February 2016: Contests and Funding

Write to Change the World: Deadline to Apply February 1
The “Write to Change the World” program is an opportunity for UC faculty that will build capacity to translate their research for the public and to engage in debate at a national level based on their areas of
 expertise. Invitational priorities for applicants include: 1) sustainability and the environment 2) social justice and inequality 3) big data and digital humanities 4) public health and medical humanities 5) arts and public life. After the 1-day workshop, fellows will have access to a yearlong mentorship with media mentors through the OpEd Project. This program provides extraordinary resources, access and support, including cutting edge game-based, research-driven programming, and access to a prestigious network of fellows at peer institutions nationwide. Learn more here.

Campus Sustainability Council Funding Applications: Deadline February 12
Apply for funding through the Campus Sustainability Council (CSC)! Proposals adhering to the criteria for student organizations and relevance to the Blueprint for a Sustainable Campus are eligible for funding. Review the Request for Proposal, which outlines all requirements and mandatory steps to apply for funding from CSC. For more information, visit the CSC website.

Grad Slam: Deadline March 4
Grad Slam is a competition that challenges graduate students to present years' worth of academic research in a concise, compelling, three-minute talk to a non-expert audience. Doctoral students who have advanced to candidacy and are enrolled in winter and spring 2016 are eligible to compete in Grad Slam. The contest begins with a video round of competition, during which 10 finalists will be selected for our campus live event to be held on Wednesday, April 6. The winner from that event will take home $3,000 and go on to compete in the UC-wide Grad Slam in San Francisco on April 22. UCSC's runner-up receives $1,500, and the people's choice winner receives $750. Check out the online instructions for all the details.

Zero Waste Youth USA Convergence: Deadline February 1
Organized by youth, for youth, the Zero Waste Youth USA Convergence will include a full day of visioning, organizing and celebrating zero waste and will empower youth to bring the zero waste message back to their schools and communities. The day will feature a keynote address, hands-on activities, and presentations on exciting zero waste topics both from the youth as well as from exceptional leaders from the community. If you are interested in speaking or performing at the event on March 26, 2016 at the Ocean Campus of City College of San Francisco, please fill out this form.

8th Annual International Sustainable Campus Network Award: Deadline February 1
The International Sustainable Campus Excellence Awards recognize sustainable campus projects that demonstrate leadership, creativity, effectiveness and outstanding performance. The award categories have been modified this year to reflect the evolution of campus sustainability. Campus projects can be submitted for one of the following categories: Buildings and Innovative Infrastructure, Campus Planning and Management Systems, Innovative Collaboration, or Student Leadership. Click here to apply.

Get Loud (About Climate Change) Challenge
ACE and NextGen Climate America just launched a new initiative, the Get Loud Challenge, an innovative climate competition that will engage young people across the country to turn up the volume on climate change. The Get Loud Challenge will motivate young people (ages 13-24) in all 50 states to take highly visible, online and offline actions to catapult climate change into the spotlight. Earn points for a range of climate actions — from having a conversation about climate with a family member to calling on our leaders to embrace clean energy policies in their communities. Go to GetLoudChallenge.org to learn more.

Students with Drive
Each month, Zipcar awards $27,000 in transportation grants to student organizations across the country so groups like yours can drive for free to volunteer opportunities, academic conferences, concerts, games or wherever you need to go.Ready to enter? Visit the Students With Drive page to enter your organization today. Each month, 15 finalists will get a chance to win big. Apply here!