FAQs

1. is there a deadline?

There are no set deadlines, but the last committee review meeting of a semester will occur before Finals Week. The committee does not meet during Summer. The committee aims to end each Spring Semester with all available funds committed to projects (and the committee receives more requests for funding than the annual allocation can support).

2. How do I submit a proposal?

Check out the “Submit a Proposal” page here. Send your completed proposal to CGI at charlottegreeninitiative.cgi@gmail.com

3. Can I just send you my idea instead of a proposal form?

No. The committee will make decisions based only from completed proposals on the forms provided. The review process can include requests for proposers to revise their proposals before a final vote is taken. The committee can collect more information from proposers who attend the meeting where their proposal is being reviewed.

4. Is there a minimum/maximum budget size?

There is a practical maximum based on the funding available annually. The committee has never committed all its annual funds to a single project, and the largest single proposals have been ca. $40,000. The previous projects page can give you an idea of the typical grants sizes. That list does not include Small Grants (<$500), which in some years can be the most numerous grant size the committee reviews.

5. How can I get more involved with CGI?

If you are a student, you could apply to join the committee; please see the Join the Committee page. The committee has also had staff and faculty advisors.

6. What kind of projects have been proposed and funded?

Check out our previous projects page to see titles of large (>$500) projects. In the proposal, we will ask you to explain how your project applies to campus sustainability. New ideas are welcome, and the CGI has been a critical source of funding for new ideas and pilot projects, many of which have become established on campus. If you have any questions, feel free to include them in an email to charlottegreeninitiative.cgi@gmail.com.

7. What would I be expected to do if my proposal is accepted?

The amount of time and effort devoted to a project varies from proposal to proposal. Some projects are completed by university staff, while other projects are completed by the students who submitted the proposal. Large Proposals (>$500) require that you identify on-campus partners who will see a project to completion and make sure its impact carries on (e.g., after a student has graduated). Project teams are expected to submit updates to the committee, especially when the project is completed. We also ask some projects to help promote CGI, i.e. by acknowledging the source of funding or attaching the CGO logo to a built product.

8. Can I submit an idea that is not complete?

Most proposals need some help from the committee and its advisors to be completed on campus. For example, there are a lot of rules about spending funds, building things on campus, etc. that we do not expect everyone to know. We ask that you do your best to prepare a proposal that addresses all the required sections. It is important to think through how your project is sustainability-oriented and will give back to the campus community. It is critical to have some idea of cost. For many proposals, especially for large grants (>$500), the committee will invite the proposer to a meeting to help answer questions and receive feedback on your idea.

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