The Sustainability Living Labs Program is presently on an indefinite hiatus. All applications and funding is on pause until further notice.

When planning your event or project, we strongly encourage you to contact the Sustainability Living Lab Coordinator at the Office of Sustainability to assist you with your application and clarify any questions you may have. Please submit your application as early as possible to receive the most amount of support and feedback.  

Step 1: Identifying your area of interest

 

Sustainability at Concordia is a mindset and a process that leads to reducing our ecological footprint and enhancing social well-being while maintaining economic viability both on and off campus. This process of sustainability is developed through a governance system based on shared vision and responsibility that fulfils Concordia’s current needs without compromising the needs of future generations. To be sustainable in our decisions and activities is to take a long-term perspective, recognize resource capacities and balance the interconnected nature of our environment, society and economy.

Sustainability-related projects can use a wide variety of approaches and lenses to integrate environmental, social, and / or economic sustainability and can include topics related to  food, community, social justice, energy, resources & technology, education, health & wellbeing, waste, the UN Sustainability Developmental Goals (SDGs) and more! 

Step 2: Find the right funding opportunity 

Step 3: Review the Sustainability Action Plan Streams 

Consider which stream(s) of Concordia University’s Sustainability Action Plan your project best addresses:

  1. Sustainable Food Systems Plan

  2. Zero Waste Plan

  3. Climate Action Plan

  4. Sustainability in Research Plan

  5. Sustainability in Curriculum Plan

Consult the Sustainability Action Plan to find out more! 

To help guide the development of your project you can review our past funded projects to learn more and identify untapped opportunities!

Step 4: Review Eligibility Criteria 

Projects must meet the following eligibility criteria: 

  • Core leads team must include at least 1 student 

  • Core leads team must include at least 1 faculty and/or staff on project 

  • Project Must offer experiential learning opportunity to one or more student 

  • Project Must address at least one of the 5 streams of the Sustainability Action Plan 

  • Project must have measurable outcomes* 

**Measurable outcomes may be developed with the assistance of the Sustainability Living Lab Coordinator, contact sandra.mouafonouadje@concordia.ca for support. 

Step 5: Consider your metrics of success and impact 

Define how you will measure impact and success for your project. This could be related to:

  • Learning

  • Action

  • Policy or decision-making

  • Change in conditions

Explain the change realised through your project/program outcome/impact in qualitative and quantitative terms

  • Engagement, education, and awareness.

  • Research, data or knowledge that supports Concordia University’s progress towards the goal / target.

  • Applied project making use of physical campus space.

  • Applied project involving campus programming or operations.

Step 6: Develop your application and budget 

Download the application form and fill it out to the best of your abilities. Email the Sustainability Living Lab Coordinator for help if you have any questions or require support.

Download the budget template and use it to build your project budget, which you must include with your application. Below is a list of how you may and may not used SLLFP funding: 

  • Projects/events that only address environmental or social issues in their process, and not their content.
  • Airfares.
  • Projects/events supporting or supported by the fossil fuel industry or other corporations whose practices are not aligned with the Sustainability Action Plan, the SAF mandate or the Office of Sustainability values.
  • Operational funding for established or start-up organizations may not be eligible. This includes core staff salaries, general meeting expenses, professional development costs, insurance, utilities, etc.
  • Projects/events requesting retroactive funding. *special exceptions may apply.
  • Projects/events with no or very limited student engagement and with no or limited impact on the Concordia campus.
  • Projects/events that address environmental or social issues in both process AND content.
  • Tools and equipment if they are integral to the project.
  • Outreach materials like posters, web hosting, zines, and more.
  • Honoraria.
  • Catering and Event expenses (review sustainability event guide for more information on sustainable options).
  • Space booking expenses.

Step 7: Apply! 

Send your completed application form and additional documents (including your budget) to SLLFP@concordia.ca