Last month, the University Park Student Fee Board approved a new $250,000 environmental sustainability fund that will pave the way for student-run projects across campus.

Offices and organizations at University Park can now apply for funding that would assist sustainability projects. Groups can apply for a maximum of three years of funding.

Each year, proposals can be submitted through the Student Fee Board’s website by mid-December. In January, the subcommittee will hold hearings to choose which four proposals will receive funding that spring.

The new fund has been in the works since the summer of 2020. Nora Van Horn, a senior Student Fee Board member, and Claire Kelling, a Student Fee Board Chair and dual doctorate candidate, have spearheaded efforts to get the fund approved.

Through a recent petition released by the Penn State Climate Action group, a push for the Environmental Sustainability Fund was renewed.

“The student fee exists to improve the extracurricular experience of students. Our hope is that this fund will do just that, enabling students to participate in the development and implementation of these projects and enjoy their benefits,” Van Horn said in a release. “This funding cycle, we heard from students that they want us to prioritize environmental sustainability, especially as we increasingly see and feel the effects of the climate crisis.”