Call for applications: ICLEI Action Fund will grant €7M for data-driven projects

12 May 2022 – Freiburg, Germany

A new call for applications for the ICLEI Action Fund is officially open. Non-profit and civil society organisations can now apply to receive up to 1 million EUR each to implement data-driven action to help cities reduce emissions and build resilience to climate change. The deadline to submit a proposal is 24 July 2022.  

In Europe, a 7 million EUR fund made possible by Google.org, is available for projects implemented in Barcelona (Spain), Berlin (Germany), Glasgow (United Kingdom), Helsinki (Finland), Malmö (Sweden), Rome (Italy), Rotterdam (The Netherlands), and Stockholm (Sweden). Additional cities will be selected in the next couple of weeks. The call is open for projects focused on environmental and climate action, with an emphasis on mobility, buildings, solar energy, air quality management, and climate resilience. The Fund welcomes proposals that contribute to cities’ just transition and climate goals.

“The ICLEI Action Fund seeks to encourage innovative projects that support cities in providing citizens with fair and just access to renewable energy sources, sustainable mobility alternatives, and greener and healthier public spaces. Following the success of the first round of grants, we are optimistic that we will receive high-quality proposals from eligible organisations that use relevant sources of data and green technologies to further smart and sustainable action at the local level,” said ICLEI’s Regional Director Europe, Wolfgang Teubner.

The ICLEI Action Fund is a granting scheme implemented by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability with support from Google.org to encourage environmental and climate projects, which use data from private and public sources. Launched in May 2020 in Europe, the ICLEI Action Fund 1.0 granted 2.5 million EUR to six non-profit and academic organisations in Copenhagen (Denmark), Berlin and Hamburg (Germany), Nantes (France), and Birmingham and Oldham (UK).

This new round of applications (“ICLEI Action Fund 2.0”) reinforces both ICLEI Europe and Google.org’s commitments to accelerating climate action to build more sustainable cities through technology and innovation. Google.org has provided an additional 2.8 million EUR to the ICLEI USA, totaling almost 10 million EUR in support for data-driven environmental projects.

“Google is committed to helping more than 500 cities reduce one gigatonne of carbon emissions annually by 2030 through providing local governments with better access to data and technology. We also want to empower deeper collaboration with civil society, which will play a critical role in achieving this goal. This new open call aims to build on the success of our first ICLEI Action Fund, helping to design, build, and operate more sustainable or regenerative cities,” said Rowan Barnett, Director Google.org, Europe, Middle East & Africa.

Projects must be aligned with the respective city’s sustainability plans and strategies. Municipalities can get involved in local Action Fund projects as supporters, service providers, sponsors or partners, having the opportunity to receive part of the funding in case of the latter.

By joining Google.org’s grant support and ICLEI’s network and technical expertise, the ICLEI Action Fund will continue to help cities and non-profit organisations to implement innovative, data-driven climate action on the ground, and to measure sustainability impacts in the long-term. Project selection will be guided by a series of criteria set by a team of sustainability experts within ICLEI Europe.

Google.org also provided support in the form of EUR 237,000 Search advertising to help publicise the Action Fund, cultivate supporters, and share valuable climate information with the public.

For more information on eligibility requirements and to apply before the 24 July 2022 deadline, visit: action-fund.iclei-europe.org.

Click here for an image of the ICLEI Action Fund. Please note: the image may be used only in conjunction with this press release.

Click here to see more details about the six projects funded in the first round of grants.

About ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability:ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability is a global network of more than 2,500 local and regional governments committed to sustainable urban development. Active in 125 countries, we influence sustainability policy and drive local action for low emission, nature-based, equitable, resilient and circular development. ICLEI Europe provides Members in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and West Asia with a voice on European and international stages, a platform to connect with peers and tools to drive positive environmental, economic and social change. ICLEI Europe works closely with an extended network of local and regional governments and partners on a broad range of topics.

About Google.org:Google.org, Google's philanthropy, supports nonprofits that address humanitarian issues and apply scalable, data-driven innovation to solving the world's biggest challenges. It accelerates their progress by connecting them with a unique blend of support that includes funding, products, and technical expertise from Google volunteers. It engages with these believers-turned-doers who make a significant impact on the communities they represent, and whose work has the potential to produce meaningful change. Google.org wants a world that works for everyone—and believes technology and innovation can move the needle.

Press contact
Priscilla Castro
Officer Media and Outreach team
ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability
priscilla.castro@iclei.org