Neighbourhood Climate Action Grants

Applications for the Neighbourhood Climate Action Grant program are open until September 15, 2023.

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The Neighbourhood Climate Action Grants aim to increase awareness and engagement on climate action at the local level by funding resident-led projects, activities and events that:

Grants of up to $7,500 per group are available through the Neighbourhood Climate Action Grants program. Groups will be matched with a local community organization to trustee the funds.

The climate emergency requires urgent action. Meeting Toronto’s ambitious emission reduction goals and targets will require big changes in how we live, work, build, travel and more. Learn more about the TransformTO Net Zero Strategy.

The City of Toronto defines climate action as actions that contribute to the creation of a healthy, thriving and equitable city, as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The major sources of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions in Toronto are from buildings (58%), transportation (33%) and waste (9%).

Co-Benefits of Climate Action

TransformTO identifies the following added benefits (called ‘co-benefits’) of addressing climate change in Toronto:

  • Advancing social equity
  • Protecting low income residents
  • Improving affordability, especially for vulnerable populations
  • Supporting poverty reduction
  • Enhancing and strengthening the local economy
  • Maintaining and creating good local jobs
  • Improving public health
  • Creating resilient communities and infrastructure

Funding is for resident-led groups only. Groups led by Black, Indigenous and equity-deserving people, and place-based projects based in Neighbourhood Improvement Areas and Emerging Neighbourhoods will be prioritized in the review process. We do not provide funding to non-profits, individuals or businesses.

Eligible Groups

  • Resident-led groups, consisting of at least 3 members in different households residing in Toronto
  • Community groups including youth and school-based groups, service clubs and parent councils
  • Applications from groups led by Black, Indigenous and equity-deserving people will be prioritized

Ineligible Groups

Groups not eligible for funding include:

  • Groups with all members living in the same household
  • Non-profit organizations
  • Individuals or for-profit businesses or ventures (including BIAs)
  • Religious organizations that cannot show a clear separation between religious and
    community service functions
  • Political parties
  • Grant-making organizations
  • Industry or trade associations
  • Organizations with mandates from other levels of government (universities, schools,
    hospitals, etc.)
  • Landlord/tenant and condominium corporation

All groups will be matched with a local community organization to act as a trustee for the grant funds. Funded groups will be required to sign the Declaration of Compliance of Anti-Harassment/Discrimination City Policy and will be asked to review the City of Toronto Guide to Political Activities for City Funded Groups and sign a corresponding document to acknowledge the policy.

All neighbourhoods in Toronto are eligible to apply. Applications for projects based in Neighbourhood Improvement Areas or Emerging Neighbourhoods will be prioritized.

About Toronto Neighbourhoods

Find Your Neighbourhood

Neighbourhood Improvement Areas & Emerging Neighbourhoods:

  • Beechborough-Greenbrook
  • Black Creek
  • Dorset Park
  • Downsview
  • East L’Amoreaux
  • Eglinton East
  • Elms-Old Rexdale
  • Englemount-Lawrence
  • Flemingdon Park
  • Glenfield-Jane Heights
  • Golfdale-Cedarbrae-Woburn
  • Humber Heights-Westmount
  • Humber Summit
  • Humbermede
  • Ionview
  • Keelesdale-Eglinton West
  • Kennedy Park
  • Kingsview Village-The Westway
  • L’Amoreaux West
  • Malvern East
  • Malvern West
  • Morningside
  • Mount Dennis
  • Mount Olive-Silverstone-Jamestown
  • Oakdale-Beverley Heights
  • Oakridge
  • Regent Park
  • Rockcliffe-Smythe
  • Rustic
  • Scarborough Village
  • South Parkdale
  • Steeles
  • Taylor Massey
  • Thistletown-Beaumond Heights
  • Thorncliffe Park
  • Victoria Village
  • West Hill
  • Westminster-Branson
  • Weston
  • Weston-Pelham Park
  • Woburn North
  • York University Heights
  • Yorkdale-Glen Park

The Neighbourhood Climate Action Grants will prioritize the leadership and participation of equity-deserving groups. Indigenous-led projects are encouraged to participate in this grant and/or in the Indigenous Climate Action Grants program.

Eligible projects are those that directly contribute to emission reduction and/or projects that include a climate change education component.

Projects must be completed by December 2024.

Emission Reduction Projects

We need your help to address the sources of emissions in Toronto. Are you interested in:

  • Increasing the uptake of energy efficiency retrofits in homes?
  • Reducing the amount of waste directed to landfill?
  • Decreasing neighbourhood reliance on personal vehicles?
  • Increasing neighbourhood use of active transportation (walking/cycling) or public transportation?
  • Exploring neighbourhood renewable energy sources?

Examples of Emission Reduction Projects:

  • Repair-a-thon or swap events
  • Bike repair or cycling clinics
  • Nature-based solutions such as carbon sequestration
  • Feasibility study for neighbourhood renewable energy sources
  • Neighbourhood home energy retrofit events or audits (multiple homes)
  • Neighbourhood walking, cycling or carpooling challenge
  • Neighbourhood organized bike pool or walking school bus
  • Vehicle anti-idling school campaigns
  • Establishing sharing libraries

 

Or:

Educational Initiatives:

We need your help to inspire others to take climate action. Are you interested in:

  • Hosting local climate focused workshops, information sessions or events?
  • Creating interpretive art, activities or signage that engage the public about climate change?
  • Leading citizen science projects and community research on climate action?
  • Developing a neighbourhood communications and engagement campaign to promote climate action?

Examples of Education Initiatives:

  • Interactive workshops, project / concept demonstrations, or neighbourhood education events
  • Lobby displays
  • Zero-waste neighbourhood events
  • Interpretive art that engages and informs the public about climate action
  • Toolkits, guides, interpretive signage, walking tours
  • Citizen science projects and community research
  • Home energy efficiency workshops or training

Past Project Themes

  • Active transportation
  • Bike repair and education
  • Climate education / capacity building
  • Food growing and climate change
  • Food security
  • Food waste prevention
  • Local food
  • Mask sewing and distribution
  • Public art
  • Repair clinics
  • Research on the intersection of climate change and anti-black racism
  • Sewing and repair
  • Textile recycling
  • Traditional Indigenous knowledge
  • Waste reduction
  • Workshop series
  • Youth education and mentorship

What we can fund

Below are examples of fundable budget line items:

  • Permit fees, space rental, virtual meeting software, liability insurance for your event/activity
  • Workshop expenses, facilitation / speaker fees
  • Communications and promotion (e.g. flyers, posters, printing)
  • Honoraria for Elders and Knowledge Keepers
  • Honoraria, food expenses, transit and personal protective gear for volunteers
  • Barrier reduction costs for project participants (e.g. childminding, meals, transit)
  • Honoraria for group members, up to $500 per group
  • Consultant and staffing fees
  • Volunteer recognition, volunteer food expenses at event/activity
  • Training and training expenses;
  • Local travel expenses, Presto tickets or TTC tokens, taxi receipts, bus transportation
  • Equipment rentals
  • Small equipment purchases (any equipment purchased must remain within the community after the life of the project)
  • Interpretation and translation
  • Other expenses on a case-by-case basis

We encourage the hiring of Indigenous, Black and equity-deserving staff, consultants, labourers, interpreters and translators, and encourage supporting Indigenous, Black and equity-deserving businesses for eligible purchases.

What we can’t fund

Below are examples of activities that are not fundable:

  • Activities that do not follow current Toronto Public Health guidelines
  • Ongoing program costs: costs to run your current programs/ services
  • Costs associated with the regular operation of your organization such as current staff salaries (unrelated to project) office rental, utilities, computer equipment, phones, fax, internet, accounting services, insurance, etc.
  • Income-generating activities for staff, group members (unrelated to project)
  • Mass market advertising campaigns
  • Fees paid to project partners (except trustee fees)
  • Costs to maintain activities beyond the funding term
  • Award ceremonies, banquets, receptions, annual general meetings, sport tournaments
  • Religious activities/services
  • Political activities
  • Alcohol
  • Land acquisition, lease or rental
  • Purchase of gasoline or diesel vehicles (cars/trucks/farming equipment)
  • Fundraising events, or donations to charitable causes
  • Lobbying or advocacy on behalf of for-profit entities
  • Disbursement of funds to provide additional grants to other parties
  • Conference registration and travel fees
  • Personal vehicles and parking
  • Travel outside of the city of Toronto
  • Reserve funds, debt repayment, deficit funding
  • Capital costs (i.e. building repairs, renovations, water service, etc.)
  • Core operating staff salaries and core operating costs of an organization
Applications Close September 15, 2023, 11:59am
Application Review September / October 2023
Applicants Notified November / December 2023
Orientation Sessions December 2023 and January 2024
Project Implementation December 2023 – December 2024

 

Timeline is subject to change.

 

Applications will be screened for eligibility by City of Toronto staff. Applications that are determined to be eligible will be further assessed by a Resident Advisory Committee made up of local community and climate action leaders. Final recommendations for funding will be approved by the Executive Director, Environment & Climate, City of Toronto.

Reviewers of the Neighbourhood Climate Action Grants applications will be looking for the following:

  • Will the local community be interested in the project?
  • Will the project serve residents of an NIA/EN or improve livability for neighbourhood residents?
  • Does the project bring together a diverse group of people from the neighbourhood?
  • Is the budget clear? Does it make sense for the project?
  • Is the timeline clear and feasible?
  • Does the project focus specific climate actions that will encourage the reduction of greenhouse gas emission reductions?
  • Does the project address climate change and one or more TransformTO co-benefits?
    • Advancing social equity
    • Protecting low income residents
    • Improving affordability, especially for vulnerable populations
    • Supporting poverty reduction
    • Enhancing and strengthening the local economy
    • Maintaining and creating good local jobs
    • Improving public health
    • Creating resilient communities and infrastructure

Accommodation of special needs (e.g. documents in alternate formats, sign-language interpreters, off-hour meetings) is available as required to ensure that groups can fully participate in the funding process. For accommodation of special needs please contact Megan MacLean at Megan.MacLean@toronto.ca or 416-338-3264.

Please contact Megan.MacLean@toronto.ca to request any further support or resources.