News
ASTER FOUNDATION EMPOWERS NEW BRUNSWICK ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS WITH CAPACITY-BUILDING GRANTS
November 15, 2023
UNCEDED MI’KMAQ TERRITORIES [SACKVILLE, NB]: The Aster Foundation announced the recipients of its 2023 funding program, Building New Brunswick ENGO Capacity. Three organizations will be receiving funds to support their operations.
East Coast Environmental Law was awarded a grant to help with proposal-writing. Their Executive Director, Lisa Mitchell, shared, “East Coast Environmental Law was very grateful to receive a capacity-building grant from the Aster Foundation. We will use these funds to help us expand our services in New Brunswick enabling more environmental law resources tailored to the needs of New Brunswickers.”
The Gaia Project’s grant will enable them to obtain communications support in marketing and social media. “I want to express gratitude towards the Aster Foundation for their support; it will help our team hone our skills and will make the work we do in environmental education even more successful,” said Geoff MacDonald, Executive Director, The Gaia Project.
The third organization, the Conseil de Gestion du Bassin Versant de la Rivière Restigouche, received funding to modernize their accounting system.
“We are excited to be supporting three worthy organizations this year through our small but growing funding program,” announced Raissa Marks, chair of the Aster Foundation board of directors. “This is exactly why the Aster Foundation was created: to build the capacity of environmental organizations to do their important work.”
The Building New Brunswick ENGO Capacity Program was launched in June and provides funding for environmental groups to access professionals for advice and support. Organizations chosen received funds for professional consulting fees up to $2,000.
The Aster Foundation is an independent charitable foundation designed to support environmental protection, conservation, and stewardship projects with a vision for a resilient, self-sufficient, and innovative environmental movement in New Brunswick and beyond.
“We encourage anyone who has the means and who cares about their community and the future of the planet to consider donating to the Aster Foundation. Your donations will be used to support strategic projects that might not otherwise be funded,” added Marks. Donations can be made at www.asterfoundation.ca.
CALL FOR PROPOSALS 2023
June 26, 2023
The Aster Foundation is seeking capacity-building proposals from NGOs and registered charities (or other qualified donees) in New Brunswick. The Aster Foundation is awarding $10,000 worth of funding (up to $2,000 per organization) for New Brunswick environmental groups to access professionals or experts with certain types of expertise for advice and support. Interested? Read more here.
CALL FOR PROPOSALS 2022
August 29, 2022
Are you a New Brunswick-based NGO or charity looking to conduct work in collaborative environmental policy development? The Aster Foundation is awarding $10,000 worth of funding (1 project in the amount of $10,000 OR 2 projects in the amount of $5,000 each) to support a policy development project related to water, protected areas and biodiversity, and/or coastal protection. Interested? Read more here.
INAUGURAL DONATION AWARDED TO EOS ECO-ENERGY
December 6, 2021
The Aster Foundation awarded its first ever charitable donation to EOS Eco-Energy in Sackville, for work they are undertaking on monitoring and maintenance of their green roof and three food forest projects. These projects were planted in summer of 2021 and the funding will be used to assess the success of these initiatives.
“We are thrilled to be giving this initial donation to EOS Eco-Energy to support their important community-based work in reducing and adapting to climate change,” announced Raissa Marks, chair of the Aster Foundation board of directors. “This is exactly why the Aster Foundation was created: to support strategic, high-impact projects that are under-funded or not typically funded by government funding programs.”
“We are very grateful for this gift from the Aster Foundation, and we are honoured to be the Foundation’s first ever recipient,” said Amanda Marlin, executive director of EOS Eco-Energy. “The funds will be used to monitor the green roof on Sackville’s Town Hall building and the food forests at Port Elgin Regional, Dorchester Consolidated, and Tantramar Regional High Schools. It will be used to cover staff time as well as the purchase of native grasses, flowers, and shrubs to fill gaps and add to the native plant diversity of the spaces.”
While this initial gift was rather modest, the Foundation hopes to increase the number and size of gifts in the future. “We encourage anyone who has the means and who cares about the future of the planet to consider donating to the Aster Foundation. Your donations will be used to support strategic projects that might not otherwise be funded,” added Marks. Donations can be made below.
Aster Foundation launched an open call for proposals from registered charities in mid-October for projects addressing the theme: Nature + Climate Change. EOS Eco-Energy is being awarded $2,000.