Thanks for applying for a 2013 Change by Us mini-grant! The application period of the process is now closed, and your submitted applications will be evaluated by the CBU team and grant committee. Applicants will be notified of grant decisions later this month. Thanks again for participating—we can’t wait to learn more about all the fantastic projects that have applied.
To check out (and join!) some of these new initiatives, visit the Featured Projects section on our homepage.
There’s still time to apply for our mini-grant! Applications are due next Tuesday, April 30. Click here to apply today.
To complete a 2013 CBU Mini-Grant Application, you need a healthy food project. Below is a step by step guide on how to get started and list your project on CBU.
Change by Us: How To Start A Project from Change by Us on Vimeo.
Need a few good volunteers to join your project? In order to be eligible for our mini-grant, your project needs at least 5 members, and this tutorial is designed to help you achieve just that. Watch the video below to learn about promoting your project on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms in order to get as many interested people involved as you possibly can!
Change by Us: Promoting a Project from Change by Us on Vimeo.
Good luck!
Happy Earth Day! Since 1970, millions of people around the world have marked April 22 by taking action to promote a clean environment and to raise awareness about the impact of global climate change. Here’s how Change by Us members’ commitment to green gardens, local sustainable food, trees, composting, and other earth-friendly activities helps to address the problem of carbon dioxide emissions while making our city more livable:
->Every tree planted in our city can remove 26 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually, the equivalent of 11,000 miles of car emissions. By capturing this carbon dioxide, urban trees also reduce building energy use and reduce carbon dioxide emissions from fossil-fuel based power plants. (Source: Million Trees NYC)
->Planting trees can cool buildings by several degrees and reduce the amount of energy normally spent on air conditioning. (Source: Environmental Protection Agency)
->Farmers markets not only gives us access to fresh, healthy produce—they also reduce our dependence on the fossil fuels and chemical fertilizers used to produce, process, package, and transport the majority of our food across thousands of miles. (Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, EPA)
->Every pound of waste you compost saves 2.5 pounds of CO2 emissions. By composting the 1,200 pounds of compostable waste each of us throws out annually, the average American would knock off 3,000 pounds of CO2 emissions each year. (Source: TLC)
These are just a few ways that our efforts on the neighborhood level are laying the foundations for a better global environment. For more info on Earth Day, please visit the official Earth Day website.
Improving your block’s tree-scape is only an application away—MillionTreesNYC is offering mini-grants of up to $1000 for grassroots tree care projects. This year, the initiative is offering two project options—street tree care and reforestation site care projects. To learn more and to access the online application form, please visit their Mini-Grants page. Have questions? Email stewards@milliontreesnyc.org.
Applications are due by May 1, 2013 – apply today and help transform neighborhoods across our city!
Looking for ways to bring more healthy food to your child’s school and the community? Grow to Learn NYC is accepting applications for mini-grants of $500 to $2,000 to start or enhance a school garden program at NYC public and charter schools.
To apply, schools must register the garden and submit the application at www.growtolearn.org by May 1, 2013. Need help with the application? Attend Grow to Learn’s grant-writing and garden planning workshops at 51 Chambers Street. RSVP at growtolearn@grownyc.org or online with the following links:
March 27 (10-12:30), RSVP HERE.
April 6 (10-12:30), RSVP HERE.
April 10 (4:30-7), RSVP HERE.
At Grow Our Grassroots this past Saturday, residents from the Bronx to Brooklyn discovered that creative ideas for improving our communities can come from anywhere in the five boroughs, with like-minded New Yorkers trading experiences and tips on everything from tree care to composting and healthy meals for our kids.
Great projects start with committed individuals, and this Brooklyn Borough Hall-hosted event allowed groups like 462 Halsey Community Garden and Unify and Beautify W. 150th Street to take it to the next level, discovering new organizing strategies and innovative ways to transform New York for the better. No matter their passions, attendees were able to find other New Yorkers who could help them achieve their goals for a greener and healthier city.
City agencies like NYC Parks, DEP, PlaNYC, and NYC Service also offered advice on how to access City resources and programs, and Change By Us spoke to attendees about mini-grants and social media. You can check out the social media presentation here.
And to see some of our favorite photos from the event (including one of GreeNYC’s Birdie presenting Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz with an award), visit our Tumblr!
Spring is finally here! March 20 marks the first day of the season, and more sun means more opportunities to get outside and help our city become a better place to live. Here are some of our suggestions for making springtime count:
1. Spend time in a community garden through the New York Botanical Garden’s Bronx Green-Up initiative or, if you’re in Brooklyn, the GreenBridge Community Garden Alliance. Some great volunteer opportunities are also available at the Queens Botanical Garden and the Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden on Staten Island.
2. Enjoy a late sunset while learning how to do your own outdoor composting.
3. Grow what you eat and eat what you grow by joining Just Food’s City Farms Program.
4. Find a service opportunity that gets you out into the fresh air.
5. Sunny walks through farmers markets aren’t just for the weekend—see which Greenmarkets are open after you get off of work.
These are only a few ways to take advantage of the longer, balmier days of spring and summer. Have a new idea for improving your community? Create a project on Change By Us!
Have an idea to help our city and need the funds to make it happen? Looking for resources to get a healthy food initiative off the ground in your community? New grants from Change by Us are now available for projects that support NYC Food goals around food access, awareness and sustainability.
Apply by April 30th and you could receive a grant of up to $2500 to start or expand a community garden, Adopt-a-Bodega, or any idea you have to make your neighborhood a healthier, happier place!
Click here to apply today.
Attention all urban greeners—registration is now open for the second annual Grow Our Grassroots Summit on Saturday, March 16! Sign up to join NYC Parks, DEP, PlaNYC, MillionTreesNYC, NYC Service and many more at this event connecting and empowering New Yorkers who transform their neighborhoods through tree care, composting, community gardening, and park stewardship.
Highlights on the day’s schedule include two Change By Us presentations:
NYC Mini-Grants 101: Grassroots Fundraising for Everyone
Learn about applying for funds to power your greening dreams, and hear from previous grantees!
Making Marketing and Social Media Work for You
Learn marketing, branding and social media skills.
Don’t miss this opportunity to network with fellow community members while learning and sharing new skills. For more info, please visit the Grow Our Grassroots website or follow the hashtag #GrowOurGrassroots.
Did you know that 40 percent of food grown in the United States doesn’t get consumed? Or that there are 6,000 edible weeds? Last Saturday, a diverse roster of advocates tackled a range of subjects at TEDxManhattan “Changing the Way We Eat,” engaging like-minded participants on sustainable practices in our food industry. This one-day summit featured speakers with various backgrounds in food and farming, from environmental advocates to a professional forager to White House Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses.
Many of you participated in person or online through the event’s full live streaming coverage; check out video highlights from the day here. TEDxManhattan will be back next year but you can continue the conversation through Facebook, Twitter, or by connecting with other project leaders on Change By Us.
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