Environmental charity, Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, has announced that community groups which have signed up for its Carbon Literacy training programmes may also be eligible to apply for the new Climate Change Challenge Fund.
This is an environmental grant worth up to £5000, financed by the UK government through the UK Community Renewal Fund.
The charity is encouraging groups including schools, community organisations and youth organisations across Northern Ireland to use both the training and grant assistance to transform their response to the climate emergency.
Applications are particularly welcome from groups who have completed carbon literacy training.
The fund will support a range of activities, from the development of climate action plans to the development of pilot projects to reduce carbon footprint. Applications will close on April 8, 2022.
Carbon Literacy programmes, funded by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and delivered by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, aim to equip teachers, community leaders and youth leaders with knowledge, understanding and skills with which to tackle the climate emergency at local level.
The Carbon Literacy training programmes are tailored to the needs and interests of groups and will be delivered in a variety of settings to make it as easy as possible for groups to get involved.
Environment Minister, Edwin Poots, commented:
“Our hope is that the Carbon Literacy programmes will educate our young people and community groups with the knowledge that they need to help mitigate the threat of climate change by adjusting their day-to-day behaviour.
“The initiative, funded by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, and delivered by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, is designed to empower us all to make better choices for our environment.”