to the university, cutting the university ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Renewable and Alternative Energy Projects at Rutgers University
- Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick Campus (NJ)
The presentation Informs you about various Renewable and Alternative Energy projects Rutgers University has done.
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Searching for the Higher Ed Context in the Analysis of Green Building Costs and Benefits
- Virginia Tech (VA)
Green building certification on campuses is relatively new. When determining the financial feasibility of a certified green building at an Institution of Higher Education (IHE), the full building lifecycle perspective ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Cutting Carbon Through Electricity Diversification
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
Renewable energy procurement can be a complicated process and projects are often not implemented due to institutional financial requirements, unclear or unfamiliar decision making processes, organizational inertia, concerns about technology ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Bridging the Gap Between Economic Viability and Environmental Sustainability with Solar on University Campuses
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
Over the past two years, University of Minnesota students, staff, and faculty have collaborated with solar and financial consultants to encourage the University of Minnesota to invest in solar energy ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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From Divestment to Reinvestment?
- Warren Wilson College (NC)
At Warren-Wilson College, a three year student-led campaign to divest the endowment from the Carbon Underground 200 was successful. An environmental-social-governance investment policy and guiding committee, at the Trustee level ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Dollars are Flying out of Your Green Fund! Does That Equal Success?
- Texas A&M University (TX)
Actively managing a campus green fund in its social, environmental, and economic aspects is an essential component to producing intentional results and optimizing its impact. Since its inception in 2011 ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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How Deferred Maintenance can be Your Climate Action Plan Ally
- Dickinson College (PA)
- Stone House Group (PA)
Is your institution reluctant to start a green fund due to competing priorities such as deferred maintenance backlog? Come hear how Dickinson College has carefully identified energy-saving and carbon-reducing deferred ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Energy Security, Resilience, and Cost Savings: Solar Can Do More Than Save the Planet
- Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia (VA)
- Institute for Sustainable Communities (VT)
Installing a solar PV array on campus is one way campuses across the country are working toward their climate and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals. But with the cost of ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Power in Numbers: Collaborative Solar Procurement in Virginia
- 3Degrees (CA)
- Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia (VA)
The Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia (CICV) will provide an overview of the first collaborative procurement of on-campus solar energy in Virginia. This session will help participants understand their ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Quadruple Bottom Line Analysis
- Cornell University (NY)
Quadruple Bottom Line (QBL) Analysis uses mission-aligned sustainability impact areas to strengthen carbon reduction project assessment. Often single-bottom, financial, or non-rigorous 'reputational' factors, drive decision making. QBL uses a metrics ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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UT Austin Campus Environmental Center: Student-led Environmental Action
- University of Texas at Austin (TX)
Bridging the gap between student interest and administrative support can be challenging in a bureaucratic university, especially when students seek operational changes towards sustainable practices. The UT Austin Campus Environmental ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Leveraging Student Activity Fees to Catalyze High Impact Sustainability Projects
- Bowling Green State University (OH)
- Sightlines (CT)
According to the AASHE Campus Sustainability Revolving Loan Funds Database, the growth of Green Revolving Funds (GRFs) has exploded to include over 80 institutions representing over $100 Million. Techniques behind ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Students Put Their Money Where Their Values Are: The JCCC Sustainability Initiatives Fund
- Johnson County Community College (KS)
This poster describes Johnson County Community College's Student Sustainability Committee. The Committee, formed in 2011 as part of a student-led initiative for a dollar-per-credit hour fee to fund sustainable ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Developing Carbon Credits on Your Campus through the Voluntary Carbon Market
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (WI)
- Second Nature (MA)
For the past year, a handful of schools have been third party verifying and selling carbon credits on the Voluntary Carbon Market through Second Nature's Carbon Credit and Purchasing ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Innovative Financing Options and the University Solar Deployment Process
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (DC)
- Intentional Endowments Network (MA)
- Midwest Renewable Energy Association (WI)
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (CO)
This workshop session will highlight new, high-impact ways in which higher education institutions can finance solar deployment, including making investments via endowments. In this session, EPA will review emerging solar ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Getting Traction with Large-Scale Renewable Energy Procurement: Finding Your Sweet-Spot and Effectively Communicating About It
- George Washington University (DC)
- Michigan State University (MI)
- CustomerFirst Renewables (MD)
Technology cost reductions and favorable market economics make large-scale renewable energy an increasingly compelling choice for campuses to make step-change improvements in their GHG footprint while also reducing long-term cost ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Being a RE-Volv Solar Ambassador on your Campus and in your Community: Practical and Curricular Training and Experiences
- Coastal Carolina University (SC)
- RE-Volv (CA)
Re-Volv is a solar seed fund non-profit organization from San Francisco. It sponsors teams of college students each year to work with community non-profits and provide them solar energy. Establishing ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Diverse Paths to Success: Three High-Impact Infrastructure Projects that Reduced Energy Consumption and Emissions
- Bowling Green State University (OH)
- Rider University (NJ)
- West Chester University of Pennsylvania (PA)
- Sightlines (CT)
Despite lower utility costs and longer payback periods, sustainability outcomes across Higher Education continue to improve through investment in utility & systems upgrades. According to data from the joint 2016 ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Aligning Endowment Investments with the Paris Climate Agreement & the Sustainable Development Goals
- Second Nature (MA)
- Intentional Endowments Network (MA)
- Edison Energy (CA)
- Global Endowment Management (NC)
The past few years have seen a surge in interest and activity around how endowment investment practices can be better aligned with institutional mission, values, and sustainability goals. In large ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Next Generation Campus Green Funds
- Appalachian State University (NC)
- New York University (NY)
- Evergreen State College, The (WA)
- Mohawk College (ON)
Through the use of green funds, colleges and universities have the ability to empower students who are passionate about bringing clean energy and sustainable projects to their campuses. This joint ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Discounted Intentional Endowments Network Membership for AASHE Members
- Intentional Endowments Network (MA)
The Intentional Endowments Network (IEN) is a non-profit peer-learning network that aims to support the development of intentionally designed endowments – that enhance financial performance while aligning with institutional mission, values ...
- Posted July 25, 2017
- Tools
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Students Contribute Record-Breaking $6 Million to Student Green Energy Fund
- University of South Florida (FL)
The purpose of the Student Green Energy Fund is to provide an opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to present formal proposals to a governing Fund Council with the goal ...
- Posted May 22, 2017
- Case Studies
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Funding Strategies for Non-Traditional University MS4 Stormwater Programs
- Michigan State University (MI)
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (NC)
- University of Michigan (MI)
- University of Nebraska - Lincoln (NE)
- University of Virginia (VA)
Stormwater programs have historically been stymied by lack of proper funding resources. Unlike drinking water and sanitary sewer utility services that long ago transitioned to enterprise funds, a stormwater utility ...
- Posted May 19, 2017
- Publications
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McGill University's Sustainability Projects Fund
- McGill University (QC)
The Sustainability Projects Fund (SPF) is a crown jewel of McGill University’s sustainability efforts and a best-practice model for universities. The SPF’s main goal is to build a ...
- Posted May 19, 2017
- Case Studies
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Green Revolving Funds: A Guide to Implementation & Management
- Sustainable Endowments Institute (MA)
- AASHE (PA)
- ICF International (VA)
Green Revolving Funds: A Guide to Implementation & Management combines the expertise of energy professionals and college administrators from dozens of institutions to establish best practices for designing and managing ...
- Posted May 11, 2017
- Publications
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A comparative analysis of the anti-Apartheid and fossil fuel divestment campaigns
- University of Waterloo (ON)
Divestment from the fossil fuel industry is campaigned as a means to address carbon-induced anthropogenic climate change, much like the anti-Apartheid divestment movement that was campaigned as a mean to ...
- Posted May 8, 2017
- Publications
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Fossil fuel divestment: implications for the future of sustainability discourse and action within higher education
- Salem State University (MA)
This paper provides a critical overview and analysis of the student-led fossil fuel divestment (FFD) movement and its impact on sustainability discourse and actions within US higher education. Analysing higher ...
- Posted May 8, 2017
- Publications
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Greening Federal Grants: Why there is a need to connect efficiency to federal funding for research at universities
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
- AASHE (PA)
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (CO)
This webinar will includes two parts: PART 1: The Department of Energy (DOE) will provide an overview of the DOE Smart Labs Accelerator Program which was launched at the 2016 ...
- Posted May 4, 2017
- 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. Additional content and advanced benchmarking tools will be added to this tab over time.
Programs and Initiatives
The following links connect to specific Content Displays on the STARS website (AASHE membership and log-in required).
- Committees on responsible investment (CIR)
- Sustainable investment policies
- Negative screens on investment
- Proxy voting guidelines and records
- Engagement with corporations in investment portfolios about sustainability issues
- Participation in investor networks and collaborations
- Investment holdings snapshots
Scores
The following link connects to the Score Display on the STARS website (AASHE membership and log-in required).