Amira Said has always been passionate about sustainability, but the junior environmental science major has unearthed new ways to care for her community and the planet since coming to the University of Mary Washington.

“During my first year, I noticed how much food waste was generated,” she said. Building upon the UMW Office of Sustainability’s work – which has earned the University a perennial spot on The Princeton Review’s Guide to Green Colleges – she secured funds last year to place three large compost bins in high-traffic areas on campus.

Yet, Said wants to go even greener, with plans to engage her fellow students in a hands-on learning experience to promote composting. The Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant she received this spring will prevent hundreds of pounds of food waste from ending up in landfills, instead producing nutrient-rich recycled matter to use in UMW’s pollinator gardens and on the grounds.

Now in its second year, the Impact Grant program recently awarded over $25,000 in donor-funded grants, ranging from $500 to $5,000, to nine projects pitched by students, faculty and staff on behalf of recognized campus organizations. Eight initiatives earned funding last year, including Eagles in Recovery, the Charnoff Production Studio, an initiative to dispense free menstrual products on campus and a new program called “Soft Landings,” which helps incoming students with autism spectrum disorder acclimate to Mary Washington.

Applicants were required to submit a video and slide deck, demonstrating financial need and outlining measurable objectives, a detailed budget, a sustainability plan and a targeted audience. Each project was also evaluated on how closely it aligned with UMW’s ASPIRE values. Read more.