UC Berkeley students were inspired by the TGIF program at UC Santa Barbara and organized to have it at Cal. The TGIF Campaign team campaigned to put a referendum on the Spring 2007 ASUC elections. The TGIF Bill passed with 69% of votes in favor of the program. The UC Berkeley Chancellor and UC Regents approved TGIF in the Summer of 2007 and TGIF began collecting student fees Fall of 2007.In 2015-2016, students led another campaign to renew the TGIF program. They wrote a renewal referendum, and, with a 68% “YES” vote from the student population,...
The TGIF Bylaws are the rules that govern the TGIF Team as well as the TGIF Committee. Our full bylaws can be found here. Our bylaws can be changed through a majority vote of the TGIF Committee.
Per the UC Office of the President policy on student fees, a third of the TGIF fee is automatically given to student financial aid. TGIF receives two-thirds of the fee.
In 2015-2016, the UC Berkeley student body voted to continue TGIF for another 10 years, after which, students will have to vote to either end or continue the TGIF program.
In 2025, TGIF will submit a new referendum to continue funding TGIF from Fall 2027 - Spring 2037.
TGIF’s Committee is the decision-making body for The Green Initiative Fund. The Committee chooses which projects receive money, approves changes to awards, and guides the general direction of TGIF.
TGIF’s Committee has seven voting members and five non-voting members. Students have the majority vote.
Voting Members:
One graduate student appointed by the President, Campus Affairs Vice President (CAVP), or Vice President of Finance (VPF) of the Graduate Assembly (GA)One undergraduate student appointed by the Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC)One student with a background in environmental justice selected by TGIF’s Committee after the other five members have been selected. This position is...
The TGIF Program has one staff Manager position (the TGIF & Sustainability Initiatives Manager) that is 1.0 FTE SERC. The TGIF Manager reports to the SERC Director and to the TGIF Committee. TGIF also has 3 TGIF Program Associates who are student staff. You can learn more about the Manager and Associate positions on the TGIF Team page
Prospective applicants can apply for TGIF grants during the fall and spring semesters. Apply here! The mini-grant cycle is a one-stage process, while the spring grant cycle is a two-stage process (abstract and application).
TGIF categorizes its grant projects in the following 8 sustainability themes (but accepts sustainability projects outside these specific themes): Education & Behavior Change, Energy Conservation & Efficiency, Food Justice & Sustainability, Environmental Justice, Habitat Restoration, Transportation, Water Conservation & Efficiency, Waste Reduction.
Are TGIF grantees required to report on their progress?
Yes. Award being awarded grant funds TGIF Project Leaders are required to attend a training prior to receiving their funds. Afterward, they must complete a semesterly check-in to stay in good standing with TGIF. At the end of their project, they must complete a Final Poster, Final Report, and a Final Metrics sheet.
Yes. As of Spring 2024, TGIF has funded 443 paid student internships related to our projects. Please note that TGIF does not oversee intern hiring or payment.
Are there green funds at other colleges and universities? How can I start a green fund at my college or university?
Yes! TGIF has collected resources about other campus green fund programs as well as information about how students can advocate to start their own Campus Green Fund. Please see our Green Fund Resources page for more information.
A small amount ($5-10) from student fees is allocated for sustainability projects as part of the student fee referenda program. TGIF at UC Berkeley currently receives $10.00/student/semester from student fees, totaling approximately $500,000 per year.
A campus green fund is a pot of money available to members of the campus community (including students, staff, and faculty) to fund sustainability and environmental justice projects. The money for the fund comes from a mandatory student fee approved by the student body most recently in 2016. The money is awarded to recipients through grants...
TGIF is located within the Student Environmental Resource Center (SERC)’s space in MLK BNorth. SERC is generally open every weekday during the semester from 10 AM - 6 PM, and you can visit the TGIF Manager by emailing tgif_grants@berkeley.edu