The Hampshire College Sustainability Revolving Fund (SURF) provides loans for campus improvement projects that benefit Hampshire’s sustainability by improving efficiency and conserving resources. The SURF exists to foster student, staff, and faculty involvement in increasing environmental, social, and fiscal sustainability at Hampshire College.

If you are interested in proposing a project for funding, please see the SURF application (pdf), which details the process for project submission and approval.

Two Types of Eligible Projects

1. Efficiency Projects - Involve demonstrable and quantifiable reductions in fossil fuel energy costs, waste disposal costs, and/or water use costs.
2. Innovation and Engagement Projects - Involve indeterminate/intangible cost savings such as research and/or community engagement that leads to progress on sustainability goals. The Environmental Committee has discretion to approve such projects as long as the SURF maintains its capital.

Project Criteria

• No project will use more than one quarter of the SURF’s value at the time of application.

• Efficiency projects must have a demonstrable and quantifiable reduction in at least one of the following categories: fossil fuel energy costs, waste disposal costs, or water use costs.

• Efficiency projects should have a payback time of five years or less. An additional 50% of the loan amount must be paid back within eight years to allow the Revolving Fund to grow.

• Innovation and Engagement grants will typically be small (<$2,000) and used to support research for efficiency projects and/or activities that significantly engage the campus community and lead to progress on sustainability goals.

Prohibited Project Categories

• Purchase of carbon offsets, renewable energy certificates (RECs), Green tags, Renewable Energy Credits, Renewable Electricity Certificates, or Tradable Renewable Certificates.

• Projects that would pay faculty, staff, or student salaries or wages, except in association with a SURF project.

For more information, see the Hampshire College Sustainability Revolving Fund Charter (pdf), or contact the Environmental Committee at envirocom@hampshire.edu with questions.