Monday marked the deadline to apply for funding through the Student Sustainability Initiative Fund. Six students or groups applied for funds this semester. The fund is meant to provide financial backing for students’ sustainability projects on campus.

“I would say we (Sustain Mizzou) applied for SSIF because being a nonprofit organization, we need all the extra funds we can get, especially on new projects like the sustainability button campaign where we may or may not see a successful outcome, even though we’d love to see one,” Sustain Mizzou Treasurer Sam Ott said.  “The money will go toward the making of the buttons at the Craft Studio and promotions, advertisements and even possibly T-shirts.”

Another group of students that applied for funding was the future inhabitants of Mizzou Sustainahouse, an experimental project with the aim of fostering sustainable living amongst a select group of students. Freshman Henry Hellmuth will be living in the house next year.

“I wrote up the proposal so we could buy energy-monitoring equipment and basic energy-reducing technology,” Hellmuth said.

SSIF is designed to give aid to students interested in conducting projects advocating environmental sustainability at MU. In February 2009, the $1 Student Sustainability Fee was added to the student fee amount. This pays for SSIF.

Student Sustainability Adviser Ben Datema said the committee will first decide whom they’d like to hear pitches from. Next, the selected candidates will present their pitches to the community on March 7.

“After everyone has pitched their ideas, the committee will stay around and discuss all of the different proposals until they come to an agreement on who shall receive funding,” Datema said.

Datema said the number of people who obtain funding depends on the amount that they are asking to receive. Usually somewhere of about five or six proposals are funded.

“The most we’ve ever given out is $2,550 to one group,” Datema said. “The least we’ve given out before was $175.”

This semester $5,000 will be awarded to various projects.

“No group or person is more deserving of SSIF funds than another,” said Kevin Petersen, SustainaRep and chairman of the Missouri Students Association Sustainability Committee. “Since it is student money, I think the best projects will be ones that impact and educate the students most.”