Planet Blue Student Innovation Fund
Student Sustainability Coalition-awarded funding of up to $50,000 per semester for ambitious, student-initiated projects that reduce U-M's environmental footprint and promote a culture of sustainability on campus.
Apply for up to $50,000 this semester through the Planet Blue Student Innovation Fund (PBSIF). PBSIF projects tend to consist of projects with longer timescales and lasting impact. If you are unsure which SSC grant may be right for you, please do not hesitate to reach out via email or by attending grant informational sessions linked below.
Email: sustainability.coalition.core@umich.edu
Applications are accepted in one cycle each per Fall and Winter semester. This academic year 2023-24 deadlines are as follows:
- Letter of intent (deadline February 18, 2024)
- Final application (deadline March 31, 2024)
Application Criteria
- Applications cannot request compensation for student time or budget items not deemed necessary.
- All applicants must complete a letter of intent before formally applying.
- Projects must showcase the ability for long-term impact and durability on campus sustainability.
- Projects must include a central theme of promoting and/or improving student engagement with sustainability on campus.
- Projects must showcase an intelligible and adequate improvement of sustainability on campus.
- Projects must consider how the project interacts with systems of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (although the project does not have to be centrally-focused on these issues).
Past Projects
Projects highlighted below have been generously funded by PBSIF, which supports high-impact student-led campus sustainability initiatives.
- Canopy Covers (2022)
- Light Switch Sticker Program (2022)
- Climate Forward Cold Storage: A Teaching, Research, and Demonstration Project in Campus Sustainability (2021)
- Sustainable Period Product Program (2021)
- Block M Solar Panel (2019)
- Blueprints for Pangaea Medical Waste Diversion (2019)
- Drive Up E-Waste Recycling (2019)
- Matthaei Botanical Gardens Living Wall (2018)
- U-M Strawbale Building (2017)
- U-M Conference on Climate Change (2016)
- Using Insects to Transform Waste (2016)
- Diag Solar Panel (2016)
- Transform Campus Waste (2016)
- The Maize & Blue Cupboard (2016)
- Medical School Garden (2015)
- Rainwater Catchment System (2015)
- Big House Recycling Program (2015)
- Bees on Roofs / Roofs on Bees (2014)
- Food Recovery Network (2014)
- Solar-Powered Workstation (2014)
- Environmental Community Program (2014)
- Native Grass (2014)
- Events Based Composting Program (2014)
- Permaculture Satellite Gardens (2012)
- Go Blue Ware (2012)
- Bike Air Pumps and Fix-it Station (2011)
- Campus Farm (2011)
- Reusable Containers Program (2011)
- Sustainable Food Kiosk (2011)