2022 MINI GRANT

ASUC Eco-Office Director Stipends

This project provides funding via stipends to support the directors of the ASUC Eco-Office. The Office is comprised of 7 departments, including Pour out Pepsi, UC Green New Deal, Environmental Education, Environmental Justice Campaigns, Eco-Community Development, Social Media & Graphics, and Legislative Affairs.

TGIF Award: $5,000

Clark Kerr Restoration Project

This project provides funding to the Global Environmental Theme House (GETH), for residents to restore part of the Clark Kerr campus, replace invasive non-native species with California native plants, and improve the safety of a walkway adjacent to the restoration site.

TGIF Award: $2,500

Compost Project for Native & Indigenous Garden

Two students received funding to create a compost hub at the Indigenous Community Learning (ICL) Garden, which grows crops and medicinal plants. The compost will be created with diverted food scraps and waste produced by the Native Community Center (NCC).

TGIF Award: $3,447.59

Cool Campus Challenge 2023

HADSA received fundings for the Cool Campus Challenge 2023, which aims to incentivize residence hall student participation in reducing energy use. Residents who reduce their energy consumption the most and win the competition between campus residence halls are awarded with prizes such as solar chargers.

TGIF Award: $4,920.00

Eco Community Development Department

The Eco-Community Development Department of the ASUC Eco Office received funding for guest speaker reimbursement and event/meeting refreshments for their Mentorship Program and Coalition Building Program. The Mentorship Program connects new students in the eco-community with upperclassmen to support their career goals and foster a sense of community. The Coalition Building program seeks to organize joint sustainability events with other campus organizations.

TGIF Award: $500.00

Fannie Lou Hamer Farm Project

African American Student Development received funding to maintain the Freedom Farm at the Oxford Tract and host workshops on cover cropping, herbal medicine, and fermentation and pickling, in addition to hosting community workdays and dinners. Funding will also be used to rebuild the Fannie Lou Hamer Resource Garden at the Black Resource Center, including restoration of crops, student art, and irrigation systems. 

TGIF Award: $5,000

PlateUp: Reducing Single-Use Plastic Takeout Waste

This PlateUp project aims to reduce single-use plastic use in the surrounding Berkeley community by assisting and subsidizing restaurants that are transitioning to using compostable or reusable dining ware. Students and staff who support the restaurants will be entered in a raffle to win sustainable prizes. 

TGIF Award: $4,626

ReUSE: Berkeley's Only On-Campus Thrift Store

ReUSE received funding to purchase equipment that will support the day-t0-day operations of their store in the long-term. These supplies included sewing materials, garment racks and displays, and other equipment that help the store maintain operations and continue to divert clothing waste from the landfill.

TGIF Award: $1,689.02

Save the Bees: Pollinator Restoration Project

This project received funding for gardening supplies and student intern stipends that will support habitat restoration efforts on campus. Save the Bees intends to build upon previous campus GIS research on campus plant gardens to create new pollinator garden habitats in vacant areas, as well as improve the drought-tolerance of campus landscaping/greenspaces.

TGIF Awards: $3,400

SURG Redwood Restoration Project

SURG received funds to cover the travel and research expenses for field trips that will grant 14 undergraduate students an introductory research experience. Student researchers involved in the trip will gain experience in using Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) technology and develop a background in traditional ecological knowledge while researching how to support Bay Area Redwood tree restoration. 

TGIF Award: $880.00

Vertical Farming at Berkeley: Prototype 1 Upscaling

Vertical Farming at Berkeley (VFB) received funding to create the campus' first vertical farm, which is a hydroponics system that conserves space, doubles yields, eliminates fertilizer pollution, and reduces water demand compared to conventional agriculture. 

TGIF Award: $4,624.72