Sustainability, Energy and Climate Change Grants is a grant from The George Gund Foundation that funds nonprofit organizations addressing sustainability, energy, and climate change challenges in the United States, with a focus on the Great Lakes region. The foundation invites applicants to demonstrate how their work aligns with its core beliefs around ecological resilience, clean energy transition, and equitable environmental outcomes.

Applications require a discussion of how the organization addresses these central challenges, including both programmatic work and internal operations. Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations. Grant amounts vary.

Resources for Applicants – The George Gund Foundation Treecover , Alliance for The Great Lakes, Cleveland Metroparks Grants Overview Grant Guidelines Application Deadlines Awarded Grants Resources for Applicants Post-Award Information Apply for a Grant As part of each application, we invite potential partners to provide insight into how they are addressing one or more of the three issues we ask that you briefly discuss what your organization has thought and done regarding the three central challenges discussed in the Foundation’s statement of What We Believe .

The What We Believe narrative in the application can be short, bullet pointed, and can address your programmatic work or internal operations. Below are a few sources of information and resources to help you consider these issues. Climate change and environmental degradation Climate change can feel overwhelming and can seem like an issue that only the world’s governments can tackle.

In fact, everyone can help reduce the greenhouse gases causing climate change. The most important actions individuals and organizations can take to advance climate change policy are protecting and exercising active citizenship and democracy. Please see the resources under Threats to democracy .

In addition, we have assembled a list of specific actions that you can consider. Ways You Can Help Curb Climate Change Turn on power-save modes on equipment and appliances Turn off equipment during nights and weekends. Attach computers, copy machines, microwaves etc. to power strips for ease in turning them off at the end of the day.

(Even when not in use, appliances use electricity.

According to Co-op America, turning computers and copiers off after work can cut energy usage up to 75 percent) Install an automated thermostat and/or set temperatures so that it will be comfortable during the day and will use less energy during nights and weekends Close the blinds at windows that receive direct sunlight after work and on weekends to prevent excess heating in the summertime Use a ceiling fan or other fan in the summer.

Fans use 98 percent less energy than A/C and make you feel up to 6 degrees cooler Ensure radiators and heaters are not blocked by furniture Add weather stripping to all doors and windows Use energy-efficient LED bulbs Use thin fluorescent tubes (T8) which use less energy but have the same output as T12 tubes Turn off lights when exiting rooms or install motion sensors Schedule an energy audit though your local power company Buy rechargeable batteries and a charger Look for EPA Energy Star certified options when purchasing new equipment or appliances Bike, walk, take public transportation or carpool to work https://www.

bikecleveland. org/ ; https://gohiocommute. com/#/ ; http://www.

riderta. com/ Use bikeshare http://uhbikes. com/ Subsidize the use of public transportation for employees Install bike racks outside your office Purchase hybrid or electric vehicles Use videoconferencing and conference calls instead of travel when possible Purchase chlorine-free, high post-consumer waste recycled paper.

Use email for internal distribution in place of hard copies Keep mailing lists up-to-date and avoid duplicates Edit documents on-screen as much as possible to avoid printing multiple drafts Conserve paper by printing and copying double-sided Use the reduction feature on a copier to fit more on a page Print using lowest quality print setting when appropriate to conserve ink and cartridges Use postcards for mailings when possible and use the smallest size envelope required When appropriate, stock fax machines, copiers and printers with scrap documents to make use of both sides of office paper Use reusable inter-office envelopes Cancel junk mail and notify senders if you are receiving more copies of a mailer than you require.

Work with printers who use responsible inks and papers Keep washable plates, mugs, glasses and silverware in the kitchen and avoid disposables Purchase recycled and non-chlorine bleached paper towels and napkins Hang hand towels in the kitchen and bathroom, and use cloth napkins in place of paper ones Establish a system for washing cloth items Bring lunches in reusable rather than disposable containers Provide a dish washing area to support the use of reusable dishes Bring your own bags when shopping Frequent restaurants that purchase local foods Office Supplies, Products and Furniture Have a “used goods area” within the office and include binders, folders, padded envelopes, cardboard boxes, disks, etc. Use these before purchasing new supplies Purchase and use products that are recycled and recyclable Purchase unbleached or chlorine-free, high post-consumer waste recycled paper products, including binders, envelopes and toilet paper Purchase Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper Consider products with minimum packaging and purchase in bulk Use refillable pens and tape dispensers instead of disposable ones If replacing your carpet, look for non-toxic recyclable carpeting Purchase products from local suppliers to avoid long-distance shipping and packaging and from suppliers committed to environmental issues Purchase used items from thrift stores when possible Recycling and Proper Disposal Set up a comprehensive office recycling program for paper, cardboard, glass, metals and plastics and clearly label all recycling bins Recycle toner cartridges through manufacturers Collect and recycle batteries, especially rechargeable batteries.

Donate or sell old cell phones for reuse Recycle packing peanuts. Call 800-828-2214 to find the nearest drop off location Donate equipment and furniture to a resale store such as the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, the Salvation Army or the Greater Cleveland Furniture Bank Audit your paper use by comparing your present and past paper usage.

Set new paper reduction goals after each audit Support environmentally responsible hotels and meeting spaces Ensure that meetings and trainings are held at locations served by public transportation, and include train or bus directions on the invitation Buy locally grown food and support caterers who do Avoid disposable dishes or box lunches when possible Label foods at events if they are local In evaluations of meetings and events, ask how the event could reduce its carbon footprint in the future A carbon offset is a way to negate the carbon emissions of your activities by funding a project that removes carbon from the atmosphere or results in the avoidance of emissions that would have otherwise occurred.

Offsets typically go to fund renewable energy or energy efficiency projects that wouldn’t have been feasible otherwise. The Cleveland Climate Action Fund offers a way to purchase offsets that fund local projects in the Cleveland area.

Entrenched and accelerating inequality, especially racial inequality Intentional learning about racial equity issues is usually an essential step for individuals and organizations trying to understand their nature and depth. ThirdSpace Action Lab offers racial equity awareness training.

These intensive introductions to historic, institutional and systemic racism challenge assumptions that often are deeply held and they reveal with sobering clarity the devastating impact of persistent racial inequality. Training is offered in half-day and two-day sessions. More information can be found here .

Equity in the Center works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems within the social sector to increase race equity. The Awake to Woke to Work: Building a Race Equity Culture publication is designed to serve as a reference as organizations build and expand internal and external capacity to advance race equity. Nonprofit organizations should not shy away from engaging in the democratic process.

Doing so is more than a civic obligation; it amplifies their voices and their impact. Nonprofit VOTE is the largest source of nonpartisan resources that help nonprofits integrate voter engagement into their ongoing activities and services. The organization’s voter engagement resource library provides helpful tools, guides and checklists for nonprofits looking to participate in democracy building efforts.

Democracy is more than elections and voting. Active citizenship in many forms is essential to robust democracy, and it is especially vital that all voices in a community are heard. Nonprofit organizations are themselves often avenues of civic engagement .

As they seek to fulfill that role, they should think about how they can strengthen the ability of all people to influence decisions affecting their lives. The Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity’s Principles for Equitable and Inclusive Civic Engagement framework describes essential elements of effective civic engagement, particularly in communities dealing with the adverse effects of poverty and disenfranchisement.

It shows that civic engagement work is most effective by understanding the larger cultural, political, and socioeconomic context—both historical and current—in a community and embracing diversity as strength. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Why is the Foundation requesting this information from us?

The Foundation wants to build awareness of key challenges in our community and help our grantees understand that they must play a role in addressing this critical issue. What is the Gund Foundation doing about climate change? The Foundation has for many years promoted awareness of global climate change and actively supported measures to combat it through its grantmaking.

This has included not only grants in our environment program but also grants in other program areas that strengthen the urban core and support public policies to fight sprawl and rebuild cities. We have also made some changes in our office operations.

We completed an energy audit, and due to recommendations from that study have switched from incandescent to energy-efficient lighting, installed timers on lights in certain areas and started recycling paper, glass and cans. We also used recyclable carpets and nontoxic paints in our last office renovation.

We use recycled paper for our work, purchase “green” office products whenever possible and set our printers to automatically print on both sides. The Foundation also provides employees with subsidized transit passes to encourage the use of public transportation. We recognize that, like everyone else, we can always do more to combat climate change.

As such, we will continue to set ambitious goals and strive diligently to meet, if not exceed, them. What type of information should we include in our grant application? Tell us in a simple one-page statement what your organization is doing or thinking about doing regarding one or more of the issues articulated in the Foundation’s What We Believe statement: climate change, inequity in our community, or weakened democracy.

This can refer to both your programs and/or your office operations. How does The Gund Foundation intend to use the information it collects? We will use the information to help others understand how our grantee partners are addressing these issues of interest.

Will our grant application be looked upon more favorably if our organization is addressing climate change in its practices or will we be denied a grant if our organization is not doing anything to curb climate change? At this time we are primarily interested in raising awareness about these urgent issues and learning what our grantees are doing to address them.

In the future, an organization’s narratives here may become a factor in our grantmaking process. Climate and Environmental Justice Alaska Conservation Foundation – Operating support. – $50,000 over 2 years Alliance for the Great Lakes – Operating support.

– $200,000 over 2 years Economic Growth Foundation – Sustainability initiative. – $75,000 Electrification Coalition Foundation – Operating support. – $25,000 Energy Foundation – Ohio Key States Program.

– $1,950,000 over 3 years Environmental Law & Policy Center of the Midwest – Ohio office operating support. – $150,000 over 2 years Minneapolis Foundation – RE-AMP operating support. – $70,000 over 2 years Ohio Citizen Action Education Fund – Operating support.

– $300,000 over 3 years Ohio Environmental Council – Operating support. – $1,320,000 over 3 years Rails to Trails Conservancy – TrailNation Summit Cleveland 2025. – $15,000 Creative Culture and Arts 10K Movement – Operating support and Lords of the Land.

– $55,000 over 2 years Artists Archives of the Western Reserve – Operating support. – $55,000 over 2 years Arts Commission of Greater Toledo Inc. – Civic Imagination. – $10,000 Assembly for the Arts – Operating support.

– $200,000 Assembly for the Arts – Cuyahoga County Arts and Culture public funding models research. – $50,000 BorderLight International Festival of Theatre Cleveland Inc. – Operating support. – $160,000 over 2 years CityMusic Cleveland – Operating support.

– $15,000 CityMusic Cleveland – Operating support – $20,000 Cleveland Arts Prize – Operating support. – $25,000 Cleveland Chamber Symphony Council Inc. – Operating support. – $10,000 Cleveland Music School Settlement – CMHA Lakeview Terrace.

– $15,000 Collective Arts Network – Operating support. – $30,000 The Contemporary Youth Orchestra – Operating support. – $50,000 over 2 years convergence-continuum – Operating support.

– $15,000 Ensemble Theatre of Cleveland – 2025 Colombi New Plays Festival. – $5,000 Karamu House – Operating support. – $100,000 Modern Warrior Live – EXPERIENCE: Work & Reentry.

– $20,000 Museum of Creative Human Art – Blaack Arts Showcase educational programs and 4th Annual Blaack Arts Showcase. – $2,500 The Musical Theater Project – Legendary Black Singers—Great Broadway Songs. – $10,000 Ohio Citizens Committee for the Arts Foundation – Advocacy Leadership Institute.

– $45,000 over 3 years Refresh Collective – Into Strategic Action: Phase 1b. – $20,000 Seat of the Pants Ensemble – The First Snow of Summer. – $10,000 The Sparrow’s Fortune – Capacity building.

– $10,000 Talespinner Children’s Theatre Inc. – Operating support. – $60,000 over 2 years Trolley Tours & Democracy Chats. LEAD Ohio Foundation, $450,000 over 3 years Urban Justice Center, $300,000 United for Freedoms Legal Defense Fund.

Alaska Conservation Foundation Alliance for the Great Lakes Economic Growth Foundation Sustainability initiative. Economic Justice and Community Power Burten, Bell, Carr Development, Inc. – Executive In Residence. – $75,000 Case Western Reserve University – Executive Leadership Development Experience.

– $70,000 Cleveland Neighborhood Progress – Operating support. – $750,000 DigitalC – Operating support. – $200,000 over 2 years Enterprise Community Partners Inc. – State and local policy advocacy for equitable and affordable housing.

– $150,000 over 2 years Enterprise Community Partners Inc. – She’s Rising program. – $25,000 Fund for Our Economic Future – Operating support. – $300,000 over 3 years Fund for Our Economic Future – Cuyahoga County Workforce Funders Group Phase III (2025-2027).

– $250,000 over 3 years The Funders Network Inc. – Operating support. – $100,000 over 2 years Global Cleveland – Operating support. – $220,000 over 2 years HFLA of Northeast Ohio – Operating support.

– $100,000 Hispanic Business Center – Operating support and launch of CentroVilla25. – $1,200,000 over 3 years Neighborhood Leadership Institute – Operating support. – $300,000 over 3 years Organize Ohio Inc. – Operating support.

– $100,000 over 2 years PolicyBridge – Urban Agenda Collective Impact Project. – $225,000 over 2 years Smart Development Inc. – Operating support. – $350,000 over 2 years United Black Fund of Greater Cleveland Inc. – Soul of Philanthropy Cleveland.

– $20,000 United Black Fund of Greater Cleveland Inc. – Visiting Scholars Program. – $75,000 United Way of Greater Cleveland – Universal Basic Employment (UBE) pilot. – $100,000 over 2 years Western Reserve Land Conservancy – Thriving Communities program.

– $50,000 City of Cleveland – Junior Mayor’s Association – $5,000 City Year Inc. – City Year Cleveland. – $60,000 College Now Greater Cleveland Inc. – Scholarship fund for Cleveland Metropolitan School District students. – $1,000,000 College Now Greater Cleveland Inc. – Operating support.

– $100,000 College Now Greater Cleveland Inc. – College access advising services, scholarships, and retention services for Cleveland Metropolitan School District students. – $400,000 Educational Service Center of Cuyahoga County – PRE4CLE operating support. – $350,000 Facing History and Ourselves Inc. – Cleveland program operating support.

– $25,000 Youth Opportunities Unlimited – Operating support. – $300,000 over 2 years Youth Opportunities Unlimited – PACE Implementation in CMSD Schools. – $500,000 over 2 years Alliance for Justice – Bolder Advocacy initiative.

– $150,000 over 2 years As You Sow – Operating support. – $80,000 over 2 years Association of Black Foundation Executives – Membership dues. – $25,000 over 2 years Business Volunteers Unlimited – Operating support.

– $20,000 Center for Effective Philanthropy Inc. – Operating support. – $20,000 over 2 years Ceres, Inc. – Membership dues. – $1,225 Cleveland VOTES – Trolley Tours & Democracy Chats.

– $10,000 Council on Foundations Inc. – Operating support. – $19,000 Foundation Fighting Blindness Inc. – VisionWalk. – $5,000 Independent Sector – Operating support.

– $15,000 LEAD Ohio Foundation – Operating support. – $450,000 over 3 years Mission Investors Exchange Inc. – Operating support. – $30,000 over 2 years National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy – Operating support.

– $20,000 over 2 years PEAK Grantmaking – Membership dues. – $5,000 over 2 years Philanthropy Ohio – Operating support. – $75,000 United Philanthropy Forum – Operating support.

– $10,000 Urban Justice Center – United for Freedoms Legal Defense Fund. – $300,000 Thriving Families and Social Justice A Place 4 Me Collaborative – Operating support. – $120,000 over 2 years Abortion Forward Alliance – Operating support.

– $100,000 Adoption Network Cleveland – Operating support. – $300,000 over 3 years Birthing Beautiful Communities – Operating support. – $300,000 over 2 years Business Volunteers Unlimited – Homeless Stand Down.

– $10,000 Case Western Reserve University – The Partnership for Evaluation, Research, & Implementation (PERI). – $180,000 over 2 years Center on Budget and Policy Priorities – Operating support. – $525,000 over 3 years Child Care Resource Center of Cuyahoga County – Art of Me for Students in Cleveland and Inner-Ring Suburbs.

– $100,000 over 2 years City of Shaker Heights – First CALL Program. – $300,000 over 2 years Cleveland Rape Crisis Center – Operating support. – $40,000 Collaborate Cleveland – Operating support.

– $100,000 County of Cuyahoga – Justice and Health Equity Officer position. – $300,000 Equality Ohio Education Fund – Operating support. – $230,000 over 2 years Groundwork Ohio Organization – Operating support.

– $450,000 over 3 years LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland – Operating support. – $230,000 over 2 years Near West Side Multi Service Corporation – Operating support. – $100,000 Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless – Weather-related emergency shelter support.

– $10,000 Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence – Operating support. – $75,000 over 2 years Ohio Association of Foodbanks – Operating support. – $375,000 over 3 years Ohio Immigrant Alliance – Operating support.

– $50,000 Policy Matters Ohio – Criminal Legal System Policy and Advocacy. – $140,000 over 2 years Towards Employment Incorporated – Policy and Advocacy. – $150,000 over 2 years Universal Health Care Action Network of Ohio Inc. – Operating support.

– $30,000 West Side Community House – Operating support. – $38,500 YWCA of Cleveland Ohio – Operating support. – $120,000 over 2 years