The Cleveland Climate Action Fund’s 2016 request for proposals is now open! Have a project idea that would improve Cleveland’s community and the environment? You may be eligible to apply for a grant! Grants up to $5,000 are awarded to applicants committed to climate action that address at least one of these areas:

• Reduce energy use and/or increase the generation of renewable energy sources
• Help Clevelanders prepare for the impacts of climate change in their neighborhood
• Strengthen social connections among individuals and networks

Cleveland Climate Action Fund Grant Process in 5 Simple Steps!

1. Please
2. Develop your neighborhood project idea and apply by the deadline. There are two grant cycles in 2016 — the first deadline for applications is July 8, 2016 and the second deadline is November 18, 2016.
3. Our Advisory Committee selects their top recommendations based on evaluation criteria in the RFP. Top projects may be asked for an in-person meeting to review the project plan, budget, and expected impact.
4. Awardees are notified and projects begin!
5. Awardees provide a detailed project report at the end of the project period.

See some of our funded projects here!

Media Contact:
Michele Kilroy
Cleveland Climate Action Fund
216.664.2155
[email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
8.27.2015
Cleveland Climate Action Fund Awards over $26,000 in Neighborhood Grants!

CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Climate Action Fund is awarding over $26,000 to eight projects that will reduce carbon emissions and help build thriving and healthy neighborhoods. This marks the Fund’s second round of 2015 grant recipients. The Fund provides free educational climate action workshops and competitive grant opportunities for projects that advance neighborhood priorities while also furthering Cleveland’s climate action goals.

The Fund has provides an equitable model for developing and funding neighborhood projects that align climate action with the assets, concerns, and priorities of Cleveland residents. Over the last six months, the Fund’s Advisory Committee reviewed 33 grant applications during two rounds of funding. A total of thirteen grantees, each of which have been awarded small grants of up to $5,000, will be recognized at the Annual Sustainability Summit on September 16-17 in Public Auditorium.

Examples of neighborhood projects include a neighborhood composting program on bicycles, transitioning a youth landscaping employment program to gasoline-free equipment, and a solar array on a K-8 community school that integrates with STEM curriculum, a bicycle parking and repair station near a transit stop, and reforestation on vacant land. The goal of the Cleveland Climate Action Fund is to hold workshops and fund projects in all Cleveland neighborhoods by 2017. To date, the Fund has held climate action workshops in six neighborhoods, reaching over 100 residents in-person and many more on-line.

This round of grants totaling $26,000 will be awarded to fund the following eight projects:

1. Potluck in the Park, Hough: A community wellness event at Historic League Park to engage attendees from the neighborhood with Sustainable Cleveland working groups and provide walking tours of the Hough Vineyard. Individuals bring dishes to the potluck, but the event is supplemented by restaurants/caterers that use local food and healthful options. This year’s partner is the Fatima Center.
2. Airport Composting Local Farm, Clark Fulton: Cleveland Hopkins Airport will provide used Starbucks coffee grounds to Maggie’s Farm in the Clark Fulton neighborhood to be composted. Approximately 80 pounds of coffee grounds will be diverted from the landfill every day. Landfills generate greenhouse gases as organic material breaks down.
3. Pollinator and Habitat, Old Brooklyn: Old Brooklyn will install five pollinator gardens and two demonstration beehives. Residents participating in educational workshops will receive seeds, garden designs and planting information. Residents that host a beehive will also have an opportunity to earn supplemental income.
4. Nursery Rhymes Doin’ Dirt, Detroit Shoreway: Development of a community garden that engages residents from all age groups. Residents will plant trees, remediate soil, create walking paths and develop a rain barrel system.
5. Possibilitarian Urban Homestead, Buckeye: Reforestation of an urban lot with trees, berry bushes, herbs and medicinal plants. Demonstration rain gardens will be created to retain and remediate water on site. The project will alleviate blight, produce food, and strengthen community cohesion.
6. Collinwood Rain Barrel Project, Collinwood: Rain barrel workshops to raise awareness of water quality through creative repurposing of old hardware. This project engages people from all ages and offers them a functional way to reuse water while beautifying their homes and gardens.
7. Greentopia, Hough: This is a three part project: (1) community planting day to create a fall garden, (2) a community zero waste event called Greentopia that focuses on sustainability/climate action, and (3) creating a youth workforce to landscape and learn horticulture skills.
8. EcoVillage Gateway, Detroit Shoreway: Purchase and install four bike racks and create a public bike repair station. Encouraging biking reduces emissions and fuel usage, improves community wellness, and generates connectivity to nearby recreational centers and the future RedLine GreenWay.

To see the 5 projects funded in Round 1 Visit: /cleveland-climate-action-fund-awards-over-20000-in-neighborhood-grants/

Founded in 2009 the Cleveland Climate Action Fund is the first community-based carbon reduction fund in the United States. The Cleveland Climate Action Fund invests in local community projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and spark community engagement in Cleveland. The Fund’s founding partners include the City of Cleveland, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Foundation, George Gund Foundation, and the Green City Blue Lake Institute at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. The Fund’s Advisory Committee is composed of local community non-profit, corporate, and philanthropic organizations: ArcelorMittal, BrownFlynn, City of Cleveland, Cleveland Clinic, The Cleveland Foundation, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cuyahoga County Land Revitalization Corp., Eaton Corporation, Enterprise Community Partners, the George Gund Foundation, KeyBank, Neighborhood Connections, and Neighborhood Progress Inc.

The Fund provides an option for everyone from individuals to companies that want to reduce carbon emissions and make a local impact. Donations to the fund are tax-deductible and directly support educational workshops and carbon reduction projects. Donors can give at a variety of levels and the carbon calculator on our site can assist those who wish to offset their carbon footprint. Visit www.clevelandclimateaction.org for more information.

Media Contact:
Lyndy Rutkowski
Cleveland Climate Action Fund
216.664.2155

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cleveland Climate Action Fund Awards over $20,000 in Neighborhood Grants

CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Climate Action Fund is awarding over $20,000 to five neighborhood-led projects that will reduce carbon emissions and encourage collaboration in the community. This marks the Fund’s first round of 2015 grant recipients and the second round of request for proposals is open with applications due on June 19, 2015. The Fund provides free educational climate action workshops and competitive grant opportunities for projects that advance neighborhood priorities while also furthering Cleveland’s climate action goals.

People power is the answer to true and lasting climate action in Cleveland. This means that a citizen-centered approach is needed to align climate action with the assets, capacities and priorities of Cleveland residents. Grants totaling over $20,000 will be awarded to fund the following five projects:

– Cleveland Youth Landscaping,“Glenville Re-Inspired�?: Cleveland youth will be hired and trained to provide landscaping and snow removal services to the Glenville neighborhood. Funds will be used to landscaping equipment that doesn’t produce emissions, such as non-gasoline mowers, to reduce air pollution and use of fossil fuels.

Alexander Robertson, founder of Cleveland Youth Landscaping, commented on his project’s impact on the environment and his team’s health: “Initially, Cleveland Youth Landscaping was simply a neighborhood beautification project.  We hire about 50 young adults each year to perform basic landscaping services for our residents, but our mission was altered after I learned about the severe toxicity of gas powered lawnmower and string trimmer usage,�? Robertson, said. “But, this year, with the help of our Cleveland Climate Action Fund grant we are happy to announce that we have created a team of green landscapers that will only operate electric and hand powered equipment.�?

Cleveland Youth Landscaping’s equipment upgrades should reduce over 15,000 lbs. of CO₂ emissions by switching from gas mowers to reel mowers and electric mowers. They will reduce another 15,000 lbs of CO₂ emissions by switching to electric string trimmers and hand tools. The youth will also educate the clients on the effects of climate change, how to reduce their carbon emissions, and hopefully convince them to engage with other environmental preservation projects.�?

Gordon Square Farmers Market/Rust Belt Riders, “Community Composting�? pilot project for comprehensive community-wide composting initiative: This project will engage business owners and residents to better understand the impact of food waste and provide participation vouchers. Compost will be collected and dropped off via bicycles and will be used in community gardens. Funds will be used for vouchers for businesses and residents as well as additional equipment thereby reducing landfill waste and increasing fertile soil.

– The Grocery This project will support monthly educational community workshops, materials for community gardens, purchase of seeds and chickens, and materials for a chicken coop and hoop house to enable food to be produced year round to encourage eating local, healthy foods free of packaging and preservatives.

-Hough Biocellar/Neighborhood Solutions: This project will fund the installation of a solar panel array to power the BioCellar and vineyard. The BioCellar is a learning environment for people interested in crop propagation, local food production and healthy eating in the Hough neighborhood.

-Urban Community School: Funding for this project will be used to install a set of 10 solar panels that will provide approximately 3,120 kWh/year of energy at their satellite location providing the school with 96% of its annual energy costs. UCS will also build a hoop-house to be used as part of its new Learning Garden and Production Farm that is being created in partnership with the Cleveland Botanical Garden and The Refugee Response.

Grants requests for the second round of Request for Proposals are due on June 19, 2015 and can be found online at www.clevelandclimateaction.org.

Founded in 2009 the Cleveland Climate Action Fund is the first community-based carbon reduction fund in the United States. The Cleveland Climate Action Fund invests in local community projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and spark community engagement in Cleveland. The Fund’s founding partners include the City of Cleveland, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Foundation, George Gund Foundation, and the Green City Blue Lake Institute a the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. The Fund’s Advisory Committee is composed of local community non-profit, corporate, and philanthropic organizations: Arcelor Mittal, BrownFlynn, City of Cleveland, Cleveland Clinic, The Cleveland Foundation, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cuyahoga County Land Revitalization Corp., Enterprise Community Partners, the George Gund Foundation, KeyBank, Neighborhood Connections, and Neighborhood Progress Inc.

The Fund provides an option for everyone from individuals to companies that want to reduce carbon emissions and make a local impact. Donations to the fund are tax-deductible and directly support educational workshops and carbon reduction projects. Donors can give at a variety of levels and the carbon calculator on our site can assist those who wish to give to mitigate their carbon footprint. Visit www.clevelandclimateaction.org for more information.

Learn how to take climate action and turn your ideas into tangible projects!