CLER Competitive Project Fund

What is the CLER Competitive Project Fund?
Who is eligible to apply?
What are the eligibility criteria?
Are there any other considerations?
What are eligible and ineligible project costs?
What is the application process?
What is the selection process?

What is the CLER Competitive Project Fund?

The CLER Competitive Project Fund can provide funding of between $25,000 and $250,000 to support projects that will achieve high emissions reductions, have low cost per tonne of GHG emissions reduced, and will lever additional funding.

Who is eligible to apply?

Application to the CLER Competitive Project Fund is open to CLER program participants and their partners, including municipalities, community organizations or private enterprises.

What are the eligibility criteria?

General CLER Funding Criteria: To be eligible for all CLER project funding, projects or activities must:

• Reduce GHG emissions and quantify the reduction potential for the duration of the activity proposed
• Be included in a council- or board-approved climate change action plan completed with confirmed public input
• Demonstrate an ability to be launched within three months of approval
• Be completed and reported upon by January 31, 2012, or represent a distinct phase that can be implemented and reported upon by January 31, 2012
• Be implemented, at least partially, within the designated boundaries of a CLER municipality, planning district or neighbourhood
• Demonstrate a collective benefit. Projects or activities cannot solely benefit or contribute to individual or private gain.

Specific CLER Competitive Project Fund Criteria: To compete for funding to implement larger GHG emissions reduction projects under CLER's Competitive Project Fund, projects developed by CLER program participants and their community partners must meet the above general criteria and:

• Demonstrate high GHG emissions reduction potential
• Demonstrate low cost for every CLER dollar invested per tonne of GHG emissions reduced by the project overall
• Secure additional funding sources. The CLER Competitive Project Fund cannot be the sole source of funding for the proposed project. Support from the CLER Competitive Fund can be complemented by local contributions of cash, labour, materials, services and other in-kind support and contributions from other funding sources.

Are there any other considerations?

Other factors that will be taken into consideration in the CLER Competitive Project Fund application assessment include:

• Cost savings to the community or municipal corporation
• Additional quantifiable benefits, including: job creation; economic development opportunities; social, health and other environmental benefits
• Sustainability plan (if the project has ongoing operational costs or is to be implemented in phases)
• Demonstration of the capacity of the applying organization to carry out the proposed project
• Commitment and support of community partners

What are eligible and ineligible project costs?

Eligible project costs include:

• Purchasing of materials and supplies directly related to GHG emissions reduction
• Salaries/wages of employees or consultants required to implement the GHG emissions reduction project
• Requisite licenses, fees or inspections
• Combined total education/awareness activities, administration and reporting costs not exceeding 20% of total CLER Competitive Project Fund request

Ineligible project costs include:

• Purchase of equipment not related to GHG emissions reductions
• Expenses accrued prior to project approval
• Combined total education/awareness activities, administration and reporting costs over 20% of total CLER Competitive Project Fund request
• GST
• Debt financing
• Costs normally covered by another jurisdiction (e.g. municipal street signs are not eligible for a not-for-profit community organization project)

What is the application process?

All applicants must submit a completed CLER Competitive Project Fund application by email to a CLER project officer or by mail to:

    Manager, Community Led Emissions Reduction Program
    Programs and Policy Branch
    Department of Local Government
    604-800 Portage Avenue
    Winnipeg MB R3G 0N4
    Phone: 945-3908
    Fax: 945-5059

Receipt of all applications will be acknowledged by e-mail.

There will be two intake dates for the CLER Competitive Project Fund:

1. Friday, October 15, 2010
2. Monday, February 28, 2011

Proposals received after the first intake date will be reviewed in the second intake period.

Application forms for CLER program participants and their partners are available from CLER project officers. Applicants are encouraged to first consult a CLER project officer to confirm eligibility.

What is the selection process?

Applications will be screened by CLER staff to ensure essential eligibility criteria are met. Applications meeting the mandatory eligibility criteria will be reviewed, evaluated and scored by an internal review committee through a competitive process. Those receiving the highest scores will be awarded funding.

Please see the CLER Notional Project Fund page for more information on CLER funding.