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

The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF)

  • Loyola University Chicago (IL)

The purpose of the fund is for financing student run projects pertaining to furthering sustainability as it directly relates to student life and the campus environment. This fund primarily promotes ...


Green Fund

  • University of Northern British Columbia (BC)

The Green Fund has two intakes of applications per year: September, and January. Green Fund applications are accepted from any member of the UNBC community (Prince George and Regional campuses ...


Green Fund

  • University of Nebraska - Lincoln (NE)

The ASUN Green Fund provides grant funds for student-led projects directed toward improving overall environmental sustainability on the university campus. The fund and its grant reviewing committee empowers students and ...


Northwestern Sustainability Fund (NSF)

  • Northwestern University (IL)

The Northwestern Sustainability Fund is a $50,000 pool established to catalyze Northwestern student engagement in energy and sustainability. The Northwestern Sustainability Fund (NSF) provides one-time grant funds for student-led ...


Greening IUPUI Grant

  • Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) (IN)

Greening IUPUI Grants are awarded one time per year to projects that advance the campus sustainability principles and improve IUPUI’s STARS score. IUPUI dedicates a total of $50,000 ...


Green Grant Fund

  • Duke University (NC)

Executive Vice President Tallman Trask has committed $50,000 each year to fund student, staff and faculty sustainability projects. The fund has been used to put on conferences, conduct research ...


Climate Action Fund

  • Portland Community College (OR)

The Portland Community College (PCC) Climate Action Fund (CAF) supports climate action goals while further advancing the college’s leadership in sustainability. Projects are awarded to improve the college’s ...


Green Fund

  • Tufts University (MA)

The Green Fund (a.k.a Campus Sustainability Fund) is a program to provide funding for the implementation of sustainability projects and ideas from and for the Tufts community—students ...


Sustainability Revolving Fund (SRF)

  • Carleton College (MN)

The Sustainability Revolving Fund (SRF) reflects the value that Carleton places on student ideas and innovation. The SRF gives students the resources to take further ownership in the college's ...


Sustainable Projects Fund

  • Connecticut College (CT)

The Sustainable Projects Fund (SPF) provides financial support to students who have an idea for a project related to sustainability. The SPF is financed by a $25 annual fee that ...


Green Fee

  • Bemidji State University (MN)

The Sustainability Office was created out of a $5 Green Fee initiated in 2008. Today the fee is $7.50 and is used to generate a wide variety of sustainable ...


Student Sustainability Fund

  • University of Oregon (OR)

In April 2005, 81% of voting students at University of Oregon supported a fee increase of up to $2 per semester to purchase renewable energy and fund the installation of ...


SGA Green Fund

  • Butler University (IN)

SGA formed a new Green Council and has reappropriated existing student fees toward student-led campus sustainability projects for up to $30,000 annually. A proposal process will be instituted.


Green Fund (Inactive)

  • Stanford University (CA)

From 2008-2015, the Stanford Student Green Fund provided one-time grant funds for student-led projects that improve sustainability in Stanford’s campus operations. The fund and its grant-reviewing committee empowered students ...


Campus Sustainability Fund

  • University of Connecticut (CT)

The Campus Sustainability Fund supports programs and initiatives that raise environmental awareness and develop conservation-minded students. Through demonstration projects like green roofs, renewable energy and biofuels, recycling and composting enhancements ...


The Sustainable Magellan Award

  • University of South Carolina (SC)

The Sustainable Magellan Award offers up to $500 per recipient for salary, materials and travel for projects in collaboration with a mentor to fund research or scholarly and creative projects ...


Green Fee

  • Union College - NY (NY)

The Green Fee is $25,000 available to students for an impactful project that benefits campus sustainability. The Green Fee was petitioned for by students in 2011 and continues to ...


Green Initiatives Fund

  • Swarthmore College (PA)

The Green Initiatives Fund was created by the Swarthmore College Sustainability Committee to provide a means for members of the Swarthmore College community (students, staff, faculty and alumni) to initiate ...


Green Grants

  • University of Delaware (DE)

The Green Grants Program will provide information and implement outreach efforts among students, faculty and staff to increase campus awareness and support for sustainability initiatives. To qualify, projects must promote ...


Green Fund

  • University of Alabama in Huntsville (AL)

The UAH Green Fund is a fund available to students with ideas for environmental projects that they would like to start on campus. Interested students must write a proposal and ...


Green for Green

  • Mills College (CA)

Green for Green is a student-led initiative to encourage students to be actively involved in Mills sustainability. Green for Green is a student controlled grant program specifically set aside for ...


Student Sustainability Fund

  • Clark University (MA)

The Student Sustainability Fund is a resource for the advancement of sustainable practices, education, and infrastructure within the Clark community. It supports student-designed, student-led projects to improve campus sustainability.


The Green Fund

  • Gonzaga University (WA)

The former Advisory Council on Stewardship and Sustainability (ACSS) assisted the Gonzaga Student Body Association in vetting proposals submitted to the Green Fund program. In 2015, the Steering Committee of ...


Sustainability Projects Fund (SPF)

  • California State University, San Marcos (CA)

This unique green fund started when Associated Students Incorporated (ASI) increased their student fees from $50 to $75 dollars. Of that $25 increase, a portion of the money was set ...


UM Green Fund

  • University of Mississippi (MS)

The UM Green Fund provides funding for the implementation of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainability projects, programs, and policies. Any UM student, faculty or staff member can propose a ...


Idea Fund

  • Dickinson College (PA)

The Idea Fund was initially financed by a $15,000 seed donation from former President Durden’s discretionary fund, followed by a private donation of $5,000 in 2011. Since ...


Sustainablility Center Student Grants

  • University of Idaho (ID)

Every year UISC awards $10,000 in grants to fund student-led projects that advance campus sustainability. Grants are available to any UI undergraduate, graduate, or law student.


Green Fund

  • Lehigh University (PA)

The GreenFund provides financial resources to members of the Lehigh community who want to create a greener, more sustainable campus. One-time grants of up to $2,000 will be awarded ...


EcoFund

  • Colorado College (CO)

The CC EcoFund was established by the Campus Sustainability Council (CSC) and is maintained through the Office of Sustainability. Its purpose is to foster the design and implementation of campus ...


Student Green Fund

  • University of Northern Iowa (IA)

Student-managed fund consisting of approximately $10,000 annually.


Green Revolving Fund

  • State University of New York at New Paltz (NY)

The Green Revolving fund is supported by an opt-in $3 student fee and supports energy efficiency projects


Pitt Green Fund

  • University of Pittsburgh (PA)

Pitt Green Fund exists to fund and support student-initiated projects and programs that prioritize sustainability. We are striving to make Pitt a more environmentally friendly and socially equitable place.


Student Sustainability Fund

  • State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (NY)

The Green Campus Initiative (GCI) and ESF have set up a fund to pay for student driven projects on campus. An individual undergraduate or graduate student, a group of graduates ...


Green Fund

  • Loyola University Maryland (MD)

In February 2014, the Senate of the Student Government Association of Loyola University Maryland approved a $2,000 budget line to a new “Green Fund” initiative to go towards sustainability ...


Campus Environmental Sustainability Fund

  • Mount Holyoke College (MA)

The goal of the MHC Campus Environmental Sustainability Fund is to enable members of the community to undertake campus projects to advance the College’s desire to reduce the environmental ...


Earthkeepers Mini-Grants

  • Eastern Mennonite University (VA)

Every year EarthKeepers looks for grant proposals from the EMU community that impact the campus in a visible, creative, educational way. Winning proposals are chosen and funded based on the ...


Dollars are Flying Out of Your Green Fund! Does that Equal Success?

  • Texas A&M University (TX)

The Aggie Green Fund was established at Texas A&M University in 2011 and remains a resource for students to lead green initiatives. Areas of success and improvement in the utilization ...

  • Posted Dec. 21, 2018
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

The Role of Universities in Private Environmental Governance Experimentalism

  • University of Pennsylvania (PA)

In our federal, constitutional system of government, the states are often lauded as “laboratories of experimentation” for public policy, including for public environmental law. Yet private actors are playing an ...

  • Posted Dec. 11, 2018
  • Publications
  • View more

Bill McKibben’s Influence on U.S. Climate Change Discourse: Shifting Field-Level Debates Through Radical Flank Effects

  • Temple University (PA)
  • University of Michigan (MI)
  • 350.org (NY)

This article examines the influence of radical flank actors in shifting field-level debates by increasing the legitimacy of preexisting but peripheral issues. Using network text analysis, we apply this conceptual ...

  • Posted Dec. 11, 2018
  • Publications
  • View more

How Committed Are Australian Universities to Environmental Sustainability? A Perspective on and from the University of Melbourne

  • University of Melbourne (Victoria)

Drawing upon our experiences at the University of Melbourne, we examine the issue of how environmentally sustainable that university and other Australian universities are in an era increasingly impacted by ...

  • Posted Dec. 11, 2018
  • Publications
  • View more

Internal Carbon Tax: Methods and Results from the First Rigorous Willingness-to-Pay Study

  • University of Oregon (OR)

Internal carbon fees raise awareness, incentivize behavior changes, and create revenue streams to reduce emissions. While there are a substantial number of internal carbon pricing programs in the private sector ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Student Green Funds: Lessons Learned

  • Southern Oregon University (OR)
  • University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (IL)
  • University of Nebraska - Lincoln (NE)

Three campuses will share their experiences creating and working with Green Funds. The panel will review key lessons learned regarding Green Fund structure, function, efficacy, longevity and campus engagement. When ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Advocating for Sustainability: Effective Communications With Finance

  • Millersville University (PA)
  • National Association of College & University Business Officers (NACUBO) (DC)

This session is designed to help sustainability professionals advocate successfully for necessary financial support for sustainability initiatives. For many years the National Association for College and University Business Officers (NACUBO ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Aligning Endowment Investments With the Sustainable Development Goals

  • Intentional Endowments Network (MA)
  • MSCI (NY)

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. Endowment decision-makers ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Moving Toward Climate Justice Through Divestment and Reinvestment

  • Better Future Project (MA)

All colleges have an endowment that they use to invest in a broad range of industries. Divestment is a powerful tactic where institutions can use their political and financial power ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Divestment: How Public Universities Can Defund Climate Change

  • University of North Carolina, Asheville (NC)

This presentation addresses widely held beliefs regarding institutional investors, specifically higher education's approach to investments, and provides a review of methods of fossil fuel divestment campaigns across the country ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Celebrating Anniversaries: Reflecting and Adapting within Campus Green Funds

  • University of California, Berkeley (CA)

Adaptability is key for any successful program. In spring of 2016, students renewed The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) at UC Berkeley for an additional 10 years, celebrating 10 years of ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Adapting Portfolios to Climate Change: 2 Degrees Investing

  • Natixis Investment Managers (MA)

Green bonds are growing: Between 2015 and 2016 worldwide issuances of green bonds nearly doubled from $41 billion to $80 billion. The growth trajectory continued in 2017, as issuances for ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Solutions for Evaluating Projects: Quadruple Bottom Line & Financial Models for Climate Neutrality

  • Cornell University (NY)

It's time to move the conversation beyond 'financing climate neutrality.' In order to move away from traditional financial, single bottom line decision making for large capital investments, institutions must ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

Divestment and Bureaucracy: how to Capitalize on and Celebrate Small Incremental Change

  • University of Pittsburgh (PA)

Fossil Free Pitt Coalition is a coalition of 50 different clubs that are pushing the University of Pittsburgh to divest its endowment away from fossil fuels. This is an especially ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
  • Conference Presentations
  • View more

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