| Montreal, 24/10/1997 – The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) today announced grants awarded by the North American Fund for Environmental Cooperation (NAFEC) to 32 community groups across Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Grant recipients, which will receive funding ranging from C $10,000 to nearly C $100,000, include the Union québécoise pour la conservation de la nature and the National Farmers Union in Canada, the Pace Energy Project and the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association in the United States and the Unión Nacional de Forestería Communal and the Instituto CUNA de Baja California in Mexico. Many successful grant recipients formed cross-border alliances with community organizations in other areas of North America.
Funds totaling approximately C $1,980,000 were awarded in this third round of grants. Over 350 groups submitted proposals for projects related to community participation in North American environmental protection.
The fund, which has made grants totaling just under C $4 million, was created in October 1995 by the three North American environment ministers to support community-based projects across North America.
Grantees are chosen by a committee composed of six members, two from each country. Committee members look for projects that produce concrete results and ideally make the link between the community and the North American continent.
NAFEC supports projects related to a wide range of environmental issues. However, themes are beginning to emerge as a result of the interests expressed by the communities through their proposals. Some examples are citizen monitoring, restoration, migratory species, forest management, sustainable agriculture (with an emphasis on certification of forest and agricultural products), energy and eco-design.
The CEC, which is equally funded by the three NAFTA partners, is based in Montreal, Canada. |
