Local Sustainability Matching Fund Application Now Open

Round two of the Local Sustainability Matching Fund is now open. This grant provides matching funds from national foundations to help build relationships between local governments and local place-based foundations in an effort to advance sustainability initiatives.

The Local Sustainability Matching Fund is presented by the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities, in partnership with the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN). The Matching Fund aims to help cities build valuable working relationships between local sustainability directors and philanthropic organizations. Recognizing that strong partnerships with funders are critical to implementing and sustaining local projects, the Matching Fund anticipates that this initiative will result in new sustainability practices and innovations, as well as new sources of funding for place-based work.

In the first round, the Local Sustainability Matching Fund awarded five projects $250,000. In Appleton, Wisconsin, for instance, $60,000 was awarded to support the transformation of a former private golf course into a community-based urban farm and job training program that will engage the community in sustainable practices. The Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region partnered with the the Appleton Sustainability Director to spearhead this project.

Round two proposals must be submitted as a team with at least one partner being a local government sustainability director and at least one partner from a local place-based foundations. Sustainability directors can be a USDN member or associate member or any person who leads a multi-department and community-wide urban sustainability initiative from within a city (municipality) or county government. A local place-based foundation may include a community foundation, private foundation that focuses on a greater metropolitan area, or corporate foundation. The Local Sustainability Matching Fund anticipates supporting five to six projects at 25,000 to 75,000, with a one-to-one match required by one or more local foundations. Proposals are due October 1, 2012.

For more information, the Funders' Network is holding a conference call on September 6 from 3-4pm EST. To register, please click here. To apply for the Fund, please click here.

For more information on why community sustainability is important, other resources and reports on different aspects of community sustainability and past grant opportunities, please click here.