republic-os/legal/us/code/title-20/chapter-28/section-1161u.md

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LegalText	20 U.S.C. § 1161u	Sustainability planning grants authorized	us	united_states_code	code_section	20	EDUCATION	28	HIGHER EDUCATION RESOURCES AND STUDENT ASSISTANCE	1161u	20 U.S.C. § 1161u	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc20@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t20/s1161u	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-20/usc20.xml	7dd91d40881f8ddbc8dab57a11c06f779e997de86f09dfa2e9e389e699bb155f	6022872c5d6a3398d1728f82f8cefcb58db9f5ff548e2a636450be1e4a8bb052	73633150b91e4df9071b1e15bd2aa1d546971cb7cc38faa90adc5b138e3d8b1a	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

20 U.S.C. § 1161u - Sustainability planning grants authorized

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(a) Program authorized (1) In general From the amounts appropriated to carry out this section, the Secretary, in consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, shall make grants to eligible entities to establish sustainability programs to design and implement sustainability practices, including in the areas of energy management, greenhouse gas emissions reductions, green building, waste management, purchasing, transportation, and toxics management, and other aspects of sustainability that integrate campus operations with multidisciplinary academic programs and are applicable to the private and government sectors.

(2) Period of grant The provision of payments under a grant under paragraph (1) shall extend over a period of not more than four fiscal years.

(3) Definition of eligible entity For purposes of this part, the term “eligible entity” means—

(A) an institution of higher education; or

(B) a nonprofit consortium, association, alliance, or collaboration operating in partnership with one or more institutions of higher education that received funds for the implementation of work associated with sustainability programs under this part.

(b) Applications (1) In general To receive a grant under subsection (a)(1), an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such form, and containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require.

(2) Assurances Such application shall include assurances that the eligible entity—

(A) has developed a plan, including an evaluation component, for the program component established pursuant to subsection (c);

(B) shall use Federal funds received from a grant under subsection (a) to supplement, not supplant, non-Federal funds that would otherwise be available for projects funded under this section;

(C) shall provide, with respect to any fiscal year in which such entity receives funds from a grant under subsection (a)(1), non-Federal funds or an in-kind contribution in an amount equal to 20 percent of funds from such grant, for the purpose of carrying out the program component established pursuant to subsection (c); and

(D) shall collaborate with business, government, and the nonprofit sectors in the development and implementation of its sustainability plan.

(c) Use of funds (1) Individual institutions Grants made under subsection (a) may be used by an eligible entity that is an individual institution of higher education for the following purposes:

(A) To develop and implement administrative and operations practices at an institution of higher education that test, model, and analyze principles of sustainability.

(B) To establish multidisciplinary education, research, and outreach programs at an institution of higher education that address the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainability.

(C) To support research and teaching initiatives that focus on multidisciplinary and integrated environmental, economic, and social elements.

(D) To establish initiatives in the areas of energy management, greenhouse gas emissions reductions, green building, waste management, purchasing, toxics management, transportation, and other aspects of sustainability.

(E) To support student, faculty, and staff work at an institution of higher education to implement, research, and evaluate sustainable practices.

(F) To expand sustainability literacy on campus.

(G) To integrate sustainability curricula in all programs of instruction, particularly in business, architecture, technology, manufacturing, engineering, and science programs.

(2) Partnerships Grants made under subsection (a) may be used by an eligible entity that is a nonprofit consortium, association, alliance, or collaboration operating in partnership with one or more institutions of higher education for the following purposes:

(A) To conduct faculty, staff and administrator training on the subjects of sustainability and institutional change.

(B) To compile, evaluate, and disseminate best practices, case studies, guidelines and standards regarding sustainability.

(C) To conduct efforts to engage external stakeholders such as business, alumni, and accrediting agencies in the process of building support for research, education, and technology development for sustainability.

(D) To conduct professional development programs for faculty in all disciplines to enable faculty to incorporate sustainability content in their courses.

(E) To create the analytical tools necessary for institutions of higher education to assess and measure their individual progress toward fully sustainable campus operations and fully integrating sustainability into the curriculum.

(F) To develop educational benchmarks for institutions of higher education to determine the necessary rigor and effectiveness of academic sustainability programs.

(d) Reports An eligible entity that receives a grant under subsection (a) shall submit to the Secretary, for each fiscal year in which the entity receives amounts from such grant, a report that describes the work conducted pursuant to subsection (c), research findings and publications, administrative savings experienced, and an evaluation of the program.

(e) Allocation requirement The Secretary may not make grants under subsection (a) to any eligible entity in a total amount that is less than $250,000 or more than $2,000,000.

(f) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2009 and each of the five succeeding fiscal years.

(Pub. L. 89–329, title VIII, § 881, as added Pub. L. 110–315, title VIII, § 801, Aug. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 3430.)