Deadline: 21-Sep-22
The Greenbelt Foundation is accepting Letters of Intent (LOIs) for its grant Program.
The Funding Program invests in projects that protect the Greenbelt and increase environmental, social, cultural and economic benefits, enhance the health of the Greenbelt’s systems, support farmers and foster a sustainable rural economy. Projects that leverage and enhance the Greenbelt to address the cumulative impacts of the pandemic, climate change and urban development pressures are a priority.
Program Areas
In fall 2022, the Foundation has two funding streams of focus for its Funding Program:
- Prosperous Greenbelt: Supporting Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Vitality in the Greenbelt
- Priority Objectives
- Support pandemic recovery, focusing on the strong return of local visitors to the Greenbelt and rural economy by enhancing visitor experiences and increasing visits during off-peak times.
- Champion meaningful Greenbelt-related experiences around outdoor recreation, agri-food and culinary destinations, and authentic Indigenous cultural tourism experiences.
- Increase capacity for tourism partnerships and collaborations to offer and/ or promote Greenbelt experiences for local residents including Indigenous , Black, and other racialized communities.
- General Objectives:
- Support the Greenbelt’s agriculture, ecological restoration and recreation and tourism economies.
- Support Indigenous-led projects that align with the funding stream, including collaborations, convening activities and/or learning frameworks to build Indigenous relationships across the region.
- Increase public awareness of the Greenbelt’s contribution to the rural economy, jobs, community health and well-being.
- Supportin g projects that support diversity, equity, and inclusion goals
- Priority Objectives
- Resilient Greenbelt: Working with Nature to Increase Public Benefits from Ontario’s Greenbelt and Regional Resiliency
- Priority Objectives:
- Provide capacity for communities to identify or design natural infrastructure projects that strengthen climate resilience with a focus on storm water management and flooding, heat management and biodiversity.
- Supporting efforts in the Greenbelt to achieve healthy forest cover and contribute to climate resilience in the region.
- Increase awareness of the benefits provided by the Greenbelt, supporting community engagement to inspire activities and actions to enhance the Greenbelt and lead change.
- General Objectives:
- Support activities to preserve biodiversity in the region.
- Support priority actions to protect the critical water resource systems of the Oak Ridges Moraine.
- Maintain and protect the ecological and hydrological health of the Greenbelt’s agricultural soils.
- Support Indigenous-led projects that align with the funding stream, including collaborations, convening activities and/or learning frameworks to build Indigenous relationships across the region.
- Supporting projects that support diversity, equity, and inclusion goals.
- Priority Objectives:
Eligible Projects
- Prosperous Greenbelt
- Promote and facilitate COVID-safe trips to the Greenbelt to enjoy socially distanced outdoor recreation activities including cycling and hiking opportunities on the Greenbelt Cycle Route, Oak Ridges or Bruce Trail.
- Develop and/or promote tourism experiences in off-peak hours, days or seasons.
- Educate or provide opportunities for Greenbelt tourism partners to collaborate and enhance visitor experiences.
- Create or enhance Indigenous-led tourism experiences and partnerships, such as the Greenbelt
- Moccasin Identify Project.
- Enhance Greenbelt agriculture, including a regional local food system and access to food grown in the Greenbelt.
- Understand possibilities for growing ecological restoration economies in the Greenbelt, and Indigenous interests and opportunities.
- Resilient Greenbelt
- Model natural infrastructure solutions within urban river valleys or other areas to address increasing flood risks or extreme heat due to climate change.
- Develop a business case for natural infrastructure to manage storm water, flooding or heat related climate change vulnerabilities and risks.
- Develop or promote tools to help farmers enhance soil health.
- Host a podcast or webinar or use social media forum to engage community members and decision makers on local Greenbelt-related issues.
- Create public awareness tools to communicate the benefits of the Greenbelt, including nature-based solutions and biodiversity actions.
Eligibility Criteria
Organizations can apply individually or in collaboration with others. Lead applicants must be a registered charity or non-profit organization. In certain circumstances, the Foundation does fund municipal governments to undertake innovative and leading-edge projects that benefit the Greenbelt.
For more information, visit https://www.greenbelt.ca/apply_for_a_grant