The Green Municipal Fund (GMF) is a Canadian government funding program offered to support municipalities and their partners for improving air, water, and soil quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The program offers four streams of funding depending on the applicant’s approach to green issues, including grants for planning, feasibility studies, pilot projects, and repayable contributions for capital projects.
The next deadline to submit Green Municipal Fund: Capital Projects applications is March 1, 2019.
While the first three streams of green funding can be applied for year-round, applicants seeking funding for capital projects must apply during one of the program’s scheduled intake periods. Typically, there are one or two intakes per year and municipalities must submit a comprehensive application package to be considered. If you’re considering using GMF for Capital Projects funding, this article will help you understand if it’s a good fit and how to get started.
What is the Green Municipal Fund: Capital Projects Stream?
As opposed to other streams of the Green Municipal Fund (GMF), Capital Projects focuses on construction, replacement, retrofitting, expansion, or purchase and installation of fixed assets or infrastructure that leads to enhanced environmental outcomes. Remediation of brownfields (abandoned, vacant, derelict, or underutilized commercial, institutional, or industrial property) is also considered for funding.
Capital projects supported through the Green Municipal Fund can receive up to 80% of eligible project expenses. This includes a maximum loan of $5 million and grant of up to 15% of the approved loan amount.
There are five categories of capital projects applicants can use to access funding during the current intake period. They include:
- Transportation and Fuel Efficiency;
- Waste Management and Diversion;
- Water Quality and Conservation;
- Energy Efficiency and Recovery; and
- Brownfields.
Applicants Eligible for FCM Funding via the Green Municipal Fund
To qualify for Green Municipal Fund capital project support, applicants must be a municipal government or qualified project partner:
- Municipal Governments: Including cities, counties, regions, rural municipalities, towns, villages, improvement districts, municipality boards, regulatory authorities, and First Nations entities.
- Project Partners: Must collaborate with a municipal government who will lead the capital project. Can include for-profit businesses, non-profits, municipally-owned organizations, and other types of organizations.
GMF Capital Projects: Activities Eligible for Canadian Government Funding
Each category of the Green Municipal Fund for capital projects has multiple project types for which funding can be accessed. These include:
Transportation and Fuel Efficiency
- Reducing fossil fuel use in vehicle fleets; and
- Improving transportation networks and commuting options.
Waste Management and Diversion
- Diverting waste; and
- Developing waste stream solutions.
Water Quality and Conservation
- Removing stormwater contaminants;
- Reducing potable water use;
- Demonstrating new wastewater systems; and
- Integrating more advanced septic treatment systems.
Energy Efficiency and Recovery
- New construction and retrofitting for energy-efficient facilities; and
- Improving energy recovery systems.
Energy Efficiency and Recovery
- Site remediation or risk management;
- Renewable energy production on brownfield site(s); and
- Redevelopment of brownfield.
Success Stories: Projects Awarded Green Municipal Funding
To learn more about applicants and projects that have previously received Green Municipal Fund contributions, please explore these success stories:
- Canadian Communities Receive $12.1M in Climate Change Grants
- Small Town Waste Reduction and Recycling
- Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Pilot Program
How to Apply for GMF Capital Projects Funding
For the first four categories of projects that are eligible for Green Municipal Fund capital projects funding, there is a two-stage application process that requires applicants to develop and submit their initial review form by a specific deadline. Typically, there are two funding intakes per year.
There is an upcoming application intake for most GMF capital projects on March 1, 2019. However, Brownfield project proposals can be submitted year-round.
If a project application is approved in the pre-evaluation process (application phase one), the applicant will then have access to a full application form that collects in-depth project plans and budgets. If project metrics are competitive and provide good value-for-money, applicants will receive approval and can begin to incur funding-eligible expenses.
To discuss your upcoming capital project’s eligibility and learn how to optimize the Green Municipal Fund application process, please contact Mentor Works.
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