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Green SOS Small Grant Fund, 2003

Region: China
Author: Lu Hongyan and Li Xuan, Environmental Volunteers Association
Consortium Member: Sichuan University Environmental Education Center
Status: Completed - Final Report Budget: $3300 Collected: $3300 Needs: $0
Result: to support Chinese university student environmental activities in the less developed western interior provinces, as a student group organizes and carry out a small grant competition for environmental projects
Donors: Rona Florio, Alaska [September 2002]; Rachel Golden, Illinois [October 2002]; Shannon Simrell, Vermont [October 2002]; Ellanore McKenna, Arizona [October 2002]; Tom Walski, Pennsylvania [October 2002]; Jean and David Rosenberg, Vermont [October 2002]; Barbara and John Chaffee, New York State [December 2002]; Trace Foundation
Comment: The Green SOS Council posts project proposals on their Green SOS website. Their decision-making process is visible to the public, as is the Virtual Foundation's. In their start-up year (see Green SOS Small Grant Fund 2002), they modeled openness and fairness in their own decision-making, and attracted participants from a variety of universities in different provinces.

In 2002, the Green SOS Fund Committee was formed. From its nucleus at Sichuan University in Chengdu, it gathered together student leaders from a variety of universities in cities in the western interior provinces of China. They organized and administered a competitive small grants program. In the process, the Green SOS Council publicized the availability of the grants, evaluated the applications, disbursed the funds, and collected reports. Each of the projects chosen involves students (and in some cases, community members) in specific actions to raise environmental awareness and to improve conditions.

They are modeling transparency in their entire process, posting all information and decisions on the Green SOS website, www.greensos.org .

Green SOS Council seeks to improve and expand on this process with a second round of grants in the coming year (2003). In August 2002, they held a face-to-face organizing meeting in Chengdu. Six members of Green SOS Council are from Chengdu. Nine are from other areas, and they took trains to attend the meeting: 1 from Chongqing (Sichuan), 2 from Guiyang (Guizhou) 1 from Kunming (Yunnan), 1 from Lanzhou (Gansu) 1 from Nanning (Quangxi), 2 from Xi’an (Shaanxi Province), 1 from Xining (Gansu). They are looking forward to running another round of small grants and expanding this program.

Budget

Mini-Grants to student organizations	$2500
Publicity, Evaluation/Selection, Final Report compilation and translation	$250
Operation of Green SOS Fund (administration, communications, etc.)	$250
Virtual Foundation administrative fee	$300
Total requested from Virtual Foundation	$3300

Additional Information about Green SOS Council

Grants made by Green SOS Council in 2002(average size around $250):

• Gansu Province
  
  • Survey & Public Information on the Air Pollution of Lanzhou City, and Public Environment Education- Lanzhou University
• Guizhou Province
  • Sustainable Environment Development Education in Primary and Middle Schools (Speech Competitions, Scientific Design Competitions, Lectures & Outings) - Guizhou University, Guiyang
  • The Establishment of the First Environment Education Corner in Guizhou Universities
• Guangxi Province
  • Rejection to Eat the Wild Life in Guangxi Province (Surveys, Newspapers, Sample Show, Lectures & Posters)- Guangxi Medical University, Nanning
• Shaanxi Province:
  • Environment Education of Primary Schools (Lectures, Games & Video Show) - Southwest Jiaotong University, Xi’an
  • Debate Competitions, Lectures & Posters on Environment Education - Northwest University of Politics & Law, Xi’an
  • Behavior Art Show, Garments (Made from Garbage) Show in Universities and Uptown in Xi’an City - College of Science & Technology, Xi’an
• Sichuan Province
  • Competition & Exhibition of Hand Transcript Newspapers on Environment Protection - Chengdu University of Information Technology
  • Protection of Panda in Wanglang Natural Reservation Area, and Environment Education for Local People - Southwest Science & Technology University
  • First national contest on hometown Environmental Survey and Research, with the goal of training student environmental journalists - Southwest Petroleum College, Nanchong in cooperation with five other universities

Purposes: to enable Green SOS to carry out this grant program and other activities effectively; to model good organization and follow-through for other student groups

• China DNS Bank, Chengdu Branch - $100 value - donated hosting of Green SOS website, on which project reports are placed
• Betsy Damon (American artist, Living Water Garden project, Chengdu) - $6500: For creation, printing and distribution of manual, "Student Environmental Group Management", in print and electronic versions; For generating software program, "on-line secretary" to enable Green SOS to coordinate its actions long-distance on-line