Up to $100,000 in seed money is available. The money comes from London Community Foundation’s Community Fund.
Focusing on environmental health is nothing new for us. Several years ago, environmental health was designated as one of our strategic granting areas. This decision was only reinforced by London’s 2008 Vital Signs® Report. This report underscored how crucial it is to invest in green technologies, products and services to improve air quality within our community.
Specifically we are seeking to fund ideas that will improve air quality in our community by addressing one or more of the following objectives:
· Reducing emissions
· Reducing greenhouse gases
· Reducing particulate
· Reducing waste
· Improving water or energy efficiency
· Engaging London’s residents, businesses or communities in pro-environmental behaviour change
The Clean Air Challenge is loosely based on Toronto Community Foundation’s very successful Green Innovation Awards.
It features a two-stage application process. During the first stage, applicants simply submit (by email – no paper!) an executive summary (500 word) of the idea by the June 15th deadline. A panel of community-minded environmental advocates, fundholders, and business specialists will review all entries and recommend the applications that merit further review.
During the second stage, the selected applicants will be invited to submit a more developed proposal of their idea and then present their case to the Clean Air Challenge selection panel – think Dragon’s Den, minus the television cameras and fiery attitudes!
The appetite for this kind of competition in London is big. Already the Challenge has been met with much excitement from local media and environmentalists. Londoners pride themselves on being entrepreneurial, educated, and open to new things. They care about the future and our environment.
The power for positive change is in the hands of each of us.
Martha Powell is CEO of London Community Foundation
No comments:
Post a Comment