The Office of Sustainability Initiatives (OSI) is accepting applications for the 2026-27 Incentives Fund. The Incentives Fund offers students, faculty and staff the opportunity to apply for funding for projects, research or culture change initiatives that advance sustainability at Emory.
This year, applicants can apply for grants under five award categories: General Sustainability, Climate Action Plan, Break Free from Plastics, Green Offices and Green Labs.
General Sustainability awards are geared toward applicants making a splash across a wide array of sustainability topics at Emory University or Emory Healthcare. Past projects have fostered creative solutions to reduce waste, promote sustainable transportation, lower emissions, encourage well-being and more.
For example, successful submissions have secured supplies for Emory’s bicycle repair shop, the Fixie; advanced biophilic design at the Global Engagement office; and purchased electric equipment at the Oxford College Organic Farm, amongst many other innovative projects. Interested applicants can view past awardees on the OSI website.
Climate Action Plan awards can be used for projects that educate and engage the Emory community about reducing atmospheric warming greenhouse gas emissions. Submissions in this award category should support Emory’s 2023 Climate Action Plan, which outlines strategies in support of Emory’s goals to reduce emissions 50% by 2030, using a 2010 baseline, and to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
Break Free from Plastics awards should reduce single-use plastics either directly or through education and engagement. The fund is designed to further Emory’s commitments through its Break Free from Plastics Pledge (BFFP), which was signed in 2021 in response to advocacy from the student organization Plastic Free Emory.
“Through the BFFP Incentives Fund, Plastic Free Emory has been able to translate our ambitions into action, bringing in thousands of plastic-free alternatives to campus,” says Ashritha Kalakuntla, co-president of Plastic Free Emory. “The threat single-use plastics bear on our environment and our bodies is severe, but initiatives like this Fund and the BFFP Plan herald Emory’s era of sustainable transformation, where student voices are instrumental to campus-wide change,” adds Kalakuntla, a junior majoring in environmental science.
Applications for any of these award categories can apply for up to $3,000 in funding.
Additionally, certified workspaces at Emory University or Emory Healthcare can apply for up to $5,000 to build sustainability into their labs or offices. This funding is tied to the Green Offices and Green Labs programs at Emory, which provide a checklist of opportunities to meaningfully integrate sustainability into campus workspaces.
This year’s incentives fund awardees will join a long track record of impactful sustainability projects on campus. The submission deadline has been extended to October 2, 2026.