Sustainable CT Community Match Fund

Building Sustainable Communities Across Connecticut

Sustainable CT’s innovative Community Match Fund is a crowdfunding grant-matching program that provides fast, flexible funding and support to implement sustainability projects. The Community Match Fund supports projects that have a free and public benefit, align with our action roadmap, and take place in a Sustainable CT registered town. Through this fund we match local crowdfunding efforts dollar-for-dollar to assist in bringing community-driven ideas to life- whether it’s the addition of a pollinator garden, a community composting initiative, a local arts and culture program, tree planting, greenways for biking and walking, or other.

 

Unlike traditional funding programs, the Community Match Fund has no traditional grant application, no deadlines, no lengthy review period, and minimal reporting requirements. The program is structured to support and amplify grassroots efforts that strive to transform their community, neighborhood, and town for the better. Community Match Fund projects can be led by individual residents, nonprofits, community groups, municipalities, schools, libraries, or other organizations.

The Community Match Fund Process: 

1. Send us an email!: Project leaders reach out to Sustainable CT ([email protected]) with an idea for a project that provides a free public benefit, takes place in a Sustainable CT registered community, and aligns with our action roadmap.  
2. Initial meeting: Sustainable CT staff and project leaders discuss the project, the Community Match Fund process, and go over Sustainable CT’s eligibility criteria and project readiness requirements. 
3. Project approval: If the project is eligible for funding and the project readiness requirements have been reviewed and approved, then the project leader is connected with our Patronicity crowdfunding coach to build their crowdfunding campaign page.  
4. Crowdfunding campaign: Once the project leader’s campaign page has received its final approval from the Sustainable CT Team, they launch their 30-to-60-day crowdfunding campaign on the Patronicity platform with support from our crowdfunding coach. Check out all of our project pages here. 
5. Matching grant and implementation: Once the crowdfunding campaign reaches its goal, Sustainable CT will match what is raised, $1-for-$1, up to $6,000. Patronicity then disperses the crowdfunded dollars and Sustainable CT Matching grant so project leaders can begin the implementation of their project! 
6. Post implementation reporting: Sustainable CT has no formal grant reporting. Instead, we send project leaders a survey to complete once the project has been implemented and ask that project leaders post photos of their completed project to their campaign page. 

Do you have an idea to make your community more sustainable, equitable, and vibrant? Reach out to us at [email protected].

Questions on Eligibility? 

You can review the Community Match Fund Eligibility Requirements and Project Readiness Criteria here.  

To get the Community Match Fund process started or if you have any questions on your project’s eligibility email us at [email protected].

Our Funding Areas

The Community Match Fund is organized into three funding focus areas:

The Environmental Fund:

This fund supports projects that relate to environmental sustainability and/or address climate change. This includes projects related to invasive species removal, pollinator pathways, tree plantings, reducing waste, addressing food waste diversion and composting, food access and community gardens, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing climate resiliency, and more.

The Vibrant Communities Fund:

This fund supports projects that work to create accessible, vibrant, inclusive, and thriving communities. This fund could support projects related to providing accessible transportation, thriving local economies, community sustainability events, arts and culture celebrations, public space improvement projects, and more.

The Social Change Amplifier Fund:

Social Change projects are those led by Black, Latinx, Multiracial, Indigenous and other People of Color community organizers and organizations. All projects eligible to participate in other CMF categories could be a fit for the Social Change program. The purpose is to support leaders and communities that are frequently underrepresented in the funding landscape.

Sustainable CT’s Community Match Fund is generously supported by the Hampshire Foundation, the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, the Connecticut Green Bank, and Supporting Organizing Work CT. Contact us about adding your support to the Community Match Fund match pool.