The Sustainability Challenge competition is open to all faculty, staff, students, and community members. The proposal will need to be implemented on any of the three KU Medical Center campuses (Kansas City, Salina and Wichita), KU-Lawrence, or KU Edwards. The two award-winning proposals will each receive $1,200 to pilot their proposal, enable progress, spearhead change and implement programs that directly influence our campus community.

About the Sustainability Challenge Award

The Sustainability Challenge Award recognizes and raises the visibility of individuals and teams that have identified and developed high-impact innovative solutions that address sustainability initiatives on KU campuses.

Faculty, staff, students, and community members are encouraged to submit sustainability ideas that promote and improve environmental quality, efficient use of economic resources and address health and social equity within our campus community. Be creative! The two individuals or teams with the winning proposals will each receive $1,200 to pilot the implementation of their sustainability initiative on their campus over a 6-month or 12-month period.

This award is funded and supported by the KU Medical Center Sustainability Committee at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Award guidelines and competition structure

This competition is open to all faculty, staff, students and community members. Initiatives submitted should focus on one of the three categories listed below:

• Environmental quality and climate action
• Health and social equity
• Economic and resource efficiency

Proposals submitted will be evaluated by a Sustainability Review Committee. Up to six proposals will be selected from this preliminary round.

Individuals and teams will present their ideas during the annual Sustainability and Wellness Fair in October. Final proposals will be evaluated on anticipated impact, innovation in addressing the sustainability category selected and the feasibility of the idea. All qualifying proposals will be shared with appropriate campus units for consideration on potential implementation.

How to apply

• To qualify for the competition, the proposal must include a plan to implement the innovation on a KU campus, including any of the KU Medical Center campuses (Kansas City, Salina and Wichita), KU-Lawrence, or KU Edwards
• You may register as an established team with an idea or as an interested individual. Your team may include a mentor or advisor from within or outside the KU community.
• Proposal submissions after the deadline will not be considered for entry.

Timeline

• July 1, 2025 – Applications open
• September 30, 2025 – Applications close
• October 20, 2025 (11 a.m.–1 p.m.) – Finalist presentations and audience voting at the Sustainability and Wellness Fair
• November 1, 2025 – Project implementation begins
• May 1, 2026 or October 1, 2026 – Project completion (choose a 6- or 12-month timeline)
• May 18, 2026 or October 2026 (Date TBD) – Present project findings at a Community Conversations in Sustainabilityevent or the 2026 Sustainability Fair.

Important considerations for October 21 pitches

Problem/Solution

1. Does the sustainability innovation(s) proposed address sustainability in a novel way or in a way that has not been attempted on campus in the past?
2. What problem will the innovation solve and how is the solution feasible and appropriate?

Impact

Describe the sustainability aspects of the innovation in environmental, social and economic terms:

1. What are the environmentally beneficial outcomes of the innovation?
2. How will the innovation benefit disadvantaged or marginalized constituencies?
3. What are the financial benefits that will result from the innovation including projected long-term benefits?

Feasibility

1. What resources will be required for your innovation to be implemented and to operate?
2. What is the estimated cost of the innovation?
3. What is the estimated project timeline?
4. What is the estimated budget and return on investment?

COMPLETE THE SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGE PROPOSAL FORM