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

Creating Campus Revenue Streams to Support Sustainability Initiatives

  • Brown University (RI)
  • Ithaca College (NY)
  • Michigan State University (MI)
  • Ecosystem (QC)

Educational institutions across North America are aiming to reduce both energy spend and GHG emissions, with targets ranging from 10%-50% by 2030, 2025, or even 2020. At the same ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
  • Conference Presentations
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Contracting for Renewable Energy Procurement: Financing and Legal Strategies and Considerations

  • K&L Gates (DC)

Colleges and universities are adopting aggressive sustainability targets and deadlines to reduce carbon emissions. To meet these targets, institutions have a range of options, including installing on-site energy generation and ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
  • Conference Presentations
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Getting to a Green Light: How to Build Organizational Buy-In for Large-Scale Renewable Energy

  • Brown University (RI)
  • Michigan State University (MI)
  • Coho Climate Advisors (MD)

This interactive and action-oriented session will provide insights and tools to update your understanding of renewable energy, map out critical stakeholders on campus, and translate the renewable energy opportunity into ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
  • Conference Presentations
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From Student Power to Renewable Energy: A New Approach to Investing in Solar

  • Southern Oregon University (OR)

Over the last year and a half, students at Southern Oregon University have worked to develop an innovative new approach to funding solar. Inspired by the power purchase agreement model ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Paying for Sustainable Development from Wasted Energy

  • NORESCO (NC)

The World Green Building Council posits that green buildings support nine UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Public-Private Partnerships (P3) have become a popular mechanism for higher education institutions to transform ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
  • Conference Presentations
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A Billion Dollar Deal: Public-Private Energy Partnership Advances Campus Effort Beyond Efficiency

  • The Ohio State University (OH)
  • ENGIE (TX)

In July 2017, Ohio State launched an innovative approach to sustainably manage its building energy use, in a manner that will provide significant energy management knowledge and financial capital back ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Best Practices in Integrating Sustainability and Business Education

  • Appalachian State University (NC)
  • North Carolina State University (NC)

This workshop focuses on how to integrate sustainability concepts into business education and increase engagement with the business community to improve their impacts. The primary focus will be on how ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
  • Conference Presentations
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Ideas into Actions: The ECOllective Fund and Student-led Sustainability Initiatives at CofC

  • College of Charleston (SC)

Each semester at the College of Charleston, students pay a 'Green Fee,' established in the fall of 2009 of $10 that is put into a fund that we call the ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
  • Conference Presentations
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Paying for Sustainability: Creating a Relationship With Institutional Advancement

  • Bentley University (MA)
  • Babson College (MA)

Over the years, the percentage of alumni giving to their alma maters has been declining. Lower alumni giving not only means less income; it also lowers an institution's standing ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
  • Conference Presentations
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The Fossil Fuel Divestment Movement and Student Activism at Syracuse University and SUNY-ESF

  • The Ohio State University (OH)

On April 1, 2015, Syracuse University announced that it would divest its $1.18 billion endowment from fossil fuels. Shortly thereafter, its partner institution, SUNY-ESF, made the same commitment. These ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Green Revolving Reserve and LEED Platinum buildings at the U

  • University of Miami (FL)

Poster will explain: - The mechanisms of the U Green revolving Reserve that has been financing close to $1 million in energy efficiency retrofit. - Highlight of the sustainable features of a ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Carbon Neutral Campus: Solar Research

  • University of Illinois Chicago (IL)

This project was set out to analyze two UIC buildings, the Student Services Building and the Pharmacognosy Field Station, in order to determine their potential for solar energy along with ...

  • Posted Aug. 10, 2018
  • Case Studies
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Paradigm Project

  • American University (DC)

A woman outside Nairobi, Kenya holds a wood-burning, efficient cookstove from the Paradigm Project.


Sustainability at the University of Ottawa

  • University of Ottawa (ON)

These pictures show the president of the University of Ottawa and several employees from Facilities show off bikes from the bicycle fleet in front of the Tabaret Building, as well ...


Vassar Groveville Hydro Project

  • Vassar College (NY)

Photo Credit: Karl Rabe/ Vassar College In Fall 2015, Vassar College signed a 20-year agreement with Gravity Renewables to establish a purchasing partnership with a small scale hydropower project on ...


UMass Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)

UMass Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign


University of Northern Colorado Student Leadership for Environmental Action Fund (Student LEAF)

  • University of Northern Colorado (CO)

Student LEAF is a student driven environmental action fund run by a committee of 7 students advised by one faculty and one facilities staff member.

The mission of Student LEAF ...


University of Memphis - Green Fee

  • University of Memphis (TN)

The Sustainability Fee, commonly known as the Green Fee, at the University of Memphis, was initiated by students and launched in 2007. The purpose of the fee is to support ...


IEN Toolkit: How to Start and Run a Student-Managed SRI Fund

  • Intentional Endowments Network (MA)

The Intentional Endowment Network's (IEN) new resource, titled "IEN Toolkit: How to Start and Run a Student-Managed SRI Fund", was designed to aid in the creation of new student-managed ...


A Behavior Based Energy Conservation Program at Suffolk County Community College

  • Suffolk County Community College (NY)

Suffolk County Community College (SCCC) is the largest community college in New York State, with over 26,000 students enrolled across three campuses and two extension sites. As a large ...


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 Environmental University (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

  • AASHE (PA)
  • Ray C Anderson Foundation (GA)
  • National Association of Educational Procurement (MD)
  • Delta College (MI)
  • University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
  • Interface Global (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 (MA)

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
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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
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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
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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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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