Small Projects (>$10K)

These projects received less than $10,000 from TGIF.

UC Gill Tract Community Farm Cultural Foods CBPR

Project Description

The UC Gill Tract Community Farm is seeking funds to begin a commuity-based participatory research (CBPR) project to address culturally relevant food needs of graduate students at University Village through their Bear Pantry. The insights from this survey will inform future food initiatives at the Farm and Bear Pantry

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Diasporic Foods Conference 2024

Project Description

Food Institute Graduate Council seeks funds to support a food systems conference that connects the community to various scholars, artists, policymakers to engage in discussions around diasporic food practices. This free-to-all conference hopes to highlight underrepresented narratives and share traditional growing practices that have migrated across the world.

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Optimization and Integration of Anionic Surfactant-Degrading Bacteria into Aeroponic Lettuce Systems

Project Description

Vertical Farming at Berkeley is requesting funds in order to research detergent-degrading bacteria to purify water for their farm. Their future goal is to supply fresh produce to eateries like Cal Dining.

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Bring Back the Insects to UVA Community Garden

Project Description

Grad and Family Living seeks funds to cultivate the UVA Community garden with native CA plants in order to attract beneficial insects, and support gardeners/the environment. They hope to teach and engage the community about native plants and insects through field and planting days.

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Genomic Screening for Mold-Resistance Genes in Oyster Mushrooms

Project Description

Vertical Farming at Berkeley is seeking funds to support research on oyster mushrooms, which are alternative food sources that can reduce food inequity. They will be researching how to create a mushroom resistant to the Trichoderma mold, and hope that their strain can eventually be used in campus dining halls as a meat alternative.

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FAST Sustainability Show

Project Description

Fashion and Student Trends (FAST) seeks funds to support a sustainable fashion show's transition to more ethical and eco-friendly resources. They will source sustainable make-up, fabric, and materials as well as compostable or reusables for food distribution.

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Bear Pantry Plots at the UVA Community Garden

Project Description

Grad and Family Living is seeking funds to cultivate a space for growing seasonal produce, which will integrate the Pantry with the UVA Community garden. Their initiative aims to improve the surrounding habitat as well as increase nutritional diversity, local sustainability and community building.

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Read more about Bear Pantry Plots at the UVA Community Garden

Incorporation of Waste Streams into Algal Bioethanol for Sustainable Energy on Campus

Project Description

For the past decade, the Biofuels Technology Club has been collecting waste cooking oil from campus dining halls to convert it into biodiesel. This process has significant pitfalls such as waste glycerol production and variable diesel quality. This project aims to solve these issues by using algal biomass as a secondary source for both biodiesel and bioethanol. The waste glycerol serves as nutrient-rich feedstock for the algae boosting intracellular lipid content that can be converted into diesel. The leftover algal biomass after lipid extraction can be further...