Education for a Sustainable Future

The Office of Energy Management & Sustainability, in partnership with the Center for Faculty Excellence is pleased to announce Education for a Sustainable Future grants for course integration to faculty for the 2025-2026 academic year, made possible by donor funding.

IC Sign in front of Dillingham Center

Four faculty stipends of $1,200 will be awarded to support the development of student-facing lesson series or instructional units that integrate sustainability into existing or new courses, fostering sustainable learning across schools and disciplines. These units may include lessons, activities, or projects that explore sustainability within a specific discipline. While the primary focus, and preferred focus, is environmental sustainability, broader interpretations of sustainability will also be considered.

Please feel free to read this recent article on the program here: Rooted in Purpose: A Gift that Grows Greener.

Purpose

Leverage Ithaca College’s unique blend of liberal arts and professional studies across its five schools to broaden and enhance student understanding of sustainability principles and equip them through diverse disciplinary perspectives with the tools to navigate and address the complexities of climate change both as professionals and citizens after graduation.

Eligibility & Stipend

  • Proposals may be submitted by any faculty on tenured, tenure-eligible, or MYRN appointments at Ithaca College, and teaching during the fall and spring semesters of the 2025-2026 academic year.
  • Prior experience teaching about sustainability is not required. Priority for funding will be given to faculty teaching in disciplines or courses that have not previously incorporated sustainability-related themes.
  • Individual stipends are $1,200, distributed in three $400 payments. An additional limited pool of funds is available for one time purchase of learning materials, books or subscriptions.

Timeline

  • May 23, 2025: Proposals due
  • Early June: Awardees notified
  • $400 stipends paid in July 2025, December 2025 after small group share out completed, April 2026 after large share-out during Sustainability week completed

Proposals

Criteria for Selection:  

  • The course is taught in the Fall 2025 or Spring 2026 semester.
  • Includes a clear title and description of lesson series or instructional unit.
  • Provides student learning outcomes and methods for feedback and assessment.
  • Integrates student use or critical analysis of sustainable practices.
  • Outlines a plan for sustaining or continuing the unit in future iterations of the course.
  • Demonstrates feasibility in terms of time, cost, and scope.


 Submission Form Requirements:

  • Online Submission Form
  • Applicant information
  • Course information (title, description, credit, typical enrollment, semester offered)
  • Title and description of lesson series or instructional unit
  • Student learning outcomes and methods of assessment
  • Resources required
  • Plan for sustaining instructional unit over time

Contact

All Proposals due May 23, 2025

Sustainability Grant Submission Form

For information about this grant, please contact the Center for Faculty Excellence.

(link is a phone number) (607)274-1726