Climate Action Grants
Mobilizing climate awareness and action in Southern Alberta.
Applications open on Thursday, November 9, 2023.
Mobilizing Alberta Climate Action Grants
Do you have an idea that can bring together community, University of Calgary faculty and post-secondary students to mobilize climate awareness and action in southern Alberta?
We are offering up to six grants amounting up to $20,000 to support projects that mobilize Albertans through climate awareness and action. We are especially focused on supporting projects that are led by or are in collaboration with Indigenous communities, youth and audiences that are interested in and are concerned about climate change and need support and resources to take climate action. Please note: for this round of funding, at least 80% of the grant amount must be allocated to the community organization. This project was undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada.
Mobilizing Alberta Climate Action Grant Webinar
Our current Climate Action Grant pilot projects include
Mni Ki Wakan Water Summit
An Îyârxe-Nakoda community member has partnered with a UCalgary faculty member who teaches International Indigenous Studies and a UCalgary International Indigenous Studies student to support Stoney-Nakoda youth involvement with the upcoming Mni Ki Wakan water summit. The goal is to hold the Mni Ki Wakan water summit in the Bow Valley in 2024.
The Mni Ki Wakan water summit will focus on the areas of:
- Water and Indigenous Knowledge
- Indigenous Water Justice
- Indigenous Water Governance
- Water Infrastructure
- Indigenous Water Innovations
- Water Sovereignty
Calgary Community Climate Activations (CCCA)
The Arusha Centre has partnered with UCalgary to implement Calgary Community Climate Activations (CCCA). CCCA is building a network of climate-change stakeholders between the UCalgary community, The City of Calgary, citizens and agencies, and is creating climate-oriented community grants for grassroots projects that are achievable and exemplary of how we can take action on climate. This network and the community projects serve to advance the City’s environmental strategies and will be showcased at the City's Earth Hour, Mayor's Environment Expo and Energy Efficiency Day events.
Who can apply?
Please review the guidelines in detail.
All projects must increase climate-change awareness and action in southern Alberta and include three types of partners:
- At least one registered community organization that meets the relevant insurance requirements
- Community groups that are not registered can partner with a registered community organization. In your application, please name the registered community organization as the community partner and include the name of the community group for which the registered organization will act as the legal and financial authority on their behalf.
- At least one UCalgary faculty member; adjunct faculty members are eligible.
- At least one post-secondary student. Preference will be given to projects that include a UCalgary post-secondary student, however, it is not required that the student(s) attend the university.
Please note: it is not required to have the post-secondary student(s) recruited prior to submitting your application. However, the experiential-learning component of the project must be clearly defined.
Climate Action Grants can be utilized to support new or ongoing projects. Ongoing projects must incorporate new ideas, approaches, frameworks, methods and/or plans to scale up the project.
The projects must
Eligible Community Organizations
The following community organizations are eligible to apply:
- Non-profit non-governmental groups and organizations (e.g., community-based organizations).
- Indigenous communities and organizations. Environment and Climate Change Canada defines Indigenous organizations as:
- National, provincial and territorial Indigenous organizations;
- Tribal councils; and
- Indigenous communities.
- Universities and academic organizations.
Please note: Municipalities, the Government of Alberta and provincial agencies, for-profit, and private sector entities can partner on a project with a team that has a UCalgary faculty member and an eligible community organization.
Unsure if you can apply?
How to apply?
Note for creative submission
If you would like to submit your project proposal in a creative way and would like to inquire about the best way to submit it, or you would like to submit a video or audio recordings, please contact mobilizing@ucalgary.ca for recommendation best practices.
Grant Program Timeline
We strongly encourage you to meet with our team to discuss your project idea prior to applying.
During the call, staff will:
Endeavour to understand project objectives and work directly with applicants to ensure the project is a fit for this funding and that it meets the eligibility criteria; and Strive to connect community organizations and partners with faculty members.
Nov. 9, 2023
1. Grant application period: Nov. 9, 2023 – Feb. 9, 2024
Applications must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. MDT on the final day.
March 31, 2024
2. Grant application review and decision-making period: February - March 2024
A grant review committee will review eligible applications and decide which projects to fund.
March 31, 2024
3. Grant results confirmed: End of March 2024
All applicants will be notified of the results of the grant application review process.
May 31, 2024
4. Grant Agreements Distribution April – May 2024
Successful applicants will receive their grant agreements by end of May 2024, pending agreement negotiations and unique project circumstances.
July 31, 2024
5. Funding: June – July 2024
Successful applicants will receive the funding by the end of July 2024, pending unique project circumstances.
Sept. 30, 2024
6. Project starts: June – September 2024
Projects are anticipated to start sometime between June - September 2024. Project start dates will differ based on each project’s unique circumstances. Successful applicants will receive a Notice of Award letter that specifies their project start date.
Want to talk it through?
You can book a 30-minute call with our team and get assistance. We are happy to support you.
Contact mobilizing@ucalgary.ca
Resources for applicants
Download the Climate Action Grant Program Guidelines
Review the Application Scorecard
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Contact a grant advisor at mobilizing@ucalgary.ca
First, we recommend you take some time to review the Climate Action Grant program guidelines to review eligibility requirements. Then contact a grant advisor at mobilizing@ucalgary.ca to book a meeting to discuss your project idea, eligibility requirements and any questions you may have. Decide on the way you would like to submit your project application (i.e., complete the application and project feasibility forms, submit a video link or audio recording file by email, or another creative method) and submit it by Feb. 9, 2024, at 5 p.m. MDT
Remember, if you are submitting your project application via video, audio recording or another creative method, you are still required to complete and attach the template provided for the Feasibility section of your application. This template includes your work plan, budget and additional contributions.
Projects are anticipated to start sometime between June and September 2024. Project start dates will differ based on each project’s unique circumstances. Successful applicants will receive a Notice of Award letter that specifies their project start date. All projects should start by September 2024 and end by September 2025.
Project funding should be available by July 31, 2024. Please note it may take longer pending any negotiations regarding your grant agreement and unique project circumstances.
- Salaries and wages for post-secondary students and staff members.
- Management and professional services (e.g., project finance administrator, project co-ordinator).
- Contractors (e.g., communications consultant, artist, videographer).
- Travel, as approved by the university, to be in alignment with the mileage, accommodation and meal rates in the National Joint Council Travel Directive.
- Materials and supplies (e.g., event, outreach or project supplies).
- Equipment rentals (e.g., garden equipment, microphone/video equipment, research equipment)
- Communication and printing, production, and distribution.
- Vehicle rental and operation.
- Indigenous honoraria, speaker fees and gifts.
- Venue rental, catering and conference registration.
- Purchasing land or leasing land.
- Purchasing equipment.
- Overhead costs (e.g., rent, insurance, utilities etc.).
- Faculty or postdoctoral scholar salaries or wages.
Yes. However, faculty members from other institutions are eligible as a ‘community organization’ representing your academic institution. You will need to partner with a UCalgary faculty member and provide an experiential learning experience to post-secondary students to be eligible to apply.
Upon receipt of completed applications, Office of Sustainability staff will ensure that each application meets eligibility requirements. The grant review committee will then review all eligible applications, score them using a rubric and decide which projects to fund.
One-off projects will be accepted, however, new or ongoing projects that have the ability to be scaled-up over time will be given preference.
For this round of funding, no.
