Grants are now open for the 'Nature in the City: Cooling Your Suburb' program and we are looking for innovative projects to reduce the heat from hot or hard surfaces in your local area.

A total of $150,000 in grant funding is now available to local projects that use plants and natural materials to make urban areas cooler and protect suburbs from the harsh impacts of climate change.

The program is now in its sixth year, with this year being the second where 'Cooling Your Suburb' is the focus.

As the heat continues to rise, Canberrans are more likely to suffer from 'urban heat island effect', which is when surfaces and infrastructure like pavement, roads and buildings soak up the heat from the sun and radiate it back into suburbs.

Living infrastructure, such as trees and gardens, green walls and roofs, as well as parks, reserves and waterways all help reduce the effects of rising temperatures and protect Canberrans from extreme weather events.

Up to $50,000 per project is available for projects that will benefit the community through providing natural shade, capturing rainwater and improving water absorption or showcasing creative ways to keep suburbs cool.

These projects may include replacing hard and hot surfaces with plants and natural materials, installing a combination of shade structures and plants, or installing landscaping features that retain water, like swales.

Up to $10,000 is also available for eligible organisations to conduct feasibility studies that explore new ways to make an area cooler using living infrastructure.

Successful projects in the last round of the program included local company ‘Three Mills Bakery’ who are working to transform an urban concrete hotspot in Woden into a publicly accessible oasis. The project includes the installation of canopy trees, plants and planters. The oasis will reduce urban heat and retain water.

An online information session will be held on 12 December 2024 for those who’re interested in applying for a grant and wish to find out more about the program and application process.

Applications for the 2024-25 'Nature in the City: Cooling Your Suburb' grants program are now open until midnight 9 February 2025.

For more information on the grant program and how to apply, visit the Everyday Climate Choices website.

Quotes attributable to Suzanne Orr, Minister for Climate Change, Environment, Energy and Water:

Our city is already experiencing the effects of climate change as temperatures rise and heatwaves become more frequent and longer lasting.

The projects supported by the Nature in the City grants are a great example of the creativity of Canberrans when it comes to keeping our suburbs and urban areas cool and sustainable.

We cannot rest on our laurels if we are to continue protecting Canberrans from the effects of increased temperatures and I encourage all those with innovative ideas to apply for a grant.

Quotes attributable to Jarrod Deaton, Founder of Three Mills Bakery:

The external environment plays a huge role in creating remarkable hospitality experiences.

The Nature in the City: Cooling your Suburb grant will help us to transform a harsh concrete environment in Woden into a softer, greener space that people can enjoy.

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