11-2SG Greener Hopkinton
Grant Round:
2011 September
Grant Program:
Small Grants
Grant Type:
Other Grants
Grant amount requested:
1,450.00
Attachments
Please provide a brief description of the project for which you seek funding.
The Greener Hopkinton Committee was formed in June, 2007 by the Selectmen with the purpose of educating Town residents on issues to protect the environment, and to assist the Town in becoming "greener". We are participating in many outreach activities, but plan to use the funds for the following: a. Funds will pay for our annual subscription to Constant Contact, which we use to assemble and distribute our e-newsletter. The newsletter features tips and articles on living sustainably, and features a "Local Flavor" article, where we spotlight actions taken by individuals in our community. The e-newsletter is issued about once per month and is distributed electronically to a growing list of over 400 readers. This tool has also used send e-announcements regarding informational forums on town initiatives such as the SMART Pay Per Bag program implemented by the Town last year. b. Funds will be used to pay speakers for our "Sustainable Living Speaker Series" to invite such organizations/speakers as the Plymouth Area Renewable Energy Initiative and Bill McKibben. Since beginning this series in February 2009, we have sponsored several presentations such as:"Greening Your Home" featuring town residents Tom & Emilie Burack (Tom is NH Department of Environmental Services Commissioner), and "Backyard Bounty: Growing Organic Veggies at Home" by local organic farmer and Master Gardener , Jim Ramenek. This past fall we also sponsored a weatherization presentation of "Button Up NH" by Andy Duncan, and an Organic Gardening workshop by Amy Ouellette. We have also sponsored movie nights featuring sustainable living topics, such as "No Impact Man," "Fresh" and "Wall-E". These presentations attracted audiences of about 35 to 60 people (in a Town of about 5500 people). c. Funds will be used to purchase a tabletop display booth for presenting useful information to Town residents at Town events such as the annual Town meeting. We currently do not have an effective means of displaying information about the Committee and its programs to residents who lack easy internet access. The tabletop display will allow us to reach an underserved segment of the Town. d. Funds to purchase supplies for our low-income weatherization assistance program. The program has been in the planning phase during the begining of 2011 with an expectation to assist 10-12 low income families in Hopkinton with weatherization and energy efficiency measures this Fall. We would like to build on the pilot year and expand the program to additional families in 2012. Greener Hopkinton members and volunteers visit low-income families to identify weatherization needs and install energy saving devices.
Primary Issue Area:
Living Economies
Please break-down/categorize the program expenses:
| Proposed Item | Estimated $ Amount | Would grant funds be used for this item? | Type Of Expense |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-newsletter | $1,755.00 | Yes | Materials |
| Table top display booth | $300.00 | Yes | Materials |
| Sustainable living speaker series | $745.00 | Yes | Materials |
| Low-income weatherization assistance program | $1,400.00 | Yes | Materials |
Whom does your group need to make this project happen?
Please explain how your group will engage members from your community in this project.
We already enjoy the support of several dedicated volunteers who work to support the Community Garden, supply baked goods for our Sustainable Living Speaker Series, and work on the e-newsletter. For the low-income weatherization assistance program, we hope to engage teams of volunteers to install energy efficiency and weatherization measures in homes. Through our newsletter and Speaker Series, along with the table top booth display, we will reach out to community members to educate and engage them on issues of energy efficiency and sustainable living.
If your group receives a NEGEF Grow grant, how do you plan to pay for remaining expenses?
| $ Amount | Source |
|---|---|
| $1,450.00 | NEGEF grant (requested) |
Please list these materials or services
| $ Amount | Item |
|---|---|
| $1,500.00 | Approximately 100 volunteer hours on e-newsletter |
| $450.00 | volunteer hours for Sustainable Living Speaker Series |
| $200.00 | Donation of space for Sustainable Living Speaker Series |
| $600.00 | Volunteer hours for Weatherization project |
Please describe what changes will occur in your community and its environment when your group's project is successful.
We will continue to provide education on energy and environmental issues to our community. We would like to build on our past successes and maintain momentum for positive education and awareness in the community through our newsletter and our Sustainable Living Speaker Series. Through our low-income weatherization assistance program, we hope to reduce energy costs and usage in the Town for low-income residents while building awareness of the potential energy savings available through simple and cost-effective weatherization measures.
Please list how many people in your community your group expects to actively engage in this project.
50
What relevant skills does the group need (but does not currently have access to) to help move the initiative forward?
We do not currently have technical skills with regard to weatherization and are relying on volunteers.
What relevant skills do current members of the group have to help move the initiative forward?
Greener Hopkinton has a diverse group of members with a range of specialized skills from farming to education to local government to marketing. With regard to the weatherization project in particular, one member is the Director of the Sustainable Energy Division of the NH Public Utilities Commission, and one member sits on the Board of the New Hampshire Sustainable Energy Association. In addition, a current Selectman sits on the Committee and facilitates coordination with Town services.