Bank of America commitment to energy projects

[reposted from Philanthropy News Digest] Bank of America has established a ten-year goal of providing $50 billion in loans or financing to environmentally friendly energy projects, Reuters reports.

In making the announcement, the bank also said it would reduce its energy and paper consumption by 2015 and would award $100 million in grants to organizations working to reduce carbon emissions. Bank of America is nearing the early completion of a ten-year, $20 billion goal it set in 2007 to provide loans and financing for projects focused on solar power, hybrid cars, and energy efficiency.

The nation's second-largest bank, BofA has drawn criticism in recent years for its dealings with coal companies, in particular its willingness to provide financing for companies that engage in so-called mountaintop removal mining, which has been slammed for polluting Appalachian rivers and communities. Indeed, some environmental groups and leaders remain skeptical of the bank's intentions. "This new commitment completely skirts that issue and makes no strong commitments around actually reducing the coal, the climate emissions, the fossil fuels the bank is financing," Amanda Starbuck, the director of Rainforest Action Network's energy and finance program, told Reuters.

Bank of America technology and operations executive Cathy Bessant, who chairs the bank's environmental council, told Reuters the initiatives exhibit a commitment to environmental responsibility while also serving to boost local businesses and generate revenue for itself. "For a company in a sector that is challenged for revenue growth," said Bessant, "this [is] a real opportunity to create top-line revenue and to continue to develop the financial markets for [renewable energy.]"

Rothacker, Rick. “BofA Targets $50 Billion for Energy Projects.”Reuters 6/11/12.

Funds for Initiatives to Ramp Up Alternative Fuel Markets

Department of Energy
The Clean Cities: Implementation Initiatives to Advance Alternative Fuel Markets Program provides support for activities designed to decrease the nation’s dependence on petroleum and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by accelerating the deployment of alternative fuels. Proposed activities will remedy the significant obstacles to alternative fuel vehicle adoption and use in local, regional, and/or statewide sectors and niche markets by targeting the following critical areas: policies, barrier reduction, safety and training, and market development/outreach. The application deadline is June 18, 2012.

Environmental Solutions for Communities grant

[from Philanthropy News Digest] Wells Fargo and the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation have announced Environmental Solutions for Communities, a new grant program to help communities in the United States create a more sustainable future through responsible environmental stewardship.

The program seeks to support projects that link economic development and community well-being to the stewardship and health of the environment. Collectively, investments under this initiative will promote a sustainable future for communities by supporting sustainable agricultural practices and private lands stewardship; conserving critical land and water resources and improving local water quality; restoring and managing natural habitat, species, and ecosystems that are important to community livelihoods; facilitating investments in green infrastructure, renewable energy and energy efficiency; and encouraging broad-based citizen participation in project implementation.

Priority projects include innovative cost-effective programs that enhance stewardship on private agricultural lands to improve water quality and quantity and/or enhance wildlife habitat for species of concern, while maintaining or increasing agricultural productivity; community-based conservation projects that protect and restore local habitats and natural areas, enhance water quality, promote urban forestry, educate and train community leaders on sustainable practices, promote related job creation and training, and engage diverse partners and volunteers; demonstration projects that showcase innovative, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly approaches to the improvement of environmental conditions within urban communities by greening traditional infrastructure and public projects such as storm water management and flood control, public park enhancements, and renovations to public facilities; and projects that increase the resiliency of the nation's coastal communities and ecosystems (including the Great Lakes) by restoring coastal habitats, living resources, and water quality in ways that enhance livelihoods and the quality of life in these communities.

Eligible applicants include nonprofit 501(c) organizations; state, tribal, provincial, and local governments; and educational institutions working in states and communities where Wells Fargo operates. Individuals, federal agencies, and private for-profit firms are not eligible. Projects that seek funding for political advocacy, lobbying, litigation, fundraising, or legally mandated mitigation projects are not eligible.

Grant awards typically range from $25,000 to $250,000. The ratio of matching funds offered is one criterion considered during the review process, and projects that meet or exceed a 1:1 match ratio will tend to be more competitive.

The initiative will award grants twice a year. In addition to this Request for Proposals, funding available under the partnership also will be used to leverage resources associated with other NFWF funding opportunities.

Visit the NFWF Web site for the complete RFP and application instructions.

Contact:
Link to Complete RFP

Great Lakes Restoration grants

Description

This RFA solicits applications from eligible entities for grants to be awarded pursuant to the statutory authorities referenced in the RFA and the GLRI Action Plan. Up to approximately $20 million may be awarded under this RFA for about 100 projects contingent on the quality of applications received, funding availability and other applicable considerations. Applications are requested for projects identified in the RFA within the following four GLRI focus areas:1.Toxic Substances and Areas of Concern, including reduction of toxic substances (through pollution prevention or other means) in the most polluted areas in the Great Lakes;2.Invasive Species, including efforts to institute a “zero tolerance policy” toward new invasions;3.Nearshore Health and Nonpoint Source Pollution, including a targeted geographic focus on high priority watersheds and reducing polluted runoff from urban, suburban and agricultural sources; and4.Accountability, Education, Monitoring, Evaluation, Communication and Partnerships, including climate change resiliency and strategic partnerships through Lakewide Management Plans. 

Link to Full Announcement

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Request for Applications

DEP Environmental Education grants awarded

HARRISBURG -- The Department of Environmental Protection announced today it is awarding $642,835 in environmental education grants to 147 schools, universities, non-profit organizations and conservation districts across Pennsylvania.

“These grants help build the foundation for educating communities about their environmental resources and how to protect and sustainably use them,” 

Grant recipients will use the funding for various initiatives, including environmental field trips for students, implementing environmental education curriculum at schools, purchasing new recycling containers to reduce waste, developing workshops on how to build rain barrels and planting community gardens.The grant program was established by the Environmental Education Act of 1993, which mandates setting aside five percent of the pollution fines and penalties DEP collects annually for environmental education in Pennsylvania.

For more information on environmental education, visit www.dep.state.pa.us and click “Environmental Education,” or call 717-772-1828.

Among the local winners:

Clarion County
North Clarion County School District, $2,866
Clarion University of Pennsylvania, $3,750
North Central Region Math/Science Education Collaborative, $3,750 

Crawford County
Crawford County Conservation District , $5,283*
Allegheny College, $3,750 

Erie County
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, $3,619
Northwestern School District, $3,749 
Environment Erie, $3,750
Erie City School District, $6,745 *
Erie County Conservation District, $3,750
Millcreek School Foundation, $1,924  

Warren County  
Warren County Conservation District, $3,857 

Friends capacity building grants

[from Philanthropy News Digest] The National Environmental Education Foundation, with funding from Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc., offers Every Day Grants to build the capacity of nonprofit organizations (referred to as "friends groups") working to improve and promote responsible use of public land sites in the United States.

To be eligible, applicant organizations must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit or be working through an eligible fiscal agent; have been in existence for at least two years; be a community-based nonprofit whose mission is focused on serving a public land site in the U.S. and the improvement and responsible use of that site (this includes groups that serve more than one site, such as a regional group of parks); and have an established collaborative relationship with a local public land site (including federal, state, regional, county, city, or other local public land areas) for at least one year.

Successful applications will describe a needed and well-planned project that can be carried out by the applicant and is replicable; demonstrate that the project will contribute to the long-term sustainability of the organization; and demonstrate that the project will strengthen the organization's ability to serve the public land site.

Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded for capacity building expenses, including but not limited to strategic planning, marketing and communications, leadership capacity (board or executive),improved fundraising, assessments, and staff training.

This is the second of two rounds of twenty-five grants to be awarded in 2012. Applicants who met all requirements but were not awarded a grant in the first round will be considered again, along with new applicants, in the second round. Visit the NEEF Web site for complete program guidelines, an FAQ, and the online application process.

Contact: Link to Complete RFP

TogetherGreen

Deadline April 2, 2012

Applications for grants from the TogetherGreen Innovation Grants Program, adminstered by the National Audubon Society with support from Toyota Motor North America. Grants of up to $80,000 each will support creative projects that engage diverse communities to find solutions to environmental challenges. Who may apply: organizations classified as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code that are members of the Audubon network. Applicants must collaborate with at least one other organization.

Contact: TogetherGreen, NAS

E-mail: grants@togethergreen.org

Web site: http://www.togethergreen.org