Green neighborhood grants are now available through the the U.S. Green Building Council and the Bank of America Charitable Foundation.
The 2014 Affordable Green Neighborhoods Grant Program awards financial and educational resources to developers of affordable housing in North America that are committed to building sustainable communities through the LEED for Neighborhood Development program.
The $25,000 grants are made possible by an $850,000 grant from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation.
This year the program will make 14 awards. Applications will be accepted through July 11. Applicants for the program will be notified of their status in early September.
To be eligible, an applicant must be a 501c3 non-profit organizations or public agencies involved in the ownership, development, or financing of the project. A for-profit developer can apply if working with a non-profit or receiving funding from a local, state, or federal source. Projects must be in the United States or Canada and be registered for LEED 2009 for Neighborhood Development Project. They also ust meet or exceed certain affordability thresholds.
Applicants will receive preference if they also are:
- Redeveloping infill and previously developed sites
- Strengthening the surrounding neighborhoods
- Engaging stakeholders in the development process
- Offering green housing for a range of income levels
This is the third round of funding the Bank of America Charitable Foundation has provided for the Affordable Green Neighborhoods Grant Program. The 2014 program has grown to include support for additional projects, in-person technical assistance visits and an expanded focus to include Canadian projects.
Through the previous cycles of the grant program in 2012 and 2010, USGBC has provided assistance to 20 affordable housing redevelopment projects across the country, representing the creation of 8,448 rental units and 2,391 for-sale units. All projects are being designed and built to the highest standards of environmental sustainability and indoor air quality, with the majority reserved for low-income residents.
Applications are available at www.usgbc.org/initiatives/grants/affordable-neighborhoods.
