Up to £500,000 is being made available to community organisations for environmental and climate-related activities across Tyne & Wear and Northumberland. The announcement follows the launch of a report on the environment that highlights how local environmental action can make a real difference.
The Vital Signs North East Environment report, published by the Community Foundation, outlines three major challenges we face:
- climate change: the rise in global temperatures, resulting in more extreme weather events and putting pressure on critical systems such as agriculture
- declining biodiversity: damage to ecosystems upon which we depend for food, clean air, materials and medicines
- immediate everyday issues: air and water pollution, litter and waste management and access to green spaces
The report also points to what can be funded locally to make a difference and this what the Community Foundation’s latest call for applications is focused on. Projects that tackle issues directly in communities, as well as projects that help raise awareness and encourage action, will be considered for funding. Re-wilding programmes, recycling and repurposing projects, raising awareness in communities, and improving the energy efficiency of a building are examples of activities that would be considered.
Rob Williamson, CEO of the Community Foundation, said: “While environmental issues can often feel overwhelming, we firmly believe that local action can make a difference. In addition, we are fortunate to have many very special natural assets in the North East that are worth protecting. We also know that a number of our donors are eager to fund projects that can help tackle the environmental challenges we face. That’s why we’re able to allocate up to £500,000 for such projects this year. Having the Vital Signs research behind this effort will help ensure we direct resources to the areas with the greatest potential for impact.”
The Vital Signs 2024 Environment Report is available here. The full call for applications is available here.
For more information, please contact Ross Wilson or Pete Barratt.