The sustainability fund, also known as a green fund, has been introduced at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada in the past two decades as a methodology for improving campus sustainability while decreasing the high costs of resource-use. As Jacob Bintliff notes in his research, “One of the critical features of green funds is their ability to either fully fund or provide seed capital for dynamic, innovative projects at a relatively quick pace, allowing many sustainability projects to get off the ground long before they might have through normal channels.” (Bintliff, 17) This research identifies two types of sustainability funds: the Sustainability Grant Fund (SGF) and the Green Revolving Fund (GRF). These two types of funds are explored in detail for their efficacy. Discussed will be the worth of a fund in higher education in economic terms, the history and application of the 66 funds that have sprouted up in the past 20 years, a specific post-facto sustainability fund campaign at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the spring of 2011, and a policy guide proposal for a future successful fund at Rensselaer. With very little research having been done in this field of study, many questions lay in the ether. Where, when, and how have these programs been established? What do green funds pay for and how are they allocated? Who are they stakeholders and how successful can these funds be? This report compiles all of the most relevant information on sustainability funds into one compendium, while still applying a real-world approach to a specific university.