$125K Raised for Community Sustainability Projects in 8 CT Municipalities

Willimantic, CT (04/15/2020) — Organizations in eight Connecticut municipalities recently received $62,500 from the Sustainable CT Community Match Fund to kickstart nine local projects in their communities, raising a total of $125,000 for the projects. The sustainability-minded projects include: a food scraps recycling program in Greenwich; a forestry maintenance and lumber milling operation in Hartford; a community garden in Groton; a composting conference in New Britain; a colorful lighting display in New Haven; public murals in Bridgeport; a reusable lunch tray initiative in West Hartford; expansion of the barn quilt trail in New Milford; and programs to support the bicycling communities in Hartford and West Hartford.

Each of these projects was supported by crowdfunding campaigns that raised $62,500 from residents, local businesses and community organizations. A dollar-for-dollar match by the Sustainable CT Community Match Fund brings a total of $125,000 for the projects.

Sustainable CT is an initiative of the Institute for Sustainable Energy at Eastern Connecticut State University meant to assist communities in becoming more resilient and sustainable. The Community Match Fund is funded by the Smart Seed Fund, Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation and Connecticut Green Bank.

$37,500 for Bicycle Programs in Hartford and West Hartford

The Hartford-based organization BiCi Co., a program of the Center for Latino Progress, raised $18,750 ($37,500 including the Sustainable CT match) from a crowdfunding campaign supported by 98 individual donations. The funds will go toward growing and sustaining several projects including a new 'Light the Night Campaign' and the 'Bikes for Jobs' program, as well as key investments at the new BiCi Co. West location in West Hartford.

$28,280 for Forestry Management and Lumber Milling in Hartford

Keney Park Sustainability Project (KPSP), a Hartford-based nonprofit, raised $14,140 ($28,280 including the Sustainable CT match) to implement a woods material management project throughout Hartford that will reduce waste from felled trees throughout the city and allow that lumber to be reused and repurposed locally. KPSP, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and the City of Hartford aim to complete the project by the end of the year.

$17,000 for Expanding New Milford's Barn Quilt Trail

Volunteers and local nonprofits in New Milford raised $8,500 ($17,000 including the Sustainable CT match) to expand the town's barn quilt trail and add 11 colorful quilt blocks to barns and historic buildings in town. The group is now working with graphic designers (who are volunteering their services) to create designs for the quilt blocks, which will be painted by a local arts organization. The town's facilities department will install the quilt blocks on the chosen sites. This exciting community project will more than double the size of the original trail, with a total of 19 locations. The expanded barn quilt trail is expected to be completed by late summer.

$12,700 for Reducing Food Waste in Greenwich

The Greenwich Recycling Advisory Board (GRAB) and Waste Free Greenwich raised $6,350 ($12,700 including the Sustainable CT match) to implement a voluntary food scrap recycling pilot program in Greenwich. Waste Free Greenwich, in coordination with the Department of Public Works and the Conservation Commission, are preparing educational and outreach programming, developing operational procedures and procuring materials to implement the pilot, which is scheduled to launch in April 2020.

$8,600 for Lighting Up Amtrak Underpass in New Haven

The Mill River Advocates, a volunteer group with the fiduciary support of the Mill River Watershed Association of South Central Connecticut, raised $4,300 ($8,600 including Sustainable CT's match) to install a color-changing light installation in the Amtrak underpass on Humphrey Street in New Haven. Support for the crowdfunding campaign came from 35 contributions from local residents, businesses and other organizations. This was the final part of a larger fundraising effort, which all together resulted in $28,000 for the project. The light installation, which will transform a dark pedestrian underpass into a dynamic light-art experience, is expected to occur this spring.

$8,300 for Compost Conference in New Britain

Connecticut Resource Conservation and Development Area (CT RC&D) and its planning partners have full funding to host Connecticut's first Compost Conference. The group raised $4,150 from a community crowdfunding campaign ($8,300 including the Sustainable CT match). The focus of the conference is to provide technical knowledge to farmers and municipalities that are interested in expanding their composting programs. This informative day will include keynote speakers, breakout sessions, panel discussion, networking, exhibitors and a Q&A session. The conference will be held in the fall of 2020.

$5,700 for Public Murals in Bridgeport

The Bridgeport Downtown Special Services District (DSSD) raised $2,850 ($5,700 including the Sustainable CT match) for its "Color It In" public mural project, which aims to leverage public art and events to boost local economic development, create a distinct neighborhood identity and improve quality of life for all members of the community. DSSD will now finalize the mural site, identify a local artist to create the mural design and enlist volunteers to assist with painting the mural, which is expected to be completed this summer 2020.

$3,890 for a Community Garden in Groton

The Eastern Connecticut Community Garden Association (ECCGA) raised $1,945 ($3,890 including the Sustainable CT match) from a community crowdfunding campaign to build a community garden at the Groton Senior Center. ECCGA, along with support from the Town of Groton and the Senior Center will build seven raised beds at an appropriate height for senior center volunteers. All food grown in the garden will be donated to the Senior Center Lunch Café for their daily meals.

$3,600 for Reducing Waste in West Hartford School Cafeterias

Growing Great Schools, a West Hartford nonprofit focused on connecting food, health, and the environment raised $1,800 ($3,600 including the Sustainable CT match) to purchase reusable lunch trays in four West Hartford elementary schools. The reusable trays will significantly reduce the amount of polystyrene foam waste each school produces and will keep this harmful plastic out of the environment.

About Sustainable CT and Community Match Fund

These projects were supported by the Sustainable CT Community Match Fund, an innovative funding resource that provides a dollar-for-dollar match to all donations raised from the community, doubling local investment. This program is helping to bring projects across the state to life by providing fast, accessible funding as well as fundraising coaching and support to residents and organizations with great ideas to make their communities more sustainable.

Anyone in a Sustainable CT-registered municipality is eligible to receive this funding, meaning that schools, nonprofits, community groups and individual residents can all propose projects and access the matching funds.

"Through the Community Match Fund, we aim to put residents at the forefront of creating positive, impactful change," said Abe Hilding-Salorio, community outreach manager for Sustainable CT. "Match Fund projects are community led and community funded, demonstrating the power of people working together to make change in their communities."

Sustainable CT, an initiative of the Institute for Sustainable Energy at Eastern Connecticut State University, provides a roadmap of sustainability best practices for towns, technical assistance, funding and recognition through certification. Forty-seven towns and cities across Connecticut have earned the prestigious Sustainable CT certification, demonstrating accomplishments in nine impact categories including inclusive and equitable communities, cleaner transportation, vibrant arts and culture, natural resource stewardship and affordable housing. Find more information at www.sustainablect.org.

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