In support of the Resilient by Nature Project (RxN), Walder Foundation is inviting proposals for projects in the Chicago region that improve understanding of and demonstrate the potential for nature-based solutions to address challenges related to climate and human well-being, while also improving biodiversity.
Applications due: March 24, 2022, 5 p.m. CT
ABOUT RxN
RxN is pursuing approaches to implement nature-based solutions (NBS) in the Chicago region. Since adopting its motto, “City in a Garden,” nature has been an integral part of Chicago's heritage. The region boasts a wealth of biodiversity supported by diverse landscapes, engaged communities, and an array of existing assets, including forest preserves, parks, and community gardens. Unfortunately, access to nature and green space is not evenly distributed. Today’s Chicago communities reflect decades of institutional racism and urban development approaches that have disrupted the natural environment rather than enhance it. This has resulted in a range of social and environmental challenges, which continue to disproportionately impact low-income residents and people of color. These include urban flooding, poor air quality, urban heat island effect, inequitable food access, and numerous social determinants of health.
Leaders and residents in the Chicago region recognize the urgency to change course and there is growing interest to better integrate nature into our neighborhoods. RxN intends to harness nature to help build a more sustainable, equitable and vibrant city.
WHAT ARE NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS?
RxN defines nature-based solutions as “employing nature at a meaningful scale for multiple benefits.” They are approaches to community improvement that benefit both people and nature.
Employing nature
Modify, enhance, or restore an ecosystem, planting specific vegetation, or changing the topographical and hydrological features of a landscape.
Meaningful scale
Scale is defined as relative to the desired benefit and to the challenge that the project seeks to address, from pocket parks and green roofs to landscapes.
Multiple benefits
Deliver economic, social, and environmental outcomes that improve human well-being and biodiversity.
Examples of nature-based solutions
Nature-based solutions exist across a wide range of scales and types and may be implemented in different ways, depending on the challenge they seek to address.
In the urban environment, examples of nature-based solutions include but are not limited to:
Nature-based green stormwater infrastructure
Community gardens
Green roofs
Parks, forest preserves, and other open spaces and natural areas
Tree planting and maintenance
Habitat conservation and restoration
The specific approach depends on the local environment and community needs. Nature-based solution projects must result in a net benefit to people and nature.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS AND FUNDING GUIDELINES
To catalyze the expansion of nature-based solutions, Walder Foundation aims to support projects that raise awareness and demonstrate the potential of NBS approaches. For this opportunity, we are especially interested in approaches that improve water quality and/or reduce flooding, and enhance the region’s resilience to a changing climate. This work will help improve communities and show the value of this work to decision-makers, residents, planners, and other key audiences.
Grants will be made to projects that:
Are led by organizations that are governmental units or a registered Section 501(c)3, 509(a)(1) or 509(a)(2) public charity, or is working with a fiscal sponsor that meets this requirement.
Request support of up to $200,000.
Can be completed by the end of 2023.
Are located in the greater Chicago region defined as the Illinois counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will, and Lake County in Indiana.
We seek proposals related to one or more of the following focus areas:
1-Catalytic Projects
On-the-ground projects that provide viable demonstrations of how nature-based solutions can benefit people, communities, and the environment.
Examples include projects that:
Use NBS to directly address challenges such as flooding, water quality, and climate resilience.
Can serve as models. This might mean developing evidence about the value of NBS, or testing and implementing innovative approaches to NBS that could be transferable to other locations.
Benefit marginalized communities, such as low-income neighborhoods and communities of color.
Center on an equitable community engagement process.
Lead to collaborative and equitable partnerships.
Proposals may be for new projects or those at some stage of planning or implementation. Proposals may be for projects where some portion of the work is funded and underway and where additional support might better enable it to serve as an example for others. This could include funding for communications, education, community engagement, monitoring, data collection, additional NBS features, and collaboration support.
Projects already in progress that seek supplemental support should demonstrate how the funds will help expand or enhance the work by maximizing the ability to deliver multiple benefits for the community where the project is located.
2-Education and Leadership
Initiatives that engage a wide range of stakeholders about nature-based solutions and their positive impacts on biodiversity, health, and climate challenges, and how they can benefit the Chicago region. Target audiences might include municipal leaders, community leaders, planners, and the general public.
Examples include projects that:
Inspire appreciation and understanding for nature-based solutions with one or more of the following: leaders in positions of influence, emerging leaders in relevant fields, future leaders from diverse backgrounds, youth and community groups.
Seek to demonstrate the value of nature-based solutions for people, communities, and municipalities.
Bring a broad range of participants into conversations about nature-based solutions and climate resilience.
Focus on workforce development and developing the skills and knowledge required for green jobs.
3-Critical Data and Knowledge
Projects that help build a shared understanding of Chicago’s existing NBS assets and opportunities for growth, fill crucial data gaps, and build the evidence base for NBS in Chicago.
Examples include projects that:
Seek to coordinate, standardize, and make NBS-relevant data more accessible to the Chicago region.
Produce new data or knowledge about nature-based solutions and their value and impacts on communities and the environment in the Chicago region.
Develop new thinking and knowledge around persistent challenges associated with NBS, such as maintenance, gentrification, and financing.
Answer important research questions related to NBS that advance our understanding of how NBS can be implemented, scaled and made accessible to all.
Lead to monitoring and evaluation techniques to better understand the performance and impact of NBS and demonstrate their broad benefits.
WHAT WE ARE NOT FUNDING
Projects led by organizations that are not public charities.
General operating or unrestricted funding.
Projects primarily focused on physical types of green infrastructure such as permeable paving, rain barrels or other types of intervention that do not include nature-based elements.
Sponsorship for one-off events or conferences.
Basic scientific research.
TIMELINE
Application due: March 24, 2022, 5 p.m. CT
Grantee notification: June 2022
Initial payment: August 2022
Walder Foundation is committed to diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion. We encourage applicants from underrepresented backgrounds and/or projects that improve outcomes for those from underrepresented backgrounds.
APPLICATION PROCESS
HOW TO APPLY
A complete application requires submitting an online form and uploading documents. You will need to create an account in foundationConnect, the Walder Foundation’s grants management system. To create an account, you will need your organization’s EIN.
1. Click on the link below and choose Create New Account (or choose Sign In, if you already have an account):
You will receive a confirmation email from grants@walderfoundation.org. Choose the link in the email, sign in to your account and start and save a new application. To save an application, complete the first field, Project Title, and then choose Save.
IMPORTANT: If you do not start your application immediately after receiving the confirmation email, you will need to return to this page and click the link above to be directed to the application form.
2. Continue work and complete your application.
Once you have saved an application, use the link below to resume work and submit your application:
Walder Foundation Grantee Portal
You can log in any time (up until the deadline) to work on your application and save your progress. We recommend creating your account early to familiarize yourself with the system and the application form.
>>View a sample of the application form
An automated email confirmation is generated upon submission of the application. If you do not receive a confirmation within 24 hours of submitting your application, please check your spam folder and then contact: grants@walderfoundation.org
RESOURCES
Global Standard for Nature-Based Solutions, International Union for the Conservation of Nature (2020)
Building Community Resilience with Nature-Based Solutions, U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (2020)
Using Green Infrastructure to Enhance Urban Biodiversity, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (2018)
CONTACT INFORMATION
For questions related to the content of your request, contact Jack Westwood, Senior Program Officer, by email: environment@walderfoundation.org.
For questions about using our grants management system, contact grants@walderfoundation.org.