Our MP Majid Jowhari wants our community to apply!
The new Climate Action and Awareness Fund will invest $206 million over five years to support Canadian-made projects that help to reduce Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions. The Climate Action and Awareness Fund is designed to support projects that can create middle class jobs for Canadians who work in science and technology, academia and at the grassroots community level. These projects are critical as we continue to build a sustainable net zero emissions economy by 2050.
The Climate Action and Awareness Fund has three main priorities:
- support youth climate awareness (request for proposals - closed summer 2020) and community-based climate action (request for proposals - fall 2020)
- support climate research at Canadian think tanks and in academia (request for proposals - winter 2021)
- advance climate science and technology (request for proposals - winter 2021)
The Climate Action and Awareness Fund was created with contributions from the existing Climate Action Fund, as well as a significant investment from the Environmental Damages Fund.
Community-based climate action projects
Launched September 17, 2020, the request for proposals for community-based climate action projects will provide knowledge, tools and/or skills that lead to or engage communities in climate action. This request for proposals will provide from $100,000 to $6 million to eligible organizations, for a total of up to $50 million over five years.
Application period
- September 17, 2020, to October 21, 2020, at 11:59 pm EDT
Eligible recipients
To be eligible for funding under this request for proposals, lead applicants must be one of the following:
- not-for-profit non-governmental organization
- university or academic institution
- Indigenous organization
Lead applicants are responsible for submitting their proposal and for negotiating and signing a funding agreement if selected. Lead applicants are encouraged to partner with at least one other organization, such as a non-governmental organization, Indigenous organization, university and academic institution, small and medium-sized enterprise, and/or a provincial, territorial or municipal government.
Eligible activities
The types of support, outreach and resources provided through community-based climate action projects may include workshops, networking, training, virtual platforms, climate awareness activities – including those related to Indigenous Knowledge – and more. These activities should enable communities to take action on climate change.
In addition, the lead applicant's project activities must focus on a specific community. Strong proposals will demonstrate knowledge of the community, why the project is needed, and how it will support the objective. Potential communities include, but are not limited to:
- Indigenous communities
- communities facing obstacles to engaging in climate action
- communities experiencing low engagement on climate action
- communities with significant exposure to climate risk
Available funding
The minimum project funding request is $100,000 and the maximum is $6 million. Organizations requesting funding between $100,000 up to $500,000 must spend funds over one to two fiscal years, starting in 2020-2021. Organizations requesting over $500,000 up to $6 million must complete their project within five years of the signed Funding Agreement.
Funding for the Climate Action and Awareness Fund comes from two existing programs, the Environmental Damages Fund and the Climate Action Fund. The Environmental Damages Fund provides a mechanism for directing funds received as a result of fines, court orders, and voluntary payments to priority projects that will benefit Canada’s natural environment. The Environmental Damages Fund helps to ensure that environmental good follows environmental harm by supporting projects with measurable outcomes in Canadian communities.
Since 2018, the Climate Action Fund has awarded up to $3 million per year to support innovative ideas that raise awareness and build capacity for action that contributes to Canada’s clean growth and climate change plan, the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change. The Climate Action Fund is contributing up to $15 million over five years to support community-based climate action projects.
How to apply
When ready to apply, project proposals are accepted through the Grants and Contributions Enterprise Management System (GCEMS).
Frequently asked questions
Contact
All inquiries related to the current community-based climate action request for proposals may be forwarded to: [email protected].
