Climate Solutions Program

Offerings and request for funding

During the 2021-2022 legislative session, Washington State legislators approved $1.5 million for expanding climate solutions education across our 34 community and technical colleges. The community and technical college system of Washington is positioned to be a key resource in helping achieve climate solutions by offering relevant educational opportunities in a variety of academic programs, leading in green workforce development, and by working toward a climate action plan for the 34 campuses to redesign our institutions with a commitment to sustainability and equity.

Programmatic goals for 2022-2023

1. Expand climate justice education
2. Initiate statewide planning and needs assessment
3. Develop a network of committed faculty and administrators
4. Host workforce retreats to provide opportunities to envision what is possible through:  

• • learning together,
  • connecting faculty and industry around green workforce training needs,
  • collaboration and new partnership building,
  • curriculum redesign,
  • re-imagining our programs, and
  • strategizing green workforce development on a statewide scale.

Opportunities for 2022-2023

For 2022-2023, the Climate Solutions Program has created the following offerings to support leadership development, curriculum development, relationship building, and networking opportunities. Please refer to the funding guidance for detailed descriptions of each of these offerings and allocation breakdowns. There is a total of $59,800 in allocations per college for up to 20 colleges available. 

Workforce retreats: 

There will be three sector retreats for workforce faculty to engage with industry, see climate solutions in action, and re-imagine training needs for the green workforce. Colleges can apply for up to $21,000 to support up to six faculty in attending these events and in continuing the work back on campus:

1. Built environment -South Seattle College - March 2-3, 2023
2. Agriculture and Natural Resources - Yakima Community College - April 6-7, 2023
3. Energy, Manufacturing & Transportation - Centralia College - April 20-21, 2023

Facilities directors and sustainability directors/coordinators retreat:

• Colleges can apply for up to $5,400 to support two faculty or staff in attending this retreat, and to continue the work back on campus. 

Climate justice across the curriculum train-the-trainer program:

• Colleges can apply for up to $31,000 to support two faculty leads in becoming trainers and creating a professional development program for creating climate justice assignments. This includes stipends for the first class of faculty participants (10) and continuing the work funds as well. 

Climate justice projects workshops:

• Colleges can apply for up to $2,400 to provide up to six faculty stipends for implementing active learning or integrative projects related to climate justice. The workshops are taught by faculty who have created and piloted the projects and are ready to share their curriculum. The projects are a CO₂ monitoring research project, a self-published Zine project, and a template for how to create integrative assignments with faculty from different disciplines. 

Who may apply 

Washington public community and technical colleges, as defined under RCW 28B.50.030 may apply for funding. Colleges may submit only one application per institution.

Use of funding

Funding is to be used to support faculty and facility director/sustainability directors or coordinators attendance at the events and offerings listed above. Event related costs not included in these allocations are covered by the SBCTC Climate Solutions Program. The college allocations include funding for:

• adjunct faculty stipends for participation in retreats and workshops,
• travel to retreats,
• curriculum development stipends for faculty, and
• continuing the work funds*: 
  • funding for convening local employers and industry professionals in support of program improvement.
  • partnership building
  • proposal preparation for next funding cycle
  • community immersions
  • equipment and/or supplies.

*This list is illustrative not exhaustive, and colleges are welcome to use these funds in other ways that advance this work in their unique context.

Application Process

The Streamlined Competitive Process is an expedited funding request process this is administered and monitored outside of the OGMS system. 

Note: Each college should submit only one application and a singular college contact person must be identified. 

The application requires colleges to identify faculty participants in these offerings. Please circulate these offerings to faculty at your college. To be equitable, please share these opportunities with all faculty, with attention to specifically reaching out to adjunct, new and BIPOC faculty. Once faculty have been identified, fill out the survey form indicating which offerings you are applying for, and which people (including names and email addresses) will be attending. 

Important Dates:

• Colleges should submit their application by October 28, 2022.
• Funds will be allocated in early November 2022.
• All funds must be expended by June 30, 2023.