Funding

Applications open for the 2025-2026 Sustainable Future Grants Program at GC&E

The Sustainable Future Grants Program is a strategic initiative of the ACS Green Chemistry Institute (ACS GCI) & ACS Office of Sustainability designed to empower students and global professionals to actively participate in the Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference (GC&E). This grant supports individuals who exemplify a commitment to sustainable science through their research, leadership, and community engagement, fostering a vibrant, inclusive network of changemakers. By participating in this program you can:

Build community across disciplines, institutions, and borders
Network with leaders in sustainable chemistry and engineering
Contribute innovative research that addresses global sustainability challenges
Engage deeply in conference programming and collaborative learning experiences

Early Deadline: December 11th, 2026

Final Deadline: January 31st, 2026

Apply Now

Student & Postdoc Scholars

Students and postdoctoral awardees will receive a travel grant in the following amounts:

$1,250 for U.S. and Canada-based students and postdocs
$1,500 for international students and postdocs

Funds will be provided directly to awardees to help cover expenses such as airfare, student housing, and conference registration.

Global Professionals

International-based Professionals: $1750 fixed grant*

*Please Note: Funding provided through the Global Professional track is intended to subsidize your travel costs, not to fully cover them. This support is designed to help offset expenses and make participation in the GC&E Conference more accessible. We value your commitment to sustainability and your active engagement in the conference community, and this shared investment reflects our mutual dedication to advancing green chemistry globally.

Eligibility & Participant Expectations

The Sustainable Future Grants Program provides opportunities for scholars who are not receiving any ACS or other external funding to support their participation in the GC&E conference in the given year.

Eligibility for Student & Postdoc Scholars

To be eligible to apply for the Sustainable Future Grants Student Scholars you must meet one or more of the following criteria below:

Be a previous ACS GCI Summer School Student within the last two years (2024, 2025)
Be an active, high-achieving member of an ACS Student Chapter
Be a Student or Postdoctoral Scholar that is co-organizing a technical session
Be a Student or Postdoctoral Scholar who demonstrates a strong commitment to green chemistry and/or sustainability through their academic work & research, leadership, or community engagement.

Ineligibility for Student & Postdoc Scholars

Students & Postdocs who have received a Sustainable Future Grant in the past or have received a different ACS student award or grant supporting travel to GC&E are ineligible to receive a 2025-2026 grant.

Student & Postdoc Recipient Requirements:

Submit an abstract to the conference
Sign up for at least two volunteer shifts
Reside in designated student housing
Attend the conference’s student programming track, including a student networking reception, student workshop, poster session, keynotes, and select technical sessions
Submit a one-page report shortly after the conference on your experience.

Eligibility for Global Professionals

This funding track is designed to support professionals who exemplify the values of collaboration, innovation, and global engagement in their work.

To be eligible to apply for the Sustainable Future Grants Global Professionals you must be based outside of the United States and meet one or more of the following criteria:

Be a session organizer or workshop organizer for the 2026 GC&E Conference
Be a past GC&E Conference co-chair
Be a professional actively contributing to green chemistry and sustainability through leadership, research, education initiatives, or community-building.

Global Professional Recipient Requirements:

Recipients must:

Serve as a poster session judge
Assist with volunteer tasks as needed
Actively participate and collaborate throughout the event
Submit a one-page report shortly after the conference on your experience.

How to Apply

A limited number of grants are available, and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis; early submission is strongly encouraged to ensure full consideration.

To apply, please fill out the application linked below.

Apply Now