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
New Resources
Sustainability Revolving Loan Fund
- Boston University (MA)
BU established the Sustainability Revolving Loan Fund in 2008 with $1 million to invest in the University’s clean energy projects. On October 22, 2014, National Campus Sustainability Day, BU ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Sustainability Initiatives Revolving Fund (SIRF)
- Arizona State University (AZ)
The Arizona State University Sustainability Initiatives Revolving Fund was established in fiscal year 2010 to invest in projects that foster and enable sustainability efforts and provide an economic return on ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Sustainability Fund
- American University (DC)
American University's Sustainability Fund advances the university's active pursuit of sustainability by providing financial and administrative support for campus sustainability projects developed and proposed by members of the ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Green Revolving Fund
- Agnes Scott College (GA)
The GRF was established in 2012 with the help of donations to help the college undertake energy efficiency projects by revolving the cost savings from each retrofit project back to ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Student Bus and Bike Programs Fee
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
Allows students unlimited use of public transportation (Student RTD Pass) including light rail in Boulder County, Broomfield, Westminster, and Denver; includes SkyRide to Denver International Airport (DIA). Does not includes ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Green Fee Fund
- Lewis & Clark College (OR)
The Green Fee Fund was established by student legislation in order to allocate a surplus in the green fee used to purchase renewable energy certificates (REC) for the Green Power ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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REFund Grant Program
- Northland College (WI)
The REFund, formerly called the Renewable Energy Fund, is a student-administered grant program that funds projects designed to enhance sustainability and increase energy efficiency on the Northland College campus. The ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Green Fund
- Goucher College (MD)
The Green Fund was created in 2013 by the combined efforts of students and administration to help support student activities and initiatives that will nurture an inclusive campus community that ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Green St. Mary's Revolving Fund
- St. Mary's College of Maryland (MD)
The Green St. Mary’s Revolving Fund is a revolving loan fund that supplies money for green projects at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. When GSMRF funds a sustainable ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Green EDGE Fund
- Oberlin College (OH)
The Green EDGE Fund finances environmental projects on the Oberlin College campus and occasionally in the Oberlin community. The Green EDGE Fund is financed by fees from the student body ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Student Sustainability Fee Fund
- University of Alaska Fairbanks (AK)
In the Spring of 2009 the students of UAF voted to have a $20 fee levied upon all students in the interests of sustainability. The fee is what is now ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Campus Sustainability Fund
- Hendrix College (AR)
The goal of the Campus Sustainability Fund is to empower students and the Hendrix community to invest in creating a more sustainable and environmentally responsible campus by funding projects and ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Green Fund
- Centre College (KY)
In 2007, in a student-initiated ballot, 82% of the student population voted for the adoption of a Green Fund, which requires each Centre student to pay a $20 surcharge on ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
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Green Fund
- Southern Oregon University (OR)
The Green Fund is a self-imposed student fee of $10-$15 per term paid by each student. While some of the money is used to support large campus projects the ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
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Renewable Energy Fee
- Western Colorado University (CO)
Optional fees include Mountaineer Field House ($200), Renewable Energy ($30) and Scholarly Activity ($20).
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Student Green Energy Fund
- University of South Florida (Tampa) (FL)
Currently enrolled students, faculty, and staff are invited to turn your brilliant ideas – small or large – into formal proposals for outcome-driven projects to help our Tampa campus conserve energy, reduce ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Campus Sustainability Fund
- Paul Smith's College of Arts & Sciences (NY)
Every PSC student contributes an annual $30 fee which goes directly into the fund! PSC students, faculty, and staff develop projects and apply for Campus Sustainability Fund Grants. The Sustainability ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Green Action Fund
- Kansas State University (KS)
The Green Action Fund is a joint project of the Office of Sustainability with the Student Governing Association to fund projects that enhance the sustainability of the K-State campuses.
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
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Student Campus Greening Fund
- Green Mountain College (VT)
The Student Campus Greening Fund (SCGF) is a student-run program designed to help put greening initiatives into action that increase awareness about sustainability issues, decrease the school’s ecological impact ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Clean Energy Grant
- Evergreen State College, The (WA)
In January 2005, 91% of voting students at Evergreen State College supported a $1 per credit fee increase (up to $20.00 maximum per quarter) to purchase renewable energy and ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Green Energy Fee
- Eastern University (PA)
The Green Energy Fee enables Eastern University to buy electric power from wind energy sources. The Student Government Association (SGA) has asked that the University assess an annual fee of ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Energy Retrofit Fund
- University of Guelph (ON)
A Student Energy Retrofit fee of $12.12 is charged for each student.
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Campus Sustainability Programs Fee
- University of California, Santa Cruz (CA)
Distributes funds to student organizations for programs and events that facilitate collaboration between students, administration, faculty, and the community to create, implement, and monitor environmentally sound practices on campus.
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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The Green Initiative Fund
- University of California, San Diego (CA)
The Green Initiative Fund, or TGIF for short, is an initiative to give students the opportunity to make an impact on UCSD's campus sustainability while also having the chance ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
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Coastal Fund
- University of California, Santa Barbara (CA)
The Coastal Fund (CF) was created and is funded by the students at the University of California, Santa Barbara in order to preserve and enhance the ecological integrity of the ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Sustainability, Equity and Justice Fund (Formerly Sustainability Action Fund)
- Western Washington University (WA)
The Sustainability, Equity and Justice Fund Grant Program promotes student development opportunities through the implementation and support of sustainable environmental, social, human health and economic practices at Western Washington University ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Student Health Center Green Building Fee
- University of California, Santa Cruz (CA)
Funds the purchase and installation of green materials, implements green practices, and obtains a U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design "Silver" certification for the Cowell ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Recycling Student Fee
A fee of $10.12 per student per semester supports the Wyoming recycling program.
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
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Clean Energy Fund
- University of Vermont (VT)
The Clean Energy Fund (CEF) was created in response to students’ vision of the University of Vermont running efficiently on a fraction of its current energy needs, powered by clean ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Sustainable Campus Fee
- University of Memphis (TN)
All full-time students pay a $10 Sustainable Campus Fee, commonly known as the Green Fee, each fall and spring semester. This fee was initiated by students and began in 2007 ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Student Sustainability Fund
- Knox College (IL)
The Student Sustainability Fund was established in 2008 and collected $5 from each student, each term, toward a fund amounting to approximately $15,000 per year. Since 2008 students have ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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ECOllective Fund
- College of Charleston (SC)
Each student pays a Green Fee each semester to the ECOllective Fund that supports projects and initiatives that contribute to sustainability at the College of Charleston. A portion of the ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Associated Students Sustainability Fund
- California State University, Chico (CA)
In 2006, students voted to increase their fees by $5/semester to support the creation of the AS Sustainability Program and Fund. There is approximately $50,000 each semester for ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Sustainable Campus Fee
- Austin Peay State University (TN)
Since 2007 every student at APSU has been billed $10 per semester along with tuition to contribute to the Sustainable Campus Fee (SCF). This fee was created in response to ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Sustainability Fee
- Western Michigan University (MI)
The Student Sustainability grants are available to students paying the campus Sustainability Fee, which students approved by vote in 2010. WMU's Student Sustainability Grant Program awarded $10,928 to ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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The Green Initiative Fund
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) is UC Berkeley’s Campus Green Fund. TGIF provides funding, via grants, for projects that improve and support UC Berkeley’s campus sustainability efforts. TGIF ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
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Green Fee Program
- Tennessee Technological University (TN)
In fall 2005, 89% of voting students at Tennessee Tech supported an $8 per semester fee increase to purchase renewable energy and fund the installation of renewable energy and energy ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
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Clean Energy Fee
- Middle Tennessee State University (TN)
A Clean Energy standing committee has been established to administer the funds generated by the $8 per student per semester Clean Energy fee. Members of this Clean Energy Committee include ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Campus Sustainability Fee
- East Tennessee State University (TN)
Since 2008, the Campus Sustainability Fee (CSF) has been used to support a variety of sustainability related projects and initiatives on campus, ranging from installations of motion sensor lighting and ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Sustainable Food, Health, and wellness fee
- University of California, Santa Cruz (CA)
Provides funding for programming and educational support related to sustainable food and health and wellness initiatives for undergraduate students.
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Sustainability Fund
- Brandeis University (MA)
The Brandeis Sustainability Fund provides financial support for Brandeis undergraduate students willing to undertake projects and/or activities to improve Brandeis’s environmental sustainability. Recognizing the importance of environmental stewardship ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Humboldt Energy Independence Fund (HEIR)
- Cal Poly Humboldt (CA)
The Humboldt Energy Independence Fund is a student-run organization that focuses on creating a more sustainable campus by implementing projects inspired from student ideas. Some notable projects include the installation ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Kless Revolving Energy Loan Fund (KRELF)
- University of Montana (MT)
KRELF stands for "Kless Revolving Energy Loan Fund,” a student-initiated, student-funded loan program that supports energy and resource conservation projects on the University of Montana campus. Each semester since Fall ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Environmental Improvement: Recycling Fee
- University of Kansas (KS)
A Recycling Fee of $5.60 in Fall and Spring and $2.80 in summer is applied to every student.
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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Sustainability Office Fee
- University of California, Santa Cruz (CA)
Provides funding for the Sustainability Office to engage undergraduate students by hiring more student interns, funding collaborative projects outlined in campus sustainability plan, and providing initial funds for a revolving ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
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Green Fund
- University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (WI)
The Green Fund exists in order to fund projects that promote the ideals and practices of environmental sustainability at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse. It is funded by student ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
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The Green Initiative Fund
- University of California, Santa Barbara (CA)
The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) was the first green fee in the UC system. It was created by students in the spring of 2006 with a charge to “reduce the ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
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UM Green Fund
- University of Montevallo (AL)
It all began during the 2010-2011 academic year when members of the UM Environmental Club successfully gained support from the SGA and more than 45% of the student body via ...
- Posted Feb. 7, 2019
- Green Funds
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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).