Community contributions fund
in partnership with the Definity Insurance Foundation
ABOUT
We know that the impacts of climate change are felt inequitably. We know that the crisis is inextricably woven into and produced by the colonial, racist, and extractive systems around us.
We also know that whole-of-community actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change provide communities with opportunities to address their intersecting realities and challenges. Tamarack believes that for this to be done, those most impacted equity-deserving communities– need to steer and be active in the work.
Through the Community Contributions Fund, Tamarack provides members of the Community Climate Transitions (CCT) network with targeted resourcing and wrap-around supports to galvanize the leadership and participation of equity-deserving communities in collaborative climate action.
The Community Contributions Fund was created in partnership with the Definity Insurance Foundation. We are grateful for their transformational support.
Keep reading to learn more about the purpose of the Fund and the member support provided in 2024.
Purpose of the Fund
To address the uneven impacts of climate change and injustice by nurturing the ingenuity and building the capacity of equity-deserving groups to lead and participate in collaborative climate action.
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Top Priority: Supporting and strengthening the leadership of groups and collaboratives led by equity-deserving groups, especially those who are under-resourced, in community-level climate action and partnerships
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Secondary Priority: Supporting under-resourced groups and collaboratives not led by equity-deserving groups to engage, partner with, and amplify the climate work of local equity-deserving groups
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Tertiary Priority: Supporting under-resourced groups and collaboratives not led by equity-deserving groups to engage in and strengthen community-level climate action and partnerships
Shared Definitions
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Equity-deserving Groups: Black, Indigenous (First Nations, Metis, Inuit), Racialized, Disabled, Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer, Queer and Trans, Low-income and/or Experiencing Poverty, Unhoused, Refugees, Migrant Workers and International Students, Youth and Seniors, Rural and Remote, and those who share multiple of these experiences and communities. Members of these groups and communities disproportionally experience the effects of climate change and injustice.
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Under-resourced groups and collaboratives: Resident-led Groups, Youth Groups, Volunteer-led Collaborations, Non-qualified Donees, and Small Non-profits (less than 3 paid staff members).
the Fund in Action
CCT memberships covered from 2023 and 2024 Cohorts
Provides financial support to equity-deserving groups and collaboratives/groups with limited capacities/resources to fully participate as members of the Community Climate Transitions network to accelerate local climate action.
Equitable engagement stipends available to members in 2024
Provides targeted financial support to changemakers from equity-deserving groups to be able to better participate in and help lead local climate collaboratives by addressing the financial barriers associated with this work.
Member workshops supporting the CCF’s goals in 2024
Provides tailored sessions to 40+ CCT members to skill build, share promising practices, and tackle common challenges related to practicing climate collaboration in ways that uplift the wisdom and leadership of equity-deserving groups, those with lived experience of climate injustice, and Indigenous communities and partners.
Equitable Engagement Stipends
About the Stipends
We know that partnership work, when done well, requires resources.
Stipends funded by the Community Contributions Fund will provide roughly 20 CCT Members with up to $495* in 2024. Stipends are intended for members who are ready to action cohort learnings and/or are already collaborating with/being led by equity-deserving groups. The goal is for these dollars to help support your efforts to build strong and equitable climate collaboratives.
Stipends can be used to compensate people for their time to attend local meetings, cohort calls, and participate fully in shared work, as well as wrap-around supports like childcare, technology access, and travel costs, as needed. Please note all compensation for time must be provided at a rate above local living wage estimates.
Example: The Regina team uses the $495 stipend to support two collaborative leadership table members with $300 ($30/hr) to attend and participate in 5 team/cohort meetings through the year, $150 for childcare costs associated with in-person meetings/events, and $45 for bus tickets to get to local climate meetings/events.
You do not need to be a registered charity or incorporated non-profit to receive these funds. However, we are operating from a place of trust and transparency by assuming that these funds will be used by CCT members in ways aligned with their purpose. Should anything change, you will be in contact with our team about this. Funds are expected to be spent within 12 months of receiving them and reporting will follow.
Contact Kieran Maingot at kieran@tamarackcommunity.ca with any questions about the stipends or process.
Application Process
Our intention is for the Community Contributions Fund to embody its equitable goals in both outcomes and process and for the stipend application process to be non-competitive. All those interested must contact their Tamarack Lead to confirm the availability of funds and the eligibility of their proposed activities. We hope this encourages teams to collaborate with Tamarack staff to improve on their proposed activities to minimize the chances that teams spend significant amounts of time pursuing these funds without successful outcomes.
While there are only 20 stipends available in 2024, there will be future rounds of available funds. Each member will only be eligible to apply for a single stipend every year. We will only consider providing more than one stipend to a member on an exceptional basis if resources allow.
Your application, step-by-step:
- Confirm you are a CCT Member.
- With your team, plan how the funds can be used to support your convening and collaborating.
- Discuss your plan and ideas with your Manager of Communities (MOC) to ensure it fits with the Fund’s intentions.
- If given the “OK” from your MOC to apply, fill out the form below.
- If there are no concerns about your submission, you should receive an update in 2 weeks at the latest on the next steps for receiving funds and a short agreement.
- Take action!
Reporting Expectations
All stipend recipients are expected to complete a brief questionnaire and conversation with Tamarack staff within 6-12 months of receiving their stipend to report back on the use of funds. Tamarack staff will connect with recipients at the 6-month mark to gauge progress and see if they are ready to demonstrate what the funds were used for and their impacts. Before applying, take extra care to ensure you have the accountability structures in place for these funds to report back effectively.
We also hope to use report backs to profile several member stories on how the stipends helped advance local work.
Not a CCT member but interested in becoming one? Contact Laura Schnurr at laura@tamarackcommunity.ca.
Member Workshops
To help CCT members plan for, practice, and strengthen equitable climate collaboration and engagement, Tamarack and partners will support member learning through two tailored workshops in 2024.
Workshop 1
Getting to action on climate collaborations that strengthen the engagement and leadership of equity-deserving groups and those with lived experience of climate injustice
English Workshop Date: Tuesday, May 7th, 2024, 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 2 PM AT
French Workshop Date: June 26th, 2 PM EST
Registration: Email Kieran Maingot at kieran@tamarackcommunity.ca (EN) or Astrid Arumae at astrid@tamarackcommunity.ca (FR).
Workshop 2
Building reciprocal partnerships with local First Nations, Metis, and Inuit leaders and communities in a climate-changing world
English Workshop Date: Tuesday, June 4th, 2024, 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 2 PM AT
French Workshop Date: TBD
Registration: Email Kieran Maingot at kieran@tamarackcommunity.ca (EN) or Astrid Arumae at astrid@tamarackcommunity.ca (FR).
Not a CCT member but interested in becoming one? Contact Laura Schnurr at laura@tamarackcommunity.ca.
* Stipends paid to Canadian residents are not taxed at the time of payment, however, if the yearly amount reaches $500 or more, a T4A form will be filed with the CRA, and the individual may have to pay taxes on the amount received. If a T4A needs to be filed, this will impact your government-reported income and can impact any income-dependent support you receive.
Community Contributions Fund – Equitable Engagement Stipends
Thank you for your interest in the Equitable Engagement Stipends provided by Tamarack’s Community Contributions Fund, in partnership with the Definity Insurance Foundation. If you have already discussed your intent to apply with a Tamarack team member, please complete this form as the next step in applying for a stipend.