Iowa City area organizations are invited to apply for the Community Partnerships for Climate Action Grant. 

The City Council approved funding for this program, which aims to address and enhance local climate action through innovative work done in partnership between community-based groups. A total of $25,000 is available and applications will be accepted now through March 31, 2018, or until funds are depleted.

The City Council identified the reduction of city-wide carbon emissions as one of its strategic plan priorities, and is working with the public, a steering committee, a team of consultants led by Elevate Energy, and staff, to create a Climate Action Plan. This grant is designed to help further those goals. 

To qualify, project goals must include collaboration and focus on climate in Iowa City. Grants cannot exceed $5,000 and funding is available first-come, first-serve.

In an Iowa City Press-Citzen article, Brenda Nations, the city's sustainability coordinator, said he program is part of the city's continuing effort promote environmental sustainability, an aim spelled out in the Iowa City Council's strategic plan.

"The main points are both collaborate through new partnerships to create new ideas and to have an innovative kickoff to the climate work that we're doing," she said. "We're looking for at least two or more groups to be in partnership to do some interesting work around climate."

Examples of potentially award-winning projects, according to the city's website, include "a climate advocacy organization could join with local labor unions and small, locally-owned renewable energy firms to conduct a job fair for lower-income individuals," or awareness campaigns brought about through local arts groups, musicians, the City of Literature and others.

To learn more about the grant, requirements and how to apply, visit icgov.org/sustainability or contact Iowa City Sustainability Coordinator Brenda Nations at 319-887-6161 or Brenda-Nations@iowa-city.org.