Applications are now closed. Please see below for the funding awards for 2019.
Neighbourhood Climate Action Grants [NCAG] aim to increase awareness and engagement on climate action at the local level by funding resident-led projects, activities and events that:
For a detailed program overview, please see below. Use this worksheet to assist you in preparing to discuss your idea with your Neighbourhood Planning Table. If recommended by your Neighbourhood Planning Table, complete the online application before 11:59 p.m. on October 31, 2019.
Neighbourhood |
Group Name |
Project Name |
Funding |
Emissions Domain |
Birchmount Eglinton East (Ionview) | Ionview Zero Waste Collective | Ionview Zero Waste Festival | $5,800.00 | Waste |
Flemingdon Park, Thorncliffe Park | E-Heroes | 3E (Electricity-Energy-Environment) Savers! | $5,424.00 | Homes & Buildings |
Humber Summit, Mount Olive-Silverstone, St. Jamestown | Climate Action Change Champions | Igniting Community Climate Action Change | $7,498.00 | Homes & Buildings, Transportation, Waste |
Morningside | Be the Change | Be The Change-Reduce, Reuse, Recycle | $6,750.00 | Waste |
Morningside, Oakridge, Scarborough Village, West Hill / KGOP, Woburn | Regional Communities Bridge | Community Bridges EcoFair | $7,400.00 | Homes & Buildings, Transportation, Waste |
Mount Dennis | Climate Change in Mount Dennis | Mount Dennis Eco-fair | $7,500.00 | Homes & Buildings, Transportation, Waste |
Mount Dennis | Mount Dennis Eco-Neighbourhood Initiative | Mount Dennis Eco-Neighbourhood Initiative | $7,500.00 | Homes & Buildings, Transportation, Waste |
Oakridge | Prairie Drive Park | Waste Management and Energy Saving Project | $5,462.50 | Transportation, Waste |
South Parkdale | Motivated Citizens | Vehicles for Change | $7,500.00 | Homes & Buildings, Transportation, Waste |
South Parkdale | South Parkdale Climate Action Group | Clearing the Air on Idling | $7,500.00 | Transportation |
Taylor Massey | Bangla School Advisory Group | Celebration of Mother Earth day | $4,940.00 | Waste |
Thistletown-Beaumond Heights | Hydrate Like A Hero Program Champions | Hydrate Like A Hero Program | $7,500.00 | Waste |
Thorncliffe Park | Parenting Group | Greenify Thorncliffe Park | $7,500.00 | Homes & Buildings, Transportation, Waste |
Weston-Pelham Park | Weston Pelham Park Neighbourhood Association | What is Your Footprint? | $6,975.00 | Homes & Buildings, Transportation, Waste |
Woburn, West Hill / KGOP, Scarborough Village | Woburn Community Residents | Scarborough Repair and Bike Café | $6,440.00 | Transportation, Waste |
The City defines climate action as actions that address both the co-benefits of a healthy, thriving, and equitable city, as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions in our city. The major sources of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions in Toronto are from buildings, waste, and transportation. Examples of climate action are listed below in the Eligible Projects section.
Achieving our emission reduction targets will require transformational changes in how we live, work, commute, and build. TransformTO identifies the following added benefits (called ‘co-benefits’) of addressing climate change in Toronto:
Important Note: You must partner with a sponsoring organization to act as a trustee. There is more information below about the trustee partnership. Your Neighbourhood Planning Table will be able to assist you in finding a trustee.
Groups not eligible for funding include:
At least three or more of your group members must live in one of the following 31 neighbourhoods.
Interested applicants should attend an information session.
Your idea: Bring your group together and find a mentor or group leader to plan and organize your event/activity. Look for opportunities to partner with established community groups to support your idea. Remember that you must partner with an organization to act as a trustee (before filling out the online application form).
Use this worksheet to help you plan your project and connect with Megan MacLean or Tamara Grossutti to discuss your project ideas.
Your budget: Put together a budget for $1,000 to $7,500. Research the potential costs of your project and have a rough budget ready for your planning table meeting. See the Eligible Project Costs section for guidance.
Your timeline and project location: Projects must end within 3 months of starting and end by August 31, 2020.
All applicants must connect with their Neighbourhood Planning Table [NPT] to present their project. See the section below and connect with a Community Development Officer [CDO] for more information. The NPT will make recommendations for projects to move forward to the application stage.
The NPT will recommend groups to complete the application form. Only those groups who are recommended by the NPT should fill out the online application form. You will need to have secured your trustee before filling out the form and complete the entire application by 11:59 p.m. on October 31, 2019.
Eligible projects include projects that directly contribute to emission reduction and/or projects that include a climate change educational component. Projects can have both components or one.
We need your help to address the sources of emissions in Toronto. Are you interested in:
Or:
We need your help to inspire others to take climate action. Are you interested in:
Below are examples of fundable budget line items.
Below are examples of activities that are not fundable:
Information sessions | June 18, 26, and 27, 2019 |
Resident Groups plan projects | July & August 2019 |
Resident Groups present to NPTs | September & October 2019 |
Applications launch | September 1, 2019 |
Application deadline | October 31, 2019, 11:59 p.m. |
Resident Advisory Committee review | November 2019 |
Applicants notified | November 2019 |
Orientation for grant recipients | November & December 2019 |
Grant projects can start | January 2020 |
Grant projects end | August 31, 2020 |
Report back to NPTs | Fall 2020 |
Please note that projects must be no longer than 3 months in duration and timelines are subject to change.
The Neighbourhood Climate Action Grants are recommended for funding by residents and community agencies from the local neighbourhood at your local Neighbourhood Planning Table [NPT] meeting and by a Neighbourhood Grants Resident Advisory Committee.
Reviewers of the Neighbourhood Climate Action Grants applications will be looking for the following things:
Connect with your neighbourhood’s Community Development Officer [CDO] for information on Neighbourhood Planning Table [NPT] meetings and agendas.
At the NPT meeting, you or members of your group will have 5-10 minutes to:
Use this worksheet to help you prepare for the planning table meeting.
The NPT will recommend your project to move to the online application stage.
Benefits of attending an NPT:
You must work with a trustee organization to receive funding. Your Neighbourhood Planning Table will be able to assist you in selecting a trustee.
The trustee organization should have knowledge about the issues your project addresses or experience in the community your group works with. It could be an organization that your group is currently working with or has worked with in the past.
A trustee is an incorporated not-for-profit organization with audited financial statements and the financial systems in place to administer your group’s grant funds.
A trustee will distribute the funding according to the approved project budget. Trustees can also provide additional support to funded groups, such as project management and mentorship.
Trustee organizations must meet all of the following eligibility criteria and be approved by City staff to act as your trustee:
The trustee organization:
Trustee organizations may charge fees for their services. The fee arrangement should be included in the Trustee Agreement.
The Neighbourhood Climate Action Grants program allocates funding for trustee fees of up to 15% of the grant. If you will be working with a trustee, please account for the trustee fee in your proposed budget.
A Trustee Agreement is a formal agreement between your group and your Trustee organization. City of Toronto staff must approve the Trustee Agreement before funds will be paid. Your group and the trustee organization will need to write your own agreement together.
Proposed projects must be located in Neighbourhood Improvement Areas [NIA] and satisfy one or more of the following objectives:
In addition, the City is interested in community-led projects that meet the objectives through:
Strong applications will include projects that: