The Vancouver Foundation, in partnership with the City of Vancouver, has created the $2 million Greenest City Fund.

There are three types of grants, all of which involve community-building efforts. If your research is related to their target areas, it may be a source of funding which will help you conduct your research while engaging the community. Their fundable target areas:  

• Local Food: increasing local food supply.
• Climate and green buildings: reducing energy use.
• Green transportation: enabling active transportation.
• Zero waste: increasing composting, re-use and recycling.
• Access to nature: increasing the urban forest, creating habitat and natural spaces.
• Clean water: conserving drinking water.
• Green economy: supporting social enterprise and greening businesses.

See the City of Vancouver's Greenest City Action Plan for more details on each of those areas.

The three levels of grants:

• Greenest City Neighbourhood Small Grants
  Grants up to $1,000 (total of $70,000 per year) to fund projects created by Vancouver residents that benefit their neighbourhood. Letters of intent due March 31, 2013.
  
• Greenest City Community Grants
  Grants of $5,000 to $50,000 (total of $330,000 per year) to fund Vancouver projects led by community-based charitable organizations. Application deadline is July 26, 2013.
  

Tags: Scholarships & Awards; applied sciences; arts and social science; communication, art and technology; environment; health; education; business; science