Grants for a Master's Degree in Sustainability

Students pursuing master's degrees in sustainability can obtain funding for school through grant programs offered by certain postsecondary educational institutions, corporation philanthropic organizations, private foundations and the federal government. The majority of grant programs offer funding for sustainability projects or research, and certain programs only provide money for specific areas of study, such as agriculture sustainability. Students seeking sustainability educational grants may face fierce competition, and award amounts vary.

School-Based Scholarships

Schools that offer sustainability programs often administer scholarship programs for their students. For instance, the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University offers student educational funding through the Neely Foundation Food and Agriculture Sustainability Research Grant program. The Neely program extends eligibility to students pursuing master's-level and doctoral-level degrees in sustainability. Recipients can use awards to help pay for projects or research related to agriculture or food sustainability. As of publication, the Neely program offers awards up to $4,000.

Corporate Funding

Certain corporations offer grants for sustainability education through their philanthropic organizations. Environmental Resources Management, for example, awards the Sustainability Fellowship through its ERM Foundation. The fellowship program extends eligibility to graduate students to help pay for sustainability projects. As of publication, the ERM program offers awards up to $15,000, which graduate students can use to pay for project expenses such as materials, travel, daily living and housing. ERM Foundation fellowship finalists may also receive an invitation to work as an intern at an ERM office in locations such as Houston, Texas; London; Annapolis, Maryland; or Sydney, Australia.

Foundation Grants

Private foundations often sponsor grant and scholarship programs for students pursuing specific fields of study. For instance, the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation sponsors the Switzer Environmental Fellowship Program. The Switzer program awards funding to graduate-level students attending postsecondary institutions in California and New England who are pursuing careers related to improving the quality of the environment. As of publication, the foundation offers up to 10 fellowships for New England students and 10 fellowships for California students, with awards up to $15,000. Past fellowship recipients have included students pursuing degrees in land and water conservation, environmental policy, biology, engineering and public health.

Government Programs

Certain agencies of the federal government offer grants for students pursuing environmental and sustainability fields of study. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, for example, sponsors the annual People, Prosperity and the Planet Program, also known as P3. The P3 program offers grants to student research teams, with awards up to $15,000, as of publication. Teams must use their awards to design solutions related to sustainability issues in areas such as agriculture, energy or water. Designs produced through the P3 program are entered in the EPA's annual design competition. Teams that win the EPA design competition may also qualify for additional funding to continue the development, implementation or marketing of their designs.

References

• School of Sustainability, Arizona State University: Graduate Scholarship Information
• ERM Foundation: Sustainability Fellowship
• Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation: Fellowship Program
• University of Wisconsin Oshkosh: EPA P3 Program
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: P3-People, Prosperity and the Planet Student Design Competition for Sustainability

Resources

• Scholarships.com
• Fastweb.com
• Students.gov