Eligibility and Objectives

Eligibility and Guidelines

» All faculty, administrators, staff, and students of the College are eligible to apply for a grant, individually or in groups, by submitting a written proposal describing their program or initiative. (Student applicants must be freshmen, sophomores, or juniors in consultation and collaboration with faculty advisors or mentors; students must be continuing at FIT in the following year and must be enrolled at FIT during grant implementation.)

» An individual or group may submit only one proposal each year.

» Prior to submitting this proposal, grant seekers must meet with at least one co-chair of the Sustainability Council to review their draft proposal.

» We recommend that grant seekers also consult with FIT’s Grants Office before submitting their final proposal to the Sustainability Council for the grants review process.  See: Grants Office

» In order to be considered, proposals must:

  • be submitted on time
  • be concise
  • be well researched
  • be clearly described
  • include a detailed budget
  • include appropriate support materials as necessary

Incomplete or late proposals will not be considered.

» Proposals from a previous year that were not awarded may be re-submitted only if approved in advance by the council.

» Proposals will be voted upon by the council according to the “Grant Objectives and Criteria” listed on this page. The top candidates will then be forwarded to the president for final approval and authorization of the funds.

Grants Objectives and Criteria

Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis and proposals will be selected by the council and approved by the president according to fund objectives and criteria listed below. Grant recipients will be required to submit a written report on the project’s results, present their project and results to the Sustainability Council and President, and to exhibit or discuss their project at the annual Sustainability Conference the following spring (March or April; date to be determined).

Grants requests will be assessed on the following objectives and criteria:

  1. The project has relevance to the Sustainability Council’s goals of supporting educational projects, scholarly research, creative endeavors, and professional activities that help protect the environment, sustain resources, and/or enhance an understanding of sustainability on our campus and within our community (environmental sustainability, social sustainability, and economic sustainability). 
  2. The project addresses one or more of the facets of sustainability: environmental, social, and /or economic. 
  3. The project exemplifies innovative ideas for change and has the potential to have an impact on the FIT community that will last well beyond the grant period. 
  4. The project provides opportunities for collaboration or outreach with other members of FIT, SUNY, or the larger community. 
  5. The project serves as a model that can be replicated by others at FIT, SUNY, or the larger community. 
  6. The project has clear and effective evaluation measures. 
  7. The project budget is reasonable and justified. 
  8. Successful projects must have minimal carbon and ecological footprints.
  9. Provides opportunities for student classroom or extra-curricular involvement, collaboration, research, or leadership.