Grant from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to Establish a Regional Student Climate Consortium

This funding opportunity aims to capitalize on the strength of student societies at university campuses to encourage student action on climate change. In the first phase of the program the prospective grantee will engage student societies at five universities per country (for a total of 25 universities) in selected South Asian cities in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka for a 12-month program, where student societies will be trained and encouraged to implement climate change-related programs in their respective universities. The training should include both formal and informal tools, opportunities for societies of all five universities in each city to meet and collaborate, and virtual opportunities for them to meet with participants from other countries as well.

In the next phase of the program (immediately after the 12-month phase described above), two representatives from each university will be selected to participate in a 3-to-5-day workshop – “South Asia Climate Consortium of Student Societies” in the U.S. to learn from U.S. experts on building sustainable climate programs as part of their student society’s programs. After the local and international engagements, the prospective grantee should support all 25 universities in implementing at least three new climate friendly policies on their campuses during the six-month period of the second phase. Each student society trained will also organize at least one climate change awareness program outside their university, reaching communities most affected by the climate crisis.

The ideal grantee will be a U.S. or Pakistan-based grantee with offices or partner organizations in Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Both phases of the project are expected to be completed within 18 months.