As humans become increasingly aware of the damage we have done to our environment and the implications of this damage to future generations, it is important to apply cutting-edge research to craft environmental solutions as quickly as possible. Using the UCSB campus as a living laboratory, the sustainability change agents have a rare opportunity to use this methodology in areas such as the built environment, energy, water, waste, climate, food, and transportation. Phenomena such as sea level rise, deforestation, acid precipitation, soil erosion, species extinction, and greenhouse gas buildup are compelling evidence of increasing environmental instability and danger. With the growing alarm of our situation comes a determination to halt and reverse the destruction. With your support, we can continue this important work and implement change here that can be replicated across the planet.
Make change happen. Your support in this important work is greatly appreciated. To participate in moving things forward, you can donate to UCSB Sustainability or to specific funds or programs that we operate. See our Giving Opportunities below for more detail. To donate, please contact Matt Fratus.
Giving Opportunities
There are numerous Sustainability funds and programs operated on campus that could benefit from donations. If you wish to donate to one of the programs highlighted here, please send email to Kiya Gornik. Also, be sure to check out the links for a more detailed look at recent success stories from our programs.
General UCSB Sustainability
Sustainability at UCSB covers all focus areas including water, waste, climate change, transportation, academia, communication, and more. Your donation will be used to implement projects in these areas to acheive our goals at UCSB and further foster the culture of sustainability.
The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF)
TGIF was the first green fee in the UC System. Students voted with an overwhelming majority to pay $2.60 per quarter to “reduce the University’s impact on the environment.” TGIF provides funding for projects which green our campus and reduce UCSB’s impact on the environment.
UCSB Sustainability Internship Program
The UCSB Sustainability Internship Program offers a wide array of opportunities for current undergraduate and graduate students to participate in campus and community based programs and initiatives. We serve as a launching point for new internship projects, much like an incubator for start-up companies.
New Leaf Grant Program
The New Leaf Grant Program provides funding to Faculty and Lecturers who wish to integrate principles of sustainability into their courses. Funding is provided by the Chancellor’s Sustainability Committee (CSC), but additional donations can further the reach and mission of New Leaf, allowing faculty to teach sustainability in more courses on campus.
Faculty Sustainability Champion
The goal of the Sustainability Champion is to recognize faculty innovation and encourage ongoing research and teaching in sustainability. Faculty submit competitive proposals that promise to engage students in sustainability issues and provide campus-wide leadership in sustainability in education and research. Awardees are selected by a committee.
The Edible Campus Initiative
The Edible Campus Initiative aims to address food insecurity locally, especially for students, while promoting sustainability as a whole within food systems. This initiative also builds educational programs that address social, environmental, and economic aspects of the food system. Join us as we encourage individuals to reclaim their personal connection to the land and their food, to learn sustainable and permaculture farming and gardening practices, and to better understand the connection between food waste, soil, and the food that nourishes our community. Gifts to this fund will support innovative projects which repurpose underutilized spaces for food production for those in need, such as the Campus Farm, Urban Orchard, and Vertical Garden projects. To give directly to the Edible Campus Initiative, please visit our giving page.