2019-09-27
Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability Shane Rattenbury has today announced recipients of two community grants programs who will share a total of $210,000.
The ACT Community Zero Emissions Grants Program supports non-profit organisations and individuals to undertake innovative projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Community Gardens Grants program assists with the development and expansion of community gardens across Canberra.
“Both programs have been a big success with over $370,000 in funding for 40 projects since 2015. The latest round will see 18 projects share a combined total of more than $210,000 worth of grants,” Minister Rattenbury said today.
“The Community Zero Emissions Grants program will help engage the community to reduce emissions though behaviour change, sustainable building techniques, composting, recycling and transport.
“The Community Gardens Grants program, now in its fifth round, will help with new community gardens, mobile seed libraries, and water usage upgrades to existing gardens.
“These grants help us to work alongside our community to reduce our emissions and inspire changes in the way we think about the environmental impact of our city and our everyday behaviours.
“It’s encouraging to see the innovative ways organisations and individuals are tackling complex issues with practical and engaging solutions. These latest recipients are no exception.”
Community Zero Emissions Grants recipients:
- Australian Dance Party Ltd – Move to Zero 2.0: It’s Electrifying. This campaign will specifically zoom in on the use of sustainable and active modes of transport, including electric vehicles.
- See-Change – Furture Film. Future Film is a short film competition and festival, with the theme of Reimagining Canberra’s Future, designed for the young people of Canberra.
- Conservation Council ACT Region - Make the Switch - getting off gas to an all-electric home. Support for Canberra homeowners on how to switch their homes from gas to electricity.
- Canberra Environment Centre - Canberra Community Bike Workshop. The Canberra Community Recyclery will be a physical place where volunteers can service and repair bicycles in order to make active transport as accessible as possible.
- JT Clay – The Carbon Diet. A real life communication project about cutting an individual’s carbon footprint by 75%.
- Hackett Community Organisation - The Hackett Compost Collective. This project will be a demonstration of a manually operated, hot and continually productive composter in a community area to engage the Hackett community encouraging source separation from their kitchen organics.
- Pre POWER ONE Co-op - PrePower Co-operative One - solar for all households. PrePower Co-operative aims to further accelerate community investment in renewable electricity generation by exploring different pathways and mechanisms for a co-operative system.
Latest Community Gardens Grants round recipients:
- Church of the Good Shepherd - Community Garden. The garden will provide free nutritious vegetables to the local community along with teaching gardening skills and expanding knowledge.
- Units Plan 4391 - Laurana Community Gardens. This garden will create ongoing sources of produce that provide clean, nutritious food, as well as education and opportunities for social cohesion.
- Canberra Seed Saver's Cooperative Ltd - Canberra Seed Savers’ Mobile Seed Libraries. The Mobile Seed Libraries for community gardeners will “lend” seeds and provide seed saving education, inspiration and support to community gardens and community groups.
- Giralang Parents and Citizens - Giralang Garden Collective. This project will enhance the school grounds to benefit students and the wider community by establishing the Giralang Garden Collective (GGC), a school focused community garden.
- University of Canberra Union - Sustainable Water Usage. Enhance the existing volunteer run Community Garden at the University of Canberra campus through the installation of a drip-line irrigation system.
- Baringa Child Care Centre Association - Baringa Community Bush Tucker Garden. A collaborative project providing preschool children with an educational, sustainable and insightful Aboriginal cultural experience and hands-on way to promote healthy living.
- Canberra City Farm Incorporated - Enhancement of community garden/orchard. Enhance the existing Canberra City Farm community garden through the purchase of vital propagation, crop protection and orchard maintenance equipment.
- Self Help Organisations United Together Inc - Pearce Inclusive Garden Space. Provide garden spaces for rest and relaxation and sensory plantings and accessible structures so people with disabilities who are in wheelchairs are able to enjoy the gardens, colours, shapes and smells.
- Acacia Gardens Owners Corp - Community Wellness Project. Establish a more structured community gardens project with scheduled working bees and fundraising BBQs to encourage a sense of community in the complex.
- Belconnen Community Service Inc - “Ngulli to Dyandai” - “food to cook”. The community garden will be a place where we can all share in the 'joy' of caring for our environment and be active participants. National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and aged care groups will also be accessing the gardens as part of their social interactions.
- Canberra Organic Growers Society, Inc - Community Garden Improved Fencing. Upgrade to fencing at existing community garden, providing visual separation, windbreak, and support screening plants to grow and thicken.
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