Category Archives: Environmental

Hello Tomorrow Global Challenge

The Hello Tomorrow Global Challenge is an early stage deep tech startup competition. Applicants may submit in one of 11 track for the chance to win the €100,000 Grand Prize or €25,000 Second Prize. An additional €25,000 will be awarded to one Emerging Pioneer and customized prizes will be given in the different tracks in cooperation with corporate partners.

Applications are due by September 22, 2024. Eight hundred Deep Tech Pioneers will be announced on October 30 and have until November 15 to update their applications before finalist selection.

Eligibility

This challenge is open to startups that:

  • Are in early stage development, including before incorporation
  • Have developed/are developing new technology, a scientific discovery, or a complex engineering process
  • Have a proof of concept, prototype, solid scientific validation for their product, or are developing one
  • Have a team of at least 2 people
  • Are not a subsidiary or offshoot of another, existing company
  • Expect their product to be economically viable within 15 years
  • Have the potential to significantly impact their industry, society, or the environment in general

Tracks

https://builtin.com/robotics/microrobotics

Applicants may submit in any of the 11 tracks.

  • Aerospace
  • Advanced Computing & Electronics
  • Industry & Machines
  • Sustainable Construction & Infrastructure
  • Energy
  • Environment & Biodiversity
  • Food & Agriculture
  • Industrial Biotech & New Materials
  • Digital Health & Medical Devices 
  • Medical Biotech & Pharmaceuticals

Award

All 800 Deep Tech Pioneers will be invited to attend Investor Day in Paris on March 12, 2025 where they’ll be able to meet with over 300 venture capitalists and corporate venture capitalists.

Seven finalists per track plus an additional seven finalists for the Emerging Pioneers Prize will pitch their idea during the Global Summit in Paris on March 13 and 14, 2025. The Grand Prize, Second Place, and Emerging Pioneer Prize as well as the corporate prizes will be chosen from these presentations.

The Oak Foundation

The Oak Foundation is committed to the fight for social justice, environmental protection, and a safer more sustainable world. They fund programs in eleven different focus areas, all addressing difficult global, social, or environmental issues.

Although they are headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the Oak Foundation has a presence in Denmark, India, the United Kingdom, the United States and Zimbabwe. Each year they make over 300 grants in 40 countries, averaging $600,000 each.

Grantees are typically invited to apply, but any nonprofit organization that believes their work aligns with the Foundation’s funding priorities can submit a Letter of Inquiry. After review, an invitation to submit a concept note and/or full application may be extended.

Programs

Composting and Food Waste Reduction Cooperative Agreements

Composting and Food Waste Reduction Cooperative Agreements from the U.S. Department of Agriculture are available for an estimated $75,000 – $400,000. Projects must be 2 years long and based on a start date of January 31, 2025.

Applications are due by September 4, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET. A 25% match of nonfederal money is required; this may be provided in cash, services, materials, equipment, or in kind donations.

Eligibility

Photo by Sippakorn Yamkasikorn: https://www.pexels.com/photo/earthworms-on-a-persons-hand-3696170/

This funding opportunity is open to:

  • Local governments
  • Special district governments (soil and water conservation districts, regional planning districts, landfill districts, etc.)
  • Native American tribal governments
  • School districts
  • Tribal organizations

Program Goals

Food Waste Reduction Goals

  • Reduce municipal food waste
  • Divert residential and commercial food waste from landfills

Composting and Conservation Goals

  • Create compost
  • Increase agricultural producers’ access to compost
  • Limit the use of chemical fertilizer by reducing reliance on it
  • Improve soil quality
  • Encourage waste management and permaculture business development.
  • Increase rainwater capture, infiltration, or absorption

Program Priorities

Photo by Eva Bronzini: https://www.pexels.com/photo/vegetables-on-the-soil-5503338/

Priority consideration will be given to projects that include:

  • Ways to address environmental justice, racial equity, climate change, investment in underserved communities, and sustainable agricultural practices
  • Integration of food waste reduction strategies that take the EPA’s Wasted Food Scale into consideration
  • Expected economic benefits for the community
  • Plans to make compost easily available to community gardeners, school gardens, and other producers
  • Collaboration with multiple partners
  • Plans for monitoring and evaluating lessons learned throughout the project

Allowable Expenses

Funds may be use for:

  • Salaries and wages for employees of the applicant organization
  • Fringe benefits for the above employees
  • Travel 
  • Equipment 
  • Supplies
  • Consultants and contractors
  • Construction 

Applicants should use their negotiated indirect cost rate or the 10 percent de minimis cost rate.

Clif Family Foundation Small Grant

Gary Erickson and Kit Crawford founded the Clif Family Foundation in 2006 to leave a better world for their children and, now, grandchildren. They offer grants to small-to-midsize grassroots nonprofits who share that vision.

Applications for operational support are reviewed three times annually; deadlines are March 1 and August 1. Awards are typically $5,000 – $25,000.

Eligibility

This grant is open to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations in the United States.

Funding Priorities

Strengthen Our Food System

  • Increase organic and other climate-friendly agricultural methods
  • Connect families with local farmers and sellers
  • Establish opportunities for the next generation of farmers
  • Make access to fresh, healthy food more equitable
  • Remove obstacles for BIPOC farmers

Enhance Equitable Community Health Outcomes

  • Eliminate exposure to toxic chemicals
  • Advance access to clean water
  • Increase access to nature and outdoor recreation
  • Expand walking and biking access
  • Improve workers’ standard of living, wages, and working conditions

Safeguard Our Environment and Natural Resources

Image by Roy Buri 
  • Further work on climate change
  • Promote renewable energy and green jobs
  • Break the resource waste cycle
  • Conserve water for long term, equitable access
  • Expand environmental justice
  • Preserve watersheds, open spaces, and wild places

Priority Consideration

Priority consideration will be given to applicants that:

  • Address two or more of the above funding priorities
  • Demonstrate strong community ties
  • Have a clearly defined and viable plan to make positive change

Restrictions

The Clif Family Foundation does not fund:

  • Individuals
  • Government agencies
  • Religious organizations
  • Capital construction
  • Endowments
  • Fundraisers
  • Media projects
  • Deficit funding

Wildlife Acoustics Scientific Product Grant

Wildlife Acoustics offers eligible products from their bioacoustic research tools through the Scientific Product Grant. Applicants may request up to $4,000 in products and software.

Applications are reviewed on a quarterly basis and up to $12,000 in products dispersed per quarter. Applicants may also submit a request for only a Kaleidoscope Pro software license of which an unlimited number are available each quarter. Submissions are due by August 15, 2024 or November 15, 2024.

Eligibility

This grant is open to applicants associated with nonprofit, nongovernmental, charitable, and educational organizations.

Products cannot be shipped to Belarus, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Sudan, and Syria or anyone who will take products to those countries.

Application Requirements

All applications must include:

  • A description of how the project will advance scientific knowledge and contribute to long-term conservation
  • An explanation of how the grant will significantly contribute to the success of the project
  • A detailed description of expected outcomes and how they will be evaluated
  • A plan to begin the project within one year of the award
  • A letter of recommendation
  • A copy of the organization’s certificate/tax exemption letter showing tax-exempt and charitable or educational status

Eligible Equipment

Not all Wildlife Acoustics products are eligible for this grant. Applicants may request:

Shipping costs will be covered by Wildlife Acoustics, but grantees are responsible for any applicable broker fees, duties, or taxes.

JustPax Fund

The JustPax Fund supports projects that are establishing new paradigms for Economic, Environmental, and Gender Justice. In 2024, they expect to award up to $500,000 in grant funds.

Awards have typically been up to $25,000 for single year projects. Higher amounts and longer time periods are possible for extraordinary projects. Applications are due by August 1, 2024 at 5:00 PM ET.

Eligibility

This grant is open to:

  • Tax exempt organizations based in the United States
  • Individuals associated with a US-based tax exempt organization
  • Non-exempt organizations associated with a US-based tax exempt organization
  • International organizations associated with a US-based tax exempt organization

Anyone, regardless of profession, academic field, or organization type, who is passionate about pursuing justice is encouraged to apply. However, funding cannot be transferred directly to individuals or organizations without tax exempt status from the IRS

Funding Limitations

Applications for the following expense types are discouraged:

  • Salaries or institutional benefits
  • Operating costs for established programs
  • Tuition assistance
  • Endowments
  • Development campaigns

Requirements

All submitted projects must be:

  • Novel and Innovative – Submitted programs must use unique and creative methods to address the issues of economic, environment, and gender justice.
  • Interdisciplinary and Action Oriented – Inclusion of diverse voices is key and plans to involve them should be outlined in the application. Projects are also urged to include actionable strategies that produce measurable results.
  • Endorsed by at least two letters of support from partner organizations.

Evaluation Criteria

All applications will be assessed based on:

  • Breadth – Potential to create interest in the topic among a wider audience.
  • The Multiplier Effect – Degree of ability to leverage additional resources to sustain the project, while taking into account negative and positive impacts.
  • Relevance – How pertinent the project is to the issues of economic, environmental, and gender justice and how novel its methodology is.
  • Dedication – Applicant’s personal interest in and commitment to the issue as demonstrated by past activities and long term intentions.
  • Stewardship and Impact of Investment – How effectively the proposal would use the requested funds.

The Workers Lab Innovation Fund

The Innovation Fund is a five month virtual fellowship sponsored by The Workers Lab. Participants engage in 12-15 hours of coaching and training per month for which they receive a stipend.

Applications are due by July 15, 2024 at 11:59 PM PT for a fellowship from October 2024 – March 2025. Three final winners will be announced in April 2025; they will receive up to $200,000 and a full year mentorship.

Eligibility

This fellowship is open to individuals and organizations in the United States with a valid United States Tax ID or social security number. This includes:

  • For profit companies
  • Social enterprises
  • Cooperatives
  • Nonprofit organizations
  • Unions and government-aligned entities
  • Individual entrepreneurs

Topic Areas

The Innovation Fund is focused on two topic areas for 2024.

Climate Justice is Workers’ Justice

Projects under this topic should concentrate on addressing climate change and/or environmental justice while also attending to workers’ rights. These project should:

  • Bolster the transition to a green economy through high quality work
  • Modernize industries on the frontlines of climate change
  • Address the needs of workers most impacted by climate change

Worker-Centered Gen AI Solutions

Projects under this topic should apply artificial intelligence to improve working conditions and create new opportunities for workers. These projects should:

  • Empower workers
  • Make economic stability more equitable
  • Promote worker health and safety

Allowable Expenses

Grant funding is fairly flexible so long as funds are going toward the proposed project. Up to 15% of grant funds may be used for indirect costs.

Glass Recycling Foundation

The Glass Recycling Foundation supports projects that divert glass from landfills and recycle it into its highest and best use. Grants are available for Demonstration Projects and Education Projects.

Applications for up to $30,000 are due by July 10, 2024 at 5:00 PM CT. Preference will be given to projects with at least 25% in matching funds and those that require grant funding for 50% or less of their expenses.

Eligibility

This grant is open to:

  • Nonprofit entities 
  • Municipal, county, city, and state governments 
  • Public waste management districts 
  • Publicly owned/operated materials recovery facilities or service providers

Project Types

Demonstration

Demonstration projects fill gaps in the recycling supply chain and strengthen glass end markets. Potential projects include:

  • Equipment for cleaning glass
  • Collection containers
  • Establishing collection and storage infrastructure
  • Hauling systems

Education

Education projects inform the public about the benefits of glass recycling. Potential projects include:

  • Trainings on more effective glass collection
  • Signage for residential dropoff sites
  • Public education campaign
  • Literature on best management practices

The International Foundation

The International Foundation supports U.S. based organizations working with communitities in Africa, Latin American & the Caribbean, and South & Southeast Asia. Their focus areas are Agriculture, Education, Environment, and Health.

Letters of Inquiry are due by June 30, 2024. If invited, applications for up to $50,000 will be due by October 31, 2024.

Eligibility

This grant is open to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations headquarted in the U.S., but working with communitities in Africa, Latin American & the Caribbean, and South & Southeast Asia.

Focus Areas

Applicants may submit requests for one or more focus area.

  • Agriculture – Projects should focus on helping smallholder farms in countries impacted by population growth and climate change.
  • Education – Projects may provide formal or informal educational services to rural and underserved populations, especially women and girls.
  • Environment – Projects may address a range of environmental issues including climate change, air and water pollution, soil degradation, and deforestation.
  • Health – Projects may extend healthcare services into rural areas, provide maternal and child healthcare, and/or provide health education on topics such as hygiene and family planning.

Funding Limitations

Grant funds may not be:

  • Tutition and scholarships
  • Emergency or disaster relief
  • Films, exhibits, books, or radio programs
  • Endowments or capital/building campaigns
  • Biomedical research projects

The DanPaul Foundation

The DanPaul Foundation was founded by Libby Moore Cornett in memory of her sons Daniel and Paul who drowned along with their father, Mike Cornett, and cousin Bobby Lee Heard when their sailboat foundered in December 1997.

The Foundation’s mission is based on a song lyric by Mike Cornett, “Teach them how to use the tools they’ll need in life.” Through their grants, they improve the lives of children by fighting abuse and neglect, promoting enrichment and growth, and encouraging them to care for the world around them.

Nonprofit organizations can Contact the Foundation at any time to express their interest in applying for a grant. Awards range from a few hundred dollars to $15,000 per year.

Eligibility

This grant is open to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations in the United States. The organization’s activities may, however, take place anywhere in the world.

Program Areas

  • Workshops, conferences, and seminars – educational opportunities on early childhood development for teachers and parents
  • Student scholarships – financial assistance for students attending post-secondary education institutions
  • Scientific endeavors – science-based projects that hope to improve quality of life for everyone
  • Clean air and water – teaching youth about their responsibility for the environment and the issues facing the Earth’s air and water
  • Child advocacy – protecting children from abuse and neglect through education and assistance
  • Homelessness – encouraging youth to care for the homeless and underprivileged
  • Poverty and neglect – helping those in need and educating youth on their responsibility to care for their fellow humans
  • Refugee enrichment – helping refugee youth adapt to their new homes through education and enrichment