The Green Initiative Fund for Tomorrow (GIFT) provides funding for projects that reduce USF’s negative impact on the environment. GIFT will allocate funds to projects that increase the amount of renewable energy used on campus, increase energy efficiency, and reduce the amount of waste created by USF. Portions of the fund will support education initiatives, student aid, and internships. GIFT is supported by student fees and administered through a student-majority governance board.

GIFT is a dual-purpose fund:

1. Provide resources for immediate response and action
2. Create a growing capital base over the long-term to ensure maximum net benefits

GIFT will receive re-occurring funding through student fees and will grow over time. Through a revolving mechanism drawing cost-savings from projects, GIFT will replenish the fund while providing cost-savings to USF. GIFT will make it easy and efficient for students and other USF community members to design projects. This will provide an unrivaled hands-on opportunity for individually structured environmental education while raising the awareness of the entire community. Furthermore, it will demonstrate that a synthesis between student fees and self-funding sustainability projects are optimal to ensure impact and fiscal stability

Roughly $18,000 will be generated annually from this fee increase to support these initiatives. The increase in student fees will not take affect until Fall 2011, pending approval by the Board of Trustees.

Important aspects of sustainability include minimization of the negative effects of producing and consuming energy, preservation of environmental and economic resources, equity to insure social justice, and reverence for the future.