The Sustainable Hawk Fund is an opportunity to take your sustainability idea and make it a reality!

FUNDING REQUEST

In your application, you must identify what funding request your project falls under. These are the three funding streams available for projects.

• Seed Funding
• Growth Funding
• Established Project

Please note that as of the 2022-23 funding cycle, projects that are listed as “Seed Funding” or “Growth Funding” will be prioritized.

Please note that projects that have previously been awarded funding are not eligible for another round of funding, please contact sustainability@wlu.ca to discuss alternative options.

STREAMS 

The 2022-23 Sustainable Campus Committee, is excited to provide funding streams available to ensure equal access to the program.

• BIPOC-led Sustainability Projects. This stream is dedicated to sustainability projects that are BIPOC-led or focus on intersection issues within sustainability, race, and equity. This stream has a total of $5,000 available and will not be carried over into the main funding stream if the funding is not allocated.

• Brantford-led Sustainability Projects. Every funding cycle, the Sustainable Campus Committee allocates up to $30,000 towards projects. As of 2021-22, this funding pool will be split equally between Brantford and Waterloo!

You must complete the application and the Budget Template to be considered as an applicant by the identified deadline. Your project should fit into one of the main themes in the Sustainability Action Plan (e.g. waste, climate, engagement, diversity, etc.

Along with the application, you may submit any of the optional supporting documentation listed below via email.

1. Business Plan
2. Poster/Creative Design
3. Project deliverables and goals

Following the completion of the online application, you must submit the budget template via email to dmcgregor@wlu.ca. To complete the budget template, follow these steps:

1. Download the SHF Budget Template link
2. Complete the budget template for your project
3. Submit it to dmcgregor@wlu.ca

APPLICANTS

All students, staff, and faculty (on any Laurier campus) are eligible to apply to the Sustainable Hawk Fund.

EXPENSES

When submitting the budget template in the application, please consider the following eligible and ineligible expenses:

Eligible expenses include:

• Direct Costs (equipment purchases, workshop/event costs, building materials, supplies, and software/subscription-based items)

• Communications & Marketing (printing/copying, postage, website, marketing and promotions, banners, and posters)

• Other (Professional services, transportation expenses, food/catering, space rental, and equipment rental)

Ineligible expenses include:

• Operational Costs – staff salaries/wages

• Certain Event Expenses – alcohol

• Project Team Expenses – gifts and meeting hospitality (i.e. food and drinks)

If there is an expense that you have that is not listed above and you unsure of whether it qualifies, please contact the Outreach + Programs Coordinator, prior to submitting your application.

Please see the Funding Policy for additional details on expense reimbursement.

JUDGING

After the applications are reviewed, the next stage will be identifying projects that will present a project pitch! The Sustainable Campus Committee is tasked with judging all the final pitches. The Committee is comprised of a mix of staff, faculty, and students who provide their input and feedback on project proposals.

CRITERIA

Applications are evaluated based on the following:

• Whether your project relates to at least one theme from the Laurier Sustainability Action Plan

• Completeness including project description and the sustainability problem you are looking at addressing

• Identified goals and objectives

• Project applicants have the option to identify how their sustainability solution/project addresses equity issues

Project pitches are evaluated on the following:

• Adhered to the format of the pitch guidelines (problem, solution, impact, and milestones)

• Relatability to sustainability on campus or directly in the community (priority will be given to projects that enhance on campus sustainability)

• Quality of the pitch and presentation

Although there are countless reasons why you should get involved and apply for this program, we've chosen to highlight five:

1. Positive impact: Your ideas have the ability to positively transform the way students experience life at Laurier.

2. Laurier Experience Record (LER): All of the hours you track through this program are eligible for LER on your transcript.

3. Funding: A pool of $30,000 is allocated for the SHF on an annual basis. Funding is commonly awarded up to $5,000 per application but, is not limited to this amount if the funding request is justified and available*.

4. Experience: You'll bump up your skills in areas including project management, budgeting, and networking – all great things to put on your resume.

5. Networking: Facilitate campus and community connections to help your project thrive.

Sustainable Hawk Fund – Funding Policy

REVISION DATE: 10/13/2022

General

This policy has been developed to ensure the Sustainable Hawk Fund (SHF) operates with integrity throughout the process of engaging students, faculty, and staff to integrate sustainability practices into student life at Laurier. The process herein will provide guidance on the requirements for project reporting as well as transparency for the program as a whole.

Timelines

The following timelines are to be followed for the 2022/23 SHF program year. All communications are to be directed by email to the Outreach + Programs Coordinator, Dan, at dmcgregor@wlu.ca.

There is one program application deadline per calendar year. Starting in 2022, the Sustainable Hawk Fund application period will be open for approximately 60 days to ensure that there is enough time for students to come up with ideas and submit their projects. The deadline will be:

• Friday, January 13, 2023 a 11:59PM EST

Accountability

Participants in the SHF are required to prepare a project timeline, key milestones, and detailed budget at the time of funding and two progress reports during their project period: an Interim Report at a 50% milestone completion checkpoint and a Final Report upon completion. If a project is short term, they may only be required to complete a final report.

Each progress report will be submitted via email and will include the information detailed below.

• Project completion status and key milestones achieved
• Updated project budget (if applicable)
• Challenges or support required from the Sustainability Office

The Outreach + Programs Coordinator will keep track of individual expenses for each project throughout the funding cycle.

Unspent Funds

In the event that a project is completed under budget, any unspent money will be re-allocated to the Sustainable Hawk Fund budget.

Max Limit Procedure

In the event that a project approaches the total funding amount awarded before the project is completed, the project team shall notify the Coordinator: Outreach + Programs by email at dmcgregor@wlu.ca immediately. Using the equation below, a threshold of 90 percent of total budget spent shall be used to prompt such notification. It is the responsibility of the project team to monitor spending to determine if this threshold is crossed. At this point the Sustainable Campus Committee shall review the project details to determine the appropriate course of action.

Procurement Guidelines

Wilfrid Laurier University’s Procurement and Tendering Policy 5.11 adheres to the principles and guidelines recommended and mandated by the Broader Public Sector Directive. The following are the dollar thresholds for competitive procurement as per the WLU Procurement and Tendering Policy 5.11:

$0 to $10,000[1] – one written or verbal quote is required

$10,000 to $25,000¹ – Please obtain a minimum of 2 written quotes. Where the user is unable to obtain quotes, Procurement may obtain quotes on his/her behalf as required

Additional Resources:

• Laurier Procurement Policies and Procedures
• Laurier Procedures for the Procurement of Goods & Services
• Ontario Ministry of Government and Consumer Services, Broader Public Sector Directive

Funding Procedure by Project Type

Faculty / Staff

Procurement for projects lead by a faculty or staff member will be undertaken by the proponent (for both internal and external expenses) and allocated via reimbursement. All expenditures must be detailed in the project budget and approved by the Coordinator: Outreach + Programs via email at dmcgregor@wlu.ca at project initiation. Following written approval (via email), the proponent may commence with procurement in accordance with the Wilfrid Laurier University’s Procurement and Tendering Policy 5.11 (including required quotes and order instructions). All expenses will be reimbursed to the proponent provided:

• Detailed expense summary submitted for approval with original receipts
• Reimbursements made via interdepartmental transfer or through cheque requisition

Wages and salaries are not eligible expenses.

Student

Student-led projects may require expenditures both internal and external to campus. All expenditures must be detailed in the project budget and approved by the Coordinator: Outreach + Programs via email at dmcgregor@wlu.ca at project initiation. Following written approval (via email), the proponent may commence with procurement in accordance with the Wilfrid Laurier University’s Procurement and Tendering Policy 5.11 (including required quotes and order instructions). Procurement and payments for expenses will be undertaken by the project team following the hierarchy below:

1. Preferred option: Out-of-Pocket[2] expenses reimbursed through Accounts Payable:
   1. Expenses with mileage use Travel Expense Form
   2. Other expenses use Cheque Requisition Form with original receipts
   3. SIN # is only required if the reimbursement is for services that would require a T4A (such as a speaking engagement)
2. Second option: invoices for external procurement sent from vendor directly to the Coordinator: Outreach + Programs, Sustainability Office.
3. Third option: internal services provided (e.g., catering, printing, etc.) may² be procured through the Sustainability Office.

Wages and salaries are not eligible expenses.

Business Venture (Proponent: Student / Faculty / Staff)

In the event the project proponent is a student/faculty/staff lead business venture, or the project pivots into a business venture during its implementation, procurement will be undertaken as follows. All purchases and expenses will be undertaken by the proponent and funding will be allocated via reimbursement. All expenditures must be detailed in the project budget and approved by the Coordinator: Outreach + Programs via email at dmcgregor@wlu.ca at project initiation. Following written approval (via email), the proponent may commence with procurement in accordance with the Wilfrid Laurier University’s Procurement and Tendering Policy 5.11 (including required quotes and order instructions). All expenses will be invoiced to the Sustainability Office for fulfilment and will be processed in a timely manner.

Wages and salaries are not eligible expenses.

Other Considerations

• Laurier’s Brand Standards shall be adhered to when using logos and designing other materials that represent the university.
• Any on-campus catering will be sourced through approved on-campus vendors:
  • Food Services via Catertrax
  • Students’ Union
  • Veritas Café

[1] Please note that these thresholds exclude Consulting Services. All consulting services require the invitation of a minimum of three suppliers to bid regardless of dollar value, including those instances where services have been offered free of charge. For requirements where the pre-tax value of the services will be $100,000 or more, the opportunity must be publicly posted.

[2] If financial constraints prevent student from paying for out-of-pocket expenses, contact the Sustainability Office to make funding arrangements.

• Microplastic Awareness Campaign, led by Ryan Brady, the campaign will be designed to raise awareness and literacy surrounding Canada’s increasing reliance on plastics. A variety of digital postings (on social media and a website) will be designed to educate and inspire viewers. Specifically, the campaign will promote taking a 30-day challenge that will be designed to reduce everyday plastic waste.

• SmileTabs, led by Spencer Lynn, has a goal to reduce waste from toothpaste tubes by creating a sustainable toothpaste option that is accessible to everyone. By re-imagining the packaging and encapsulating the dentist-recommended amount of toothpaste in a water-soluble film, they will be creating a toothpaste option that results in no packaging waste.

• Food Justice Garden, led by Rosemary Ganton, is a partnership to transform decorative planters on the Waterloo main campus into food gardens to support food justice amongst Indigenous students and community members. Currently, many existing planters and beds are filled with ornamental plants, where some of those planters will be replaced with a food garden.

• Food Fight, led by Jessica Malcolm, looks to divert food that would otherwise end up in landfills. The goal is to assist restaurants in reducing their food waste in two ways. The first is through a subscription service to reduce raw ingredient spoilage and second, through providing an app for food to be picked up that is “end-of-life” at the end of the day.

• LASTXX (Last 20), led by Lauren Barnes, is developing a plastic pavement solution, which will supplement a portion of bitumen (the common binding agent in traditional pavement) with low-density polyethylene one of the hardest plastics to recycle.

• Smart Hawk Recycling, led by Reena Sakram, is an initiative that expands on Laurier’s current recycling program to decrease the amount of wrongfully wasted items that must be recycled properly. This Program creates convenience for students, an easier method to properly recycle their items. By introducing a program like the Smart Hawk Recycling Program, students are given the opportunity to place their used items somewhere central on campus.

Cut the Crap" Photo Installation

Led by Kai Reimer-Watts. Illustrations from Pooja Dhingra's series "Cut the Crap" promoting individual action will be put up in a Sustainability Corridor on-campus. 

Sustainable Menstruation Workshops

Led by Brooke Dietrich. Proposed workshop to educate and provide alternatives to traditional menstrual products that are environmentally wasteful (i.e., landfill prevention equivalent to mass of 14 adult lions). The workshop would invite industry experts/representatives to discuss alternatives and destigmatize menstruation. 

Battery Recycling Drums

Led by Madeline McInnis. This project will look to get battery recycling stations on campus for students to have a place to safely dispose of batteries. With the lack of options to recycle batteries on campus, this project fulfils a need that currently isn't being met on campus. Funding will be used towards finding and purchasing battery recycling drums!

HiRide

Led by Akshat Soni. HiRide is a carpooling platform that was created for post-secondary students and young professionals to be able to travel long distances more safely, efficiently, socially, and conveniently. For every 5 carpools which we facilitate, we will plant a tree in Waterloo. Funding will be used towards marketing, communication, and some software/subscription costs.

EarthSuds

Led by Marissa Vettoretti. EarthSuds is a social business which aims to sell a substitute for travel toiletries that is free from plastic packaging. They are piloting in individual, stand-alone hotels but we are aiming to sell to hotel franchises/chains in the growth phase of the business

LastXX Apparel

Led by Lauren Barnes. Last20 Apparel integrates PET plastics into fibres, which is its sustainable clothing brand. PET plastics are commonly found in plastic water bottles and so every article of clothing has 6 recycled plastic water bottles in it. Last20 gives people the security that their purchase is making a difference, by: upcycling bottles before they end up in landfills and oceans; educating consumers about proper recycling habits; and creating amazing repurposed apparel, and giving bottles a positive end of life solution.

PolliNation by Monique Riendeau + Building for Bees: Creating Habitat by Planting a Pollinator Garden by Jennifer Marshman
PolliNation is a social enterprise developed through Laurier's Enactus chapter that helps the declining pollinator population and provides a solution to pollinator habitat loss. The PolliNation team will be collaborating with another SHF applicant, current PhD candidate Jennifer Marshman, to improve pollinator habitat and food sources on campus. A pollinator garden will be created to provide for pollinator conservation and to educate university students and the larger community on the needs of pollinators. It will incorporate native plants, regenerate soil, and supports pollinators. 

Heat to Eat by Karly Rath
This project will transform an existing greenhouse building on Northdale campus into a year-round community hub and greenhouse filled with urban agriculture. A system will be implemented that will convert food waste into heat to grow organic produce for students and the community. 

Ballot Bins by Kwabena Gyetuah
An estimated 4.5 trillion cigarette butts littered around the world every year. This project will help keep this waste off the street. Ballot Bins are customizable ashtrays that present a question and two answers on each container. The smoker can vote by dropping their cigarette butt in one of the two glass slots. This incentivizes smokers to vote on a question rather than throw their litter on the street. 

Sustainability Arts for Climate Action by Kai Reimer-Watts
Sustainability Arts for Climate Action will implement art installations and interactive programming to leverage sustainability on campus. The project will act an as awareness-raising tool that will link different themes including environmental, social and economic sustainability. 

Sustainability in Cosmetics: Workshop with The Eco Well by Rosemary Brockett 
This workshop will serve as a valuable opportunity for students to learn about the sustainability of the cosmetic products they use every single day. Students will learn how to make informed choices about what products to purchase, companies to support, and how to create their own products. This will allow students to position themselves in a sustainably-friendly mindset as consumers.

Diva Cups for Laurier Students by Brooke Dietrich
In partnership with Diva International and the Shore Centre, this workshop will educate students on alternatives to traditional menstrual products that are environmentally wasteful. It will provide Laurier students with the opportunity to learn about Diva Cups, network with others, and receive their own Diva Cup. 

EarthSuds by Marissa Vettoretti
EarthSuds is a social business that sells travel toiletries free from plastic packaging. This is done by creating solid shampoos, conditioners, and soap that exist in the form of a single-use, dissolvable strip which is packaged in biodegradable, recycled paper packaging. Visit earthsuds.co to learn more.

LASTXX Apparel by Lauren Barnes
LASTXX Apparel is a sustainable clothing brand that collects and properly recycles 20 plastic bottles for every item sold. They collect bottles through corporate recycling programs, community events and school bottles drives.

Vertical Barrel Gardens by Kristen Gilmore
This project provides an opportunity for students to obtain accessible yet sustainable fruits and vegetables within our campus’ green space. Two to three self-maintaining vertical barrel gardens will be placed in pilot locations to supply space to grow fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers.

Sustainability Through an Inclusive Lens by Hillary Scanlon: $4,500

Diva Cups on Campus by Thaya Williams & Samantha Coombs: $750

massageU by Adam Virani: $500

Greenfest by Stephanie Plante: $2,000

Hungry Hippie by Amanda Nobile & Venessa Richards: $2,000 
Hungry Hippie aims to improve sustainability and wellness through food on campus by creating delicious homemade vegan dinners for Laurier students each week at an inexpensive cost.  

Earth Suds (formerly SoaPaper) by Marissa Vettoretti: $5,400
Earth Suds is a student-run non-profit business that intends to eliminate the use of plastic packaging by selling dehydrated soaps in the form of a thin strip that transforms into liquid with the addition of water. This program will be pursued through Enactus Laurier which will reinvest the income generated from the project back into the business. 

TransAllyship Workshop Series by Milas Hewson & Toby Finlay: $2,000
This workshop series, provided by the Rainbow Centre, combines interactive activities and group discussions designed to help the Laurier community improve on its allyship to trans and non-binary students on campus by teaching several topics. 

TEDx Brantford by Kwabena Gyetuah: $2,000
Based on TED Talks, this event is student-run. It focuses on inspiring ideas to the global platform and improving the community by discussing new ideas, generating meaningful connections, and fostering innovation.

Laurier Food Forest by Jennifer Marshman: $5,000
This project plans to build upon the existing perennial and fruit tree planting at the Northdale Campus food forest through engagement, education, accessibility, student wellness, and research.

Sustainable Café Speaker by Peter Farrugia: $137
Mentors and Partners: Sue Carr - Executive Director at Café 451

More than your typical coffee shop Café 451 seeks to support its surrounding community by offering a place for people to exchange ideas and offers programs to fund meals for those in need. As part of Peter Farrugia's course CT401 - Food, Farrugia invited Executive Director of Café 451, Sue Carr to guest lecture. Through learning about Café 451 and its mission students learned about the link between social justice and food, as well as how the café supports sustainability in food systems and the community. 

Threads and Thimbles by Fani Hsieh: $250
Mentors and Partners: Bonnie Pearson - Sewing Instructor at Conestoga College

In March 2017 Conestoga College sewing instructor Bonnie Pearson visited the Waterloo campus to host a workshop teaching students basic sewing skills. The workshop was run by the Waterloo campus Ecohawks. The purpose was to teach students how to repair their own clothing and textiles to avoid unnecessary waste. The Ecohawks also sold small sewing kits for $2 at the workshop to help students start repairing their own clothes. 

Waste Management Tour by Fani Hsieh: $424
Mentors and Partners: Waterloo Region Waste Management

Art Exhibit - Transcend: Meeting Room by Suzanne Luke: $6,430
Mentors and Partners: Ron Benner - Ontario Artist

The Green Mission by Doris Bara: $720
Mentors and Partners:

• Elaheh Sajadi - Student
• Dr. Peter Farrugia - Faculty
• Scott Mccormack - Farmer
• Bonnie Whitlow - Brantford Community Garden

The mission, should you choose to accept it, is to bring a composting program to residences on the Brantford campus. The plan is to provide students with green bins for their compostable waste and a central drop off location. Local farmer Scott Mccormack will then pick up the compost for use on his farm and to share with the Brantford Community Garden. This program will first be piloted in the Grand River Hall residence.  

MDC Bottle Fill Station by Peter Thomson: $2,745
Mentors and Partners: n/a

Upon realizing there was nowhere for students or staff to refill a water bottle in the Market Darling Centre Peter Thomson proposed installing a bottle fill station on the first floor. The Sustainable Hawk Fund provided partial funding for this project, and the station is now installed and fully operational.

The WLUGSA Veritas Café Garden Project by Ellen Ménage: $2,000
Mentors and Partners:

• James Emary - Area Manager, Grounds Services
• Sandor Dossman - Veritas Café Operator (past)

This project involved transforming the shrubs outside of Veritas Cafe into a garden to grow fresh vegetables and herbs to be used in food served at Veritas Cafe. The garden pictured below is planted and well on its way to providing fresh food to be served right on campus! Another garden is planned to be planted outside of the Waterloo campus Wellness Centre in 2017. 

Find our Veritas Café Garden album on Facebook!

Social Justice and Community Engagement Legacy Project by SJCE Student Team (Christine Wildman, Eric Van Giessan, Michael Peters, and Sarah Cifani): $2,600
Mentors and Partners:

• Marcia Oliver - Faculty member, Society and Law
• Lisa Keys - Facility Operations Manager
• Lauren Burrows - Centre for Student Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

A group of students in the Social Justice and Community Engagement course created a project for class and proposed changing the signage on all 33 of Laurier Brantford campus's single stall washrooms to have gender-neutral signs. This project was conceived to create a more inclusive environment for everyone at Laurier and in the community. These students decided to pursue their project and with the help of staff and faculty, the Brantford campus will soon have gender-neutral signage! The team also hosted an information booth and a screening of the documentary "On Hold."