Sustainability Initiatives Revolving Fund | SIRF

The Arizona State University Sustainability Initiatives Revolving Fund was established in fiscal year 2010 to invest in projects that foster and enable sustainability efforts and provide an economic return on investment. SIRF funds are available to all ASU community members. The SIRF is comprised of the following three tiers:

• Tier 1 Mini Sustainability Engagement Grants: Mini-grants for peer-to-peer education on sustainability. This grant can be utilized for Campus Sustainability Month, Earth Month, and Sun Devil Athletics Green Games or similar activities to encourage hosting engagement events. Grants will be awarded up to $500 and are overseen by Sustainability Practices at ASU. 

• Tier 1 University Community Sustainability Grants: Smaller projects designed to build a campus sustainability culture and promote student and employee engagement. A small funding pool is set aside each year to award grants of up to $5,000 and is overseen by the director of Sustainability Practices at ASU and SIRF committee members.

• Some questions to help guide you when developing a Tier 1 grant idea:

  • What need is there for your project on campus? 
  • What is the goal of your project, and who will benefit from your project?
  • What are the objectives of your project? 
  • Which ASU sustainability goals do they support? 

Submit a Tier 1 grant for review.

• Tier 2 Fund Matching and Efficiency Loans: Medium-scale, capital-improvement initiatives that return a project’s costs within 6 years or less. These loans are ideal for departments that need to upgrade or renovate space and equipment to improve efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, and require that the department match-fund the proposed investment as well as share in the return generated.

  • To apply for SIRF Tier 2 funding, please download and complete the request form and the financial matrix form and email them to the SIRF committee.

• Tier 3 Capital Expansion Loans:All large-scale initiatives that make a significant and measurable sustainability impact and return a project’s costs within 10 years or less. These loans are targeted at strategic internal and external partnerships that reduce carbon emissions.

  • To apply for SIRF Tier 3 funding, please download and complete the request form and the financial matrix form and email them to the SIRF committee.

The SIRF committee, composed of ASU senior management, convenes monthly to review and approve project requests. The SIRF committee established minimum financial goals that the Tier 2 and Tier 3 projects must achieve to be approved for funding. Each project’s yearly savings are incorporated into ASU’s annual and multi-year fiscal plans.

SIRF Committee Meetings

Please submit your application a minimum of five business days prior to meeting dates to ensure a timely review.