Evanston Climate Action Fund

The Climate Action Fund is part of a community-wide campaign to reduce Evanston's collective environmental footprint. The goal is a 13% reduction in our projected GHG emissions by 2012.  

The fund will invest in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions-reduction projects in Evanston, with a special emphasis on projects benefiting lower-income households and nonprofit organizations. It is intended to enable all community members to participate in this initiative, helping Evanston meet its overall emissions reduction goal.

Who is contributing to the fund? Some are donors who wish to mitigate their climate impact by making a gift correlated to the CO2 emissions  they cannot otherwise eliminate. These donors may have measured their carbon footprint using the Zerofootprint Evanston environmental calculator and find they cannot reduce their emissions to zero. They are encouraged to contribute $90 for every 6 tons of CO2 that they continue to emit.

Other donors will contribute in connection with a special occasion. They may make a gift to compensate for the emissions related to guests' travel to a family wedding, for example.  Still other donors like the idea of helping enable all segments of our community to participate in reducing their GHG emissions.

How Do I Make a Gift? You can give to the Evanston Climate Action Fund by credit card or check; charitable gifts to community foundations qualify for maximum tax advantage under federal law.

Credit card gifts may be made online - save time and paper!  To make a gift online, click here.  In the donation form, after indicating the dollar amount of your donation, please check the box for 'Other Foundation Fund' and specify Climate Action Fund. You can also designate if you would like us charge your card one time or on a monthly basis. 

Or, write a check payable to the Evanston Community Foundation, note Climate Action Fund in the memo, and mail to 1007 Church Street, Suite 108, Evanston, IL 60201

Matching Gifts —Leverage your personal contribution with a matching gift through your employer. Simply forward your company's matching gift paperwork to the Foundation; we'll do the rest.

How will projects be chosen for funding?  When the fund balance reaches $5,000, proposals for local emissions-reduction projects will be solicited. A resource packet including the criteria to be used in evaluating the proposals will be made available to potential applicants and will be posted on this website. The Foundation will appoint a selection committee to evaluate the proposals and make recommendations for distributions from the fund.  Types of projects eligible for support from the fund will include (but are not limited to) home weatherization, programmable thermostat installation, and light bulb replacement programs.

Is this a carbon offset program?  No, it is not a true offset program. Although donors to the fund may view their contributions as compensating for their CO2 emissions, they will not be purchasing independently certified offsets. The funded projects will not be accredited--that is, they will not be audited and verified by a third party. Nonetheless, the selection committee and the Foundation will seek to ensure that the funded projects are

•  Credible (achieved with sound methodologies and practices),

•  Additional (made possible because of the fund),

•  Quantifiable (resulting in measurable reductions in GHG emissions), and

•  Permanent (not subject to reversal in the future).

What is the role of the Evanston Community Foundation?  The Foundation will hold the contributions made to the fund, ensure the integrity of the project selection process, and distribute funds to the selected grantees. The Foundation will report annually to the community on fund activities--contributions received, funds distributed, projects implemented.  Initial expenses associated with setting up the fund, together with ongoing 2008 administrative costs, will be covered by Foundation donors. 

Additional Information -- City of Evanston Climate Action Plan

In October 2006, the Evanston City Council authorized the mayor to sign the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, thereby joining a nationwide grassroots effort to advance the goals of the Kyoto Protocol. This action committed the city to take steps to reduce Evanston's greenhouse gas emissions by seven percent below 1990 levels by the year 2012--the target set by the Kyoto Protocol for developed countries like the United States. 

The first step was to conduct a greenhouse gas emissions inventory for Evanston. In the baseline year (2005), Evanston produced an estimated 1 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2E) from all municipal operations and community-related activities. In order to meet the Kyoto Protocol target, Evanston will need to reduce its projected 2012 emissions by 13 percent.

In November 2007, the City of Evanston and the Network for Evanston's Future launched a joint city-community planning initiative to develop a climate action plan for Evanston. Nine task forces were formed, each co-chaired by community representatives and a city staff member, and proceeded to design strategies and action steps for their assigned area of focus. 

Their recommendations were compiled into a plan to guide Evanston in achieving its emissions reduction goal. The plan was presented to the community on May 4, 2008, and forwarded to the City Council for approval and implementation.

Additional information about what Evanston has done and will be doing to make this a sustainable community and to address global climate change is available through the City's Office of Sustainability