Sustainability Fund open for applications that support climate action

The Sustainability Fund is now open and accepting applications for projects that help address the Christchurch City Council’s climate change objectives and targets.

Anyone can apply for a portion of  the available funding, including community organisations, schools, social enterprises and businesses.

The Fund’s key objectives are to meet the challenge of climate change through every means available, to help our community understand and prepare for the ongoing impacts of climate change, benefit from a just transition to an innovative, low-emission economy and be guardians of our natural environment and taonga.

Christchurch City Council’s principal advisor for climate resilience, Tony Moore, says the fund supported 29 community-led climate projects last year, including initiatives to help households facing energy hardship, eradicate pests and minimise erosion, to grow and share more local food, to reduce waste and plant native trees.

A series of Christchurch Conversations was also supported to explore ways Christchurch can become a regenerative city.

“It’s awesome to see the range of ideas and projects that emerge every time we open the Fund. We are lucky to have so many passionate, innovative, solution-focused groups delivering sustainability projects in Christchurch,” says Mr Moore.

“Through the Sustainability Fund we can encourage new ideas and support these groups, resulting in even bigger benefits for our community and environment.”

The fund has an annual budget of $380,000. Any unused funds are carried over to help support initiatives in the following financial year.

Other projects that have been funded in previous years include a car sharing network for the Little River community, setting up composting facilities in a school, a project that refurbished old laptops and gave them to people in need, support for a business to establish a local plastics-recycling facility, a climate coach to help reduce emissions in Lyttelton and the creation of a climate action campus. 

“We are keen to support projects that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions or grow community resilience to the local impacts of climate change. Like last year, we’re particularly keen to receive applications from schools, businesses and community groups who can help us reduce transport emissions, avoid waste and save energy,” says Mr Moore.

Applications to the Sustainability Fund close on 7 August 2023. Decisions on funding will be made in November 2023.

For more information and to apply visit the Sustainability Fund page of the Council’s website.