Today, the City of Cincinnati’s Office of Environment and Sustainability (OES), is proud to announce the launch of this year’s Green Cincinnati Plan (GCP) Seeds of Change Grant Program. OES is eager to continue to activate the 2023 Green Cincinnati Plan by investing at least $300,000 this year in dynamic, neighborhood-level solutions to the climate crisis.

“The Seeds of Change program is an investment in community-led climate solutions,” said Oliver Kroner, Director, OES. “The passion and innovation we have seen from the community in the first year of the program is genuinely inspiring. Heading into the second year, we want to build on that momentum.” In 2024, 69 projects received funding. Funded projects helped address real-world challenges like extreme heat, food access, erosion, and stormwater runoff. Collectively, these projects have helped the City achieve nearly 40% reduction in carbon emissions, marching toward the Green Cincinnati goal of 100% carbon neutrality by 2050. 

See below for 2025 deadlines:

• NOW: Applications for Youth Climate Action grants from $1,000-$5,000 are due February 28. At least 17 grants will be awarded for youth-led or youth-impacted projects.
• COMING SOON: Applications for Open Call grants from $1,000-$20,000 are due April 30 or October 30. At least 15 grants will be awarded.

To apply, visit the OES website.

View a summary of the inaugural 2024 grants here.

 

About the Green Cincinnati Plan Seeds of Change Grant Program

The Green Cincinnati Plan Seeds of Change Grant Program is an initiative led by the City of Cincinnati’s Office of Environment and Sustainability in partnership with the Green Cincinnati Fund of Greater Cincinnati Foundation. OES thanks Bloomberg Philanthropies' Youth Climate Action Fund for providing funding for youth grants in Cincinnati. GCP Seeds of Change aims to help communities take steps toward a more sustainable and equitable future. The program encourages residents and partners to initiate projects that prioritize the environment and resiliency in Cincinnati. The focus is on supporting resident-driven solutions that help those most affected by climate change in the city and bringing the Green Cincinnati Plan to life in new ways.

 

About OES

The Office of Environment and Sustainability (OES) leads city government and the broader community in building a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient Cincinnati. To meet this mission, OES leads, facilitates, and supports efforts to forward the goals of the Green Cincinnati Plan, our community’s blueprint to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.

 

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