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Sustainability Focus Areas

Sustainability Focus Areas

Graham focuses on three critical areas of sustainability: climate, water, and communities. These topics are intentionally broad and flexible, allowing us to catalyze and facilitate a wide range of important work. As we evaluate opportunities for growth, new focus areas may be added, provided they align with our vision, mission, values, and strategic priorities.

Climate

Climate

We advance the discovery and application of science-based strategies to combat climate change and its impacts by catalyzing new research, building strong partnerships, and leading critical initiatives. See objectives in our strategic plan »

Project Photo

Photo credit: A Healthier Michigan
Catalyst Grants

O’Shea Solar Park

O’Shea Solar Park. Photo courtesy of DTE Energy
Dow Sustainability Fellows Program
Be Counted Among U-M’s Sustainability Experts

Join U-M's Sustainability Experts Database, maintained by Graham, to help make our collective sustainability expertise transparent and accessible. 

Meet Graham Sustainability Scholars

Take a look at the Graham Sustainability Scholars online yearbook (current and past Graham Scholars). Graham Scholars include undergraduate juniors and seniors from across campus. Interdisciplinary teams work collaboratively on sustainability projects (climate, energy justice, water quality. and more). Scholars teams work with local project partners. 

Explore U-M's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Dashboard

This new tool tracks and shares U-M's progress toward its carbon neutrality goal.

Water

Water

We contribute to restoring, enhancing, and sustaining water and water-dependent resources through policy and management-relevant processes that engage and benefit diverse stakeholders, particularly historically underrepresented and overlooked communities. See objectives in our strategic plan »

Photo courtesy of Michigan Sea Grant

Photo courtesy of Michigan Sea Grant
Water Center Great Lakes Grants

Lake Erie in Bloom. Credit: skypics.com

Lake Erie in Bloom. Credit: skypics.com
Dow Sustainability Fellows Program
Be Counted Among U-M’s Sustainability Experts

Join U-M's Sustainability Experts Database, maintained by Graham, to help make our collective sustainability expertise transparent and accessible. 

Present at the 2026 Conference

Have ideas for sessions, speakers, or field trips? Help shape a conference that advances Lake Erie stewardship.

Join Water@Michigan

Water@Michigan is a gathering table for U-M researchers and communities that have been disproportionately affected by historic inequities to develop just, equitable, and sustainable approaches that address community water priorities.

Communities

Communities

We endeavor to support and strengthen local communities, promoting resilience and sustainability through inclusive approaches that center on understanding and serving their needs. We also foster and fortify professional communities of practice that work collaboratively toward shared sustainability goals. See objectives in our strategic plan »

Be Counted Among U-M’s Sustainability Experts

Join U-M's Sustainability Experts Database, maintained by Graham, to help make our collective sustainability expertise transparent and accessible. 

Join a Clean Energy Conversation

The Clean Energy Conversation series is designed to catalyze collaborations by identifying areas ripe for proposals and applied research.

Learn About Phosphorus

Learn how phosphorus affects the lake and explore practical resources for agricultural contexts.