---Gatineau Green Fund open for submissions

With the return of its municipal Green Fund, Gatineau is inviting local non-profit organizations and public entities to submit ideas for projects aimed at benefitting or protecting the environment.  According to a press release issued by the city on October 1, this year’s Green Fund will boast a budget of $245,000 to support environmental projects across the territory and applications are admissible until November 6 before midnight.

Among other things, the Green Fund’s main objectives are to support the implementation of the city’s action plan on environmental regulation; to create collaborations with the community by using municipal resources; to recognize and highlight local environmental organizations and benefit from their success; and to benefit the city at large by favouring environmental protection. Noting that funding is only admissible to non-profit, public organizations and school boards, the city can approve a maximum of three projects per organization.

For projects worth $5,000 or less, the city can subsidize up to 75 per cent of the cost, and for projects worth more than $5,000 it can provide up to 50 per cent of the cost or up to $25,000. Highly encouraging local organizations to submit their plans for a greener Gatineau, Deschênes councillor Mike Duggan said he would be delighted to help applicants through the process. “I’ll give them counsel on how to approach it,” Duggan said.

The funding will be separated depending on the number of viable applications made, Duggan said, noting that, typically, approximately 30 projects get awarded. “If you ask for $20,000 and you’re successful, well that’s about 10 per cent of the total,” Duggan said. “You can’t have all of them like that. But the schools and community associations and groups like that will make applications that are in the $3,000 to $5,000 range. So, you can afford a lot of those.”

Duggan added that Aylmer isn’t a stranger to receiving the lion’s share of the Green Fund, thanks to its “mobilized citizenry”.  “It’s good for us,” Duggan said.

Those wanting to apply for the Green Fund or learn more information about it can do so via the city website or by calling 3-1-1.