Green Mobility Capital Grant Program Guidelines

The Green Mobility Capital Grants Program is designed to assist towns, municipalities, band councils and community groups in the construction, purchase or improvement of sustainable transportation infrastructure. The main objectives of the Green Mobility Capital Grants Program are to: increase the energy efficiency of passenger transportation and reduce overall fuel used and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced; increase the viability of sustainable transportation options; and demonstrate how sustainable transportation can work in small towns and rural areas.

Project applicants must detail how overall GHGs will be reduced.

Examples of projects that may be considered for funding include:

• Purchase of a wheelchair accessible van
• Purchase of a public transit vehicle
• Implementation of a carpool matching system
• Purchase of a vehicle for a carshare program
• Infrastructure to support the operation of a small-scale passenger ferry
• Purchase of bike racks for transit vehicles
• Construction of a commuter trail connecting a neighborhood to a transit terminal
• Installation of bike lanes and/or bike racks
• Creation of a pedestrian zone, bike lane, or car-free area
• Share-the-road signage

Projects not listed above and/or combinations of initiatives are welcome for consideration. We encourage applicants to contact the program coordinator to discuss their proposal.

Funding Applicants can apply for an amount up to $25,000. Match funding and/or in-kind support equivalent to funding received through the Green Mobility Capital Grants Program is required. Additional funding can be from any government or non-governmental source, and can include donated labor, materials and equipment. The selection committee reserves the right to award partial funding on any successful project application. Funding will be paid out as follows:

• 60% of the grant on receipt of a signed contribution agreement
• 25% on receipt of an interim report on or before November 1, 2010; and
• 15% on receipt of the final report on or before March 21, 2011.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible organizations include towns, municipalities, First Nations band councils and community organizations incorporated as a "not-for-profit" society under the Societies Act of Nova Scotia.

• Projects serving urban Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) or urban Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) are not eligible.
• Projects must have a net reduction of fuel used (and GHGs) for transportation.
• Funds must be used to purchase items which are permanent, non-consumable, and of a capital nature.
• Recreational projects are not eligible.
• Projects related to developing plans for sustainable transportation are not eligible.
• Operating costs are not eligible. Staff costs unrelated to design, construction, or supervision of construction are not eligible (with the exception of staff costs for evaluation and measurement).
• Education-related costs are not eligible, although they may be covered by match funding sources.
• Eligible costs must be spent in the period between signing the project contribution agreement and March 1, 2011.

S election Criteria

Those projects, which meet the eligibility criteria, will be assessed for selection based on the following criteria:

• feasibility of project completion within the allotted timelines
• impact, particularly greenhouse gas emission reductions
• demonstrated need for financial assistance
• demonstration that project will serve community needs
• project evaluation plan