New Greener Living Fund announced

Yesterday Environment Secretary Hillary Benn announced Defra’s £6 million Greener Living Fund.

 

The Fund is intended to help voluntary, community and charity organisations promote positive environmental changes in their local area.  It is hoped that financial support given to groups will be used to encourage people to live ‘greener’ lifestyles – by taking steps to reduce their carbon footprint and make more environmentally friendly choices.

 

The Fund has been launched in conjunction with Defra’s new Third Sector Strategy.  The new programme will aim to improve third sector involvement in the implementation of policies concerning the environment, food and rural affairs and seeks to recognise the “absolutely vital” role the third sector must play in bringing about a greener Britain. 

 

The Greener Living Fund will offer funding for two years.  A bidding phase will take place before the end of 2008 and the programme will open to applications between April 2009 and March 2011.

 

For further information visit:

 

http://www.defra.gov.uk/

 

Source: Defra

Green survey for Voluntary and Community Sector!

As a voluntary group or community organisation, how green are you?

 

Following on from a similar survey conducted in 2007, Every Action Counts are about to launch a new questionnaire which it is hoped will find out just how green the voluntary and community sector is. 

 

Interested in how voluntary and community groups are addressing the ‘green agenda’, the survey will ask a wide range of questions on a number on topics, including environmental policy and management systems and environmental resources and activities.

 

Participants must submit their completed online surveys before 28 November 2008.

 

For further information visit:

 

http://www.groundwork-surveys.org.uk/eacgreenquestionnaire.

 

And for help, advice and information on all the latest funding schemes to enable your company to become more environmentally friendly, try j4b’s Green Grants Machine:

 

http://www.greengrantsmachine.co.uk/Default.aspx

 

 

Source: Every Action Counts

22.09.08 (1)

New funding programme means peace of Mind

 

Last week saw the launch of an £8.8 million funding scheme to engage people with experience of mental health issues in environmental projects.  The Ecominds programme, funded by the Big Lottery’s Changing Spaces scheme and administered by the mental health charity Mind, will run for five years and aims to provide funding for around 125 community eco projects across England.

 

Schools, community groups and voluntary organisations will be encouraged to apply for a share of the funding pot and should be intending to carry out environmental projects such as horticultural activities, habitat renovation or recycling programmes.  The environmental projects must involve people with direct experience of mental health issues at all levels.

 

The Ecominds programme aims are many: to reduce the stigma attached to mental health problems, to encourage diversity and integration within communities, to promote physical and mental well-being and to improve local environments and create better, more fulfilling communal spaces.

 

Grants will be awarded in four bands ranging from Small (awards up to £20,000) to Flagship (awards up to £250,000), depending on the size and scope of the proposed project.

 

For further information on Ecominds visit: http://www.mind.org.uk/ecominds