Sustainability Course Development Grant

The Office of Sustainability is hoping to increase the number of sustainability focused courses offered at Connecticut College. To support new course development, beginning in December 2020 we began offering a $500 grant to faculty who develop a course with a strong focus on sustainability. The course could be a new offering, or one that had some aspect of sustainability in the subject but was not primarily focused on the topic of sustainability. The request for proposals is sent out each December and submissions are selected on a rolling basis until we reach our maximum number of courses for the cycle (currently 4).

We request a 1-2-page proposal that describes the proposed title, course description, level (100-, 200-, 300- or 400-level), and a fuller narrative of how the topic will be addressed. The course must meet the criteria specified below, so please be explicit in how this is to be achieved. If a course already is included in the course catalog, a description of how the class will be modified should be included in the submission. Please note that existing courses that already are classified as sustainability-focused courses according to our AASHE, STARS database will not be considered for awards.

Reward recipients will be asked to share their syllabus and additional appropriate class materials with the Office of Sustainability so that they can be shared more broadly with faculty at Connecticut College looking to develop future sustainability courses.

Courses Supported

  • Quilting: Craft, Poverty, Protest, Reuse offered regularly since Fall 2021 by Heidi Henderson
  • The Sports Industry and Sustainability to be offered regularly since Spring 2022 by Eva Kovach and James Ward
  • Computer Aided Design Workshop: Sustainable passive building conceptualization, modeling and visualization offered in Fall 2022 by René Brekels
  • Financial Literacy for Life offered in Spring 2023 by Purba Mukerji

Sustainable Projects Fund

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 is renewed every three years by a student referendum. Any student can apply for funding from the SPF for projects or events that are related to holistic sustainability. Priority will be given to proposals that support all three pillars of sustainability (environmental protection, social justice and economic justice). Funds are allocated through a proposal process overseen by the Student Government Association and the Office of Sustainability.

Interested in applying for funding? Here are your next steps:

  1. Reach out to the SGA Chair of Sustainability with a brief description of your idea. They can help guide you to important contacts and to other funding sources if they don’t think your idea meets the requirements of the SPF.
  2. Start to fill out the Sustainable Projects Fund Proposal. This form will ask you for details on your project, the budget, and how it relates to the different aspects of sustainability (environmental, social and economic).
  3. Send your draft proposal to important campus stakeholders and the Office of Sustainability for feedback.
  4. Have these contacts sign your proposal if they support your idea. NOTE: A representative from the Office of Sustainability must sign your proposal for it to proceed to a vote in SGA.
  5. Finalize your SPF Proposal Form and write a resolution to accompany your proposal. The Chair of Sustainability can assist you. They will then add your presentation to the next SGA meeting agenda.
  6. Present to SGA at one of their meetings. 
  7. The following week, they will vote on your proposal. A majority is required for the proposal to pass.
  8. Work with the Office of Sustainability and the Office of Student Engagement to implement your idea!