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Summary and Purpose
This Request for Proposals (RFP) invites ambitious, well-designed educational projects that advance climate and sustainability fluency across the Duke University community.
Proposals are welcome from faculty and staff of all ten of Duke’s schools as well as university institutes, initiatives and centers within the Office of Interdisciplinary Programs. Proposals from Duke’s four pilot schools for climate and sustainability education (Nursing, Pratt, Sanford, and Trinity) will receive priority consideration for funding.
We seek projects that:
- Meaningfully engage one or more Duke learning communities, including undergraduate, graduate and professional students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
- Demonstrate educational depth, creativity, and impact.
- Align with Duke’s Climate and Sustainability Fluency Framework.
- Show potential for institutional integration or long-term influence at Duke.
- Expand climate and sustainability learning beyond traditional environmental fields.
- Educate learners at any stage of their climate and sustainability learning journey, from initial exposure, through professional training and lifetime learning opportunities.
Funded projects shall be implemented during Academic Year 2026–2027 (between August '26–June '27).
Proposals are due Friday, May 15, 2026.
Up to $200,000 may be distributed across projects. Approximately 10–15 projects will receive funding. Individual awards will range between $1,000–$20,000.
This RFP is administered through the Office of Climate and Sustainability and will be reviewed by members of the Education Subcommittee of the Climate Commitment Advisory Council.
Important Details – Read All
Submission Instructions
- Deadline: Submit proposals via the Kuali submission form by Friday, May 15, 2026.
- The Kuali form will require basic information about the proposal team and project.
- Proposals from faculty and staff of university institutes, initiatives and centers (UICs) within the Office of Interdisciplinary Programs require a letter of support from Ed Balleisen, senior vice provost for interdisciplinary programs and initiatives. Email eballeis@duke.edu (and copy Sheriece.smith@duke.edu) in advance of the RFP deadline to share your proposal and inquire for a letter of support.
Proposal REQUIREMENTS
- IMPORTANT: Review the Proposal Requirements page, which outlines guidance for the required sections of a written proposal.
- Upload the proposal within the Kuali submission form.
- Applications are encouraged from within any of Duke’s ten schools as well as university institutes, initiatives, and centers (UICs*) within the Office of Interdisciplinary Programs.
- *Proposals from faculty and staff of these UICs require a letter of support from Ed Balleisen, senior vice provost for interdisciplinary programs and initiatives. Email eballeis@duke.edu (and copy Sheriece.smith@duke.edu) in advance of the RFP deadline to share your proposal and inquire for a letter of support.
- Reflecting an expansive view of who teaches and leads learning at Duke, faculty and staff are eligible to serve as project leads.
- Proposals may be submitted by individuals or teams.
- Collaboration with students in the development and delivery of the project is welcome but not required.
- Proposals from Duke’s four pilot schools for climate and sustainability education (Nursing, Pratt, Sanford, and Trinity) will receive priority consideration.
The Duke Climate Commitment calls on the university to cultivate climate and sustainability fluency as a core part of every learner’s Duke experience. This goal calls on us to equip learners across disciplines and professional roles with the knowledge, skills, and mindsets needed to understand, navigate, and lead in a climate-changed world.
The 4-C Fluency Framework
Duke’s Climate and Sustainability Fluency Framework is organized around four interconnected dimensions, referred to as the 4-Cs:
- Causes – Drivers of climate and sustainability challenges
- Consequences – Impacts across people, ecosystems, and institutions
- Context – Systems and interdependencies that underlie climate change and responses to it
- Catalysts for Change – Pathways for leadership, innovation, and action
All proposals must demonstrate alignment with the fluency framework in some way. Projects may emphasize one or more of the 4-Cs and are encouraged to interpret the framework creatively within their educational context.
Reaching Learners Where They Are
Proposals should clearly identify their target audience along the learning continuum described below, from sparking initial interest in climate and sustainability topics to deeper intellectual and personal engagement.
- Ignite – Spark awareness, relevance, and curiosity; make climate and sustainability education accessible, relevant and meaningful for new learners.
- Deepen – Enable learners to develop increasingly impactful skills and capabilities, building on disciplinary, analytical, or systems-level understandings of climate and sustainability challenges.
- Empower – Empower learners to apply knowledge through leadership, decision-making, or action in personal, professional, or civic contexts – at Duke and beyond in their professional careers and personal lives. Often, these contexts depend on solving collective action problems and require team-based approaches.
Projects are not expected to address learners at all stages of the learning continuum. What matters is intentional design aligned with the learning needs of the intended audience.
All proposals will be evaluated on the following five criteria:
1. Alignment with Duke’s Climate and Sustainability Fluency Framework
The proposal articulates project goals in relation to the Climate and Sustainability Fluency Framework (4-Cs) and addresses a Duke learning audience along the Ignite-Deepen-Empower learning continuum.
2. Educational Impact and Creativity
The proposal articulates how the project meaningfully advances climate and sustainability fluency by demonstrating:
- Depth of engagement
- Clear learning objectives
- Active and well-designed learning experiences
- Potential to shift knowledge, skills, mindsets, or agency
- Educational creativity that strengthens impact
Projects may demonstrate distinction through immersive design, interdisciplinary integration, experiential learning, scaffolding for team-based inquiry, ambitious scope, or broader implications for higher education.
3. Feasibility and Coherence
The proposal presents a realistic implementation plan, appropriate scope, justified budget, and clear connection between goals, activities, and outcomes.
4. Potential for Longevity and Institutional Integration
The proposal demonstrates a credible path toward continuation, scaling, or institutional uptake, or demonstrates the potential to significantly influence the expansion of future climate and sustainability fluency initiatives through the proposer’s School or UIC beyond the seed-funding period.
5. Evaluation Plan
The proposal includes a thoughtful and proportionate plan to assess changes in learner knowledge, skills, or mindsets.
- Proposal deadline: Friday, May 15, 2026
- Award notifications: Late Summer 2026
- Project implementation period: During Academic Year 2026–2027 (between August '26–June '27)
- Funding disbursement: Beginning of Fiscal Year 2026–2027 (by end of August 2026)
- Use of funds deadline: July 1, 2027
- Mid-Project Status Update: January 25, 2027 (template provided)
- Impact Reflection Report due: September 1, 2027 (template provided)
Funding Information
- Total funding available: Up to $200,000 may be distributed across projects.
- Approximately 10–15 projects will receive funding.
- Individual awards: $1,000–$20,000
- No cost extension. Funds must be spent by July 1, 2027.
- Any unspent balance will be returned to the Office of Climate and Sustainability by July 2027.
- Budgets must be reasonable, well justified, and aligned with project scope.
- Project leads are responsible for the execution of the proposal, including management of funds and all other administrative needs.
- Project funds will be transferred from the Office of Climate and Sustainability (OCS) to the project lead’s receiving department, which is responsible for administering and managing all expenditures.
- OCS involvement in the management of funds will conclude after the initial transfer of funds, unless project funds remain unused by July 1, 2027, by which OCS will assist in the return of unused funds.
Eligible Expenses
Examples below are illustrative, not exhaustive.
- Educational materials and supplies
- Costs associated with courses, workshops, educational programs, projects, events, etc.
- Honorarium or payments to external experts or facilitators
- Salary or supplemental pay for project leads, team members, research assistants, student employees, or other personnel whose proportional effort is essential to carrying out the proposed work.
- Important: Supplemental pay or salary support must be approved prior to submission by the applicable department head, director, or other appropriate school/unit leadership to ensure feasibility and alignment with institutional policies. Please do not submit a budget including salary or pay requests without first confirming approval from your appropriate points of contact. Please consult all necessary parties prior to including the request in your proposal. Demonstrated approval through the Kuali Submission Form is required to qualify as an award finalist. This step confirms that any payroll, appointment, or contractual considerations have been reviewed and approved by the appropriate unit. Further documentation will follow for finalists.
- Note, the Proposal Lead or someone else on the project team is responsible for supervisory duties associated with anyone hired to support the project.
- All payroll responsibilities, including processing and compliance, must be managed by the department through which the proposer is appointed.
Ineligible expenses
- Indirect costs
- Personal conference/travel related fees
- Capital expenditures
Examples below are illustrative, not exhaustive.
- Course redesigns or new modules integrating climate and sustainability
- Experiential or community-engaged learning initiatives
- Faculty or staff development workshops or shared teaching resources
- Advising or career service initiatives that strengthen climate and sustainability fluency
- Employee or student orientation or professional development programming
- Scalable and replicable learning modules
- Symposia or training experiences aligned with the 4-C fluency framework
- Skill-building or mentorship programs connecting disciplines and sectors
More Ideas
Visit the Duke Climate Commitment annual reports linked below to learn about existing educational projects and programs across Duke.
As a resource, refer to the “Education Integration Strategies” of the Duke Climate Commitment three-year plan for inspiration.
Mid-Year Project Status Update
- A basic project progress report will be requested by January 25, 2027, to summarize the mid-year status of the project. A template will be provided.
Final Impact Reflection Report
- Funded teams are also required to submit a final report summarizing the project’s impact. Reports are due no later than September 1, 2027. A template will be provided and will request information on the following to support storytelling about the proposal.
- Project Overview
- Implementation Summary
- Outcomes and Impact
- Lessons Learned
- Longevity and Sustainability
- Supporting Materials and Photos
Questions?
Contact Emily.Bilcik@duke.edu.
Not sure whether your idea fits the RFP? Interested in talking through the proposal process? During March and April 2026, Emily Bilcik is available for 15–20 minute one‑on‑one conversations to help you explore your idea and offer support as you prepare your application.
Closing Information
Inclusive climate and sustainability learning is for everyone, including learners who are new to climate and sustainability topics and those who are prepared to engage at a deeper, more advanced level.
Proposals are not limited to academic projects, as learning for Duke students, staff, faculty and alumni takes place both in and out of the classroom and through informal and formal experiences. Every classroom, workplace, and campus experience offers an opportunity to deepen collective understanding and capacity for leadership in a climate-changed world.
We seek purpose-driven and inclusive educational projects that strengthen climate and sustainability fluency across Duke.
We encourage applicants to imagine how their project can meaningfully contribute to a more informed, empowered, and sustainable Duke community.
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