Funding
Apply to the SiAG Fund
The fund for academic year 23/24 is now open. We support a wide range of climate justice projects within students’ practice. Contact the Sustainability Coordinator John for advice and to talk about other funding routes.
We fund a variety of projects across the GSA. We aim to support innovative creativity, reducing our impact on the environment and enhancing the student experience. Ideas are welcomed to improve our Estate, how the buildings operate and how we go about our work and practice.
Most funding goes to students who wish to develop their practice to address environmental, social or ethical issues. We have supported students to source materials more ethically, change processes in manufacture, improve design, communicate environmental and social issues through their art practice, and to explore new ways of building, making and doing.
The best projects are developed in depth over time, and by talking to us and developing the ideas over the academic year. Last minute applications generally receive less support. We will probably fund a percentage of the project, usually reflecting, and compensating for, extra costs due to using a more environmental and socially just approach.
We have funded guest speakers on natural dyes, water resource use, eco-builds, environmental responsibility, Earth stewardship, peace activists and ecological consciousness. Any GSA community member can suggest speakers and apply for funding. Detailed criteria is available here.
We do not fund work with political associations to a particular party or political cause, but we do fund work that centres on equality and equitable use of resources.
There is no application form. We ask for no more than two pages of text and images where you should outline your practice, what you want to do, other sources of funding, when and how you want to do it. You should detail the benefits to your practice, future life, and how to feed back your experiences to colleagues and students. You could leave a legacy in hard-copy, and we’ll ask for text and images for our website.
You should ensure that you follow all GSA H&S procedures, especially when working off-site or on field trips. Speak to your tutor/line manager and we’d encourage you to use the H&S assessment as a positive tool in identifying potential issues and mitigating them in a proportionate way.
Your idea should go beyond simply adding in ‘green’ ideas and implant new thinking throughout every aspect of your practice or work. We are looking to support staff and students who want to change, and to be ambassadors for that change.
We will help you finalise your application, which is then submitted to a SiAG funding group. The group will comment and award up to 100% of funding. It usually takes about a week to assess an application for funding.
Contact Us
No matter what stage you are at with your work, you can discuss it with John the Sustainability Coordinator. Book a clinic appointment in person or online, or email saying when you’re free to meet.
Funding Campus Improvements
We also support ideas to increase cycling and reduce energy and water waste around campus (e.g. putting in showers, cycle racks). We can help you source other funding.
Email John for more details.
Funded work includes:
£500 to explore social issues in Kosovo through her photography and writing
£8,500 to put in place a shower room for cyclists and runners in the Bourdon Building basement
£350 to explore more sustainable yarns in textiles
Sustainable building techniques workshop with the Prince’s Trust
£136 to look at better use of materials
£728 for our silversmith & jewellery students to switch from using oil pitch to a more environmentally friendly alternative
£900 to support Architecture student’s 2014’s live build on Skye
£142 to support a project highlighting plastic and mono-cultures
£4,468 for permanent display boards for the Fashion & Textiles Department, replacing disposable boards at Degree Show and other events
£2,167 to replace tank water coolers with plumbed in coolers
£1,000 towards an architectural symposium promoting greener builds
£1,000 for an eco-build house in Kenya
£400 to explore the use of organic materials in F&T with student Angela Karpouzi
£500 funding towards a bothy residency on Eigg
£1,000 to help MacMag40 to explore and to use more sustainable printing processes
1,000 free Sugar Ethanol water bottles for students to highlight alternatives to plastic
Jute bags, apples for Freshers 2014-2018
Recycling bins for our halls of residence
Talks including those given by:
Nic Green
Alistair McIntosh
Satish Kumar
Ellie Harrison
Rachel Duckhouse
Jonathan Baxter and
This is Rubbish
Pic credit: Jeanie Black