A new AASHE member’s only resource made available this week, Alumni Sustainability Funds, provides a look at how some institutions are funding sustainability initiatives while at the same time encouraging alumni giving and involvement. In today’s climate, new sources of funding - especially for sustainability projects which often don’t have immediate payoffs - are becoming ever more valuable to colleges and universities. The ubiquitous, “Yes, that sounds great but where will we get the money?” becomes, “The alumni are really behind this,” and the benefits are more than monetary. More interest in sustainability projects from alumni means more support for those programs and eventually more momentum behind starting new ones.

     Two types of alumni funds exist in this resource. The first are perhaps better termed “alumni fund-raising initiatives.” These funds are programs tailored and open to or supported by alumni. A good example is the University of California, Berkeley’s alumni sustainability fund-raising page. These are the types of giving programs which are meant to increase the rate of alumni giving while at the same time build momentum and support for sustainability on campus and in the community.

     The second type are funds created by alumni such as the Ron Meissen Sustainability Fund at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.  These are generally large gifts designed to support or establish specific sustainability initiatives. Beyond the obvious monetary value of such gifts, alumni-established sustainability funds can provide excellent publicity for sustainability initiatives. At the same time, if publicity is indeed done well, these gifts can serve as motivation for other alumni to make similar gifts. Often such funds are named after their founders and are a great way for alumni to leave a lasting (and remembered) legacy at their school.

     We at AASHE hope this resource will be a valuable tool for colleges and universities in their fund-raising and alumni outreach efforts, particularly at a time when every little bit helps. For more information on how to start an alumni sustainability fund and fundraising in general, see AASHE’s Raise the Funds Toolkit.