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OVERVIEW

University graduates are entering a world characterized by climate change, biodiversity loss, food and water inequality, and upheaval in economic and social systems. Addressing these issues requires transformative perspectives, innovation, and new approaches. If you have a great idea for a new course or program (or would like to update a current one) that uses applied, experiential and/or interdisciplinary approaches to learning, we’d love to hear from you. We encourage applications that support advancements in climate, biodiversity, resilient communities and the circular economy.

To apply for a Sustainability Education Grant, review the application process and funding streams available and submit a proposal to the Sustainability Hub. If applying for the larger 2-year grant you must apply with another faculty member from a different Faculty, Department or discipline. Both of you must be in ongoing roles at UBC. Additional faculty members are encouraged to participate—there is no limit on team size. We encourage proposals from faculty members who have not previously engaged with UBC Sustainability Hub’s curriculum grant programs.

The grant streams available are the following:

• 2-year grants of a maximum of $10,000 per year for new courses or programs that involve interdisciplinary teams of faculty members from different departments or faculties (minimum two faculty members involved).
   
• 1-year grants up to a maximum of $5,000 for updating existing courses or programs (minimum one faculty member involved)

The grant can be used for curriculum project work, including hiring students or consultants, attending conferences, purchasing resources, or a teaching buy-out if approved by the grant holder's home Department and/or Faculty.

 

Sustainability Fellowships

By accepting the grant, you commit to becoming a Sustainability Fellow for the period of the grant. You will meet once or twice a month (dates to be determined) throughout the academic year with other Sustainability Fellows to report on your project progress, share ideas and collaborate on emergent projects. Sustainability Fellows are viewed as champions for sustainability within their departments.  

 

GRANT CRITERIA

Large Grants
 

1. Faculty Teams
For the large 2-year grants, we accept proposals from faculty who wish to work together to build or refine curriculum on sustainability issues or topics that demand an interdisciplinary approach. Both faculty members must be in ongoing roles at UBC and come from different departments or faculties.

2. For Credit
Curriculum projects can be any scale, but must focus on a for-credit option. For example, your proposal could be to create a course, create a cluster of courses around an issue or theme, or develop a minor or a major program. Proposals for field, summer and online courses are also accepted.

3. Appropriate Budget
All project proposals must include a project budget. Your proposal should reflect the scale and scope of the project. For example, a new course proposal will require fewer funds than a proposal to develop a new minor program. Funding for hiring students must align with UBC student salary guidelines.

4. Accessible across disciplines
The curriculum must be accessible to students (undergraduate or graduate) from at least two, or more Faculties.

Small grants
 

1. Theme focused
For the smaller 1-year grants your course or program revisions need to focus on at least one of the following key sustainability themes: climate, resilient communities, biodiversity or circular economy. As opposed to the large 2-year grants, the project does not need to be interdisciplinary, but teams of faculty are welcome and encouraged to apply. The lead faculty member must be in an ongoing role at UBC.

2. For Credit
Curriculum projects can be any scale but must focus on a for-credit option. For example, your proposal could be to revise a course or a cluster of courses around an issue or theme. Proposals for field, summer and online courses are also accepted.

3. Appropriate Budget
All project proposals must include a project budget. Your proposal should reflect the scale and scope of the project. For example, reviewing one specific assignment or module would typically require fewer funds than a proposal to revise the whole syllabus and content of a course. Funding for hiring students must align with UBC student salary guidelines.

Explore recently funded projects to understand what a successful project looks like.

 

HOW TO APPLY

1. Review the application form – including the eligibility requirements, your responsibilities as a project lead, and signature requirements.

2. Prepare your proposal – this includes providing a summary of the project, a statement of interest, a detailed project description, the deliverables and anticipated benefits, and a project budget.

3. Provide your Curriculum Vitae – we require an up-to-date version of your CV in short form (up to a maximum of five pages).

4. Submit your application to the review committee – The Selection Committee includes the UBCV Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President Academic Affairs, the Sustainability Hub Academic Director and the Sustainability Hub Manager of Teaching and Learning.

Download Application

Submit completed applications to Oliver Lane, Manager of Teaching and Learning, at oliver.lane@ubc.ca. 

 

SUPPORT WE PROVIDE

In addition to the Sustainability Education Grants, the UBC Sustainability Hub offers a range of support services that will be available to you, including:

• Managing the Sustainability Fellowship program to connect faculty members across disciplines and share curriculum development knowledge and practice
• Making sustainability curriculum resources available, such as UBC’s Sustainability Education Framework, and other general resources
• Connecting you to curriculum experts including Senate representatives
• Suggesting co-curricular student engagement options
• Helping promote new sustainability courses or programs to students across campus
• Providing comprehensive information on sustainability courses and interdisciplinary themes at UBC*
• Connecting you to resources such as the Climate Hub workshops and the Climate Teaching Connector program to support the delivery of in-classroom sustainability content

*We encourage you to review UBC’s existing courses that address sustainability-related issues. Our team curates an up-to-date database of 700+ sustainability courses. We can organize these courses by interdisciplinary theme and help expose barriers to access (e.g., pre-requisites) and availability (e.g. course popularity).

QUESTIONS?

Contact Oliver Lane, Manager of Teaching and Learning, at oliver.lane@ubc.ca if you have questions or would like to discuss your idea for a proposal.