One of the lovely responsibilities of the AEGN is to sit on the selection committee for the Small Grants Program at Climate Action Network Australia.
The Climate Action Network Australia (CANA) Small Grants Program is designed to resource CANA members to run high impact, low cost organising projects around climate action and solutions. It supports small projects that educate and organise new or diverse voices to advocate for a rapid transformation to net zero emissions, in accordance with principles of climate justice.
The Program is funded by the Robert Hicks Foundation and grants from $500 to $10,000 are available to individuals and organisations. Briar Stevens, of Equity Trustees, oversees the program on behalf of the Robert Hicks Foundation.
The recipients
The selection committee recently announced the successful recipients of the latest round (round 6). From a competitive field, projects were selected that: Organise diverse constituencies (such as regional, Indigenous, health professionals and coal communities); are in geographies where there is a current gap in the movement; are innovative or creative; and have a strong follow up plan. Eight small organisations succeeded in receiving grants for projects which will be undertaken in the coming 12 months:
- The Climate and Health Alliance will recruit and train health professionals in Western Australia as powerful climate advocates to secure policy commitments towards a net-zero future ahead of the upcoming Western Australian election
- Doctors for the Environment Australia will partner with the Change Agency to build the campaigning and organising capacity of members across Australia
- Environs Kimberley will work with Traditional Owners and other locals in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia to build support for community renewables projects
- Friends of Latrobe Water will organise community members in the coal region of the Latrobe Valley, Victoria, around the impact of the coal industry on local water resources
- Healthy Futures will bring together staff from Australian hospitals and other large health organisations to introduce them to the financial and environmental benefits of renewable energy Power Purchasing Agreements
- Cairns and Far North Environment Centre will train tourism operators, farmers and other locals to be community advocates for climate action in far north Queensland
- Arlene McInherny and other Birpai traditional owners will create the djagal yaangi food trail – educating locals about native plants, eating with seasons and food security and sovereignty in the context of a changing climate.
- The Community Power Agency willempower community energy groups to advocate for a significant National Community Energy Plan from the Federal Government.
These exciting and innovative projects organise new and diverse voices to advocate for a rapid transformation to net-zero emissions using the principles of climate justice. You can read about them in more detail in the table below.
The quality and diversity of applications was very high. The Committee received 27 applications seeking funds totalling over $156,408, although had only $50,000 to distribute. Preference was given to organisations that had less opportunity to raise funds for their work and those that had built on learnings from previous grants.
If you would like to read more about the program, you can visit the CANA website.
Overview of recipients from CANA
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