Green projects funding

Ford Motor Company will award a total of $100,000 in conservation and environmental grants to help fund existing environmental projects in the region.

Eligible countries include Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Yemen and the deadline to send applications is on September 14.

“As we look back on the programme’s heritage in the region, we are increasingly aware of the impact the Ford Grants could have had on the local communities where we serve our customers, supporting environmental groups and helping educate the public on important issues,” said Kalyana Sivagnanam, director of Ford Middle East & North Africa. “We are proud of the Ford Grants initiative in this region and of all the projects it has helped go further.”

Ahead of its 15th anniversary next year, the Ford Grants, which help grass-roots level projects in the Middle East, are already looking back on more than 150 successful green initiatives.

More than $1 million has been allocated since the initiative first started in 2000 and the support helped projects to study and conserve the region’s rich biodiversity, to support recycling schemes and green building initiatives, as well as to raise conservation awareness.

The Ford Grants is one of the largest corporate initiatives of its kind in the region, created to empower individuals and non-profit groups that are donating their time and efforts to preserve the environmental well-being of their communities.

In 2013, 17 environmental projects received various grants. Themes ranged from awareness campaigns on saving water and sorting waste, awareness campaigns on renewable energy, a smartphone app allowing users to conduct simple energy audits at home and share with neighbours, and many more.

Individuals, community and non-profit groups that have projects currently running in the areas of preservation of the natural environment, environmental education or conservation engineering can apply via the online form (https://fordmegrants.com/en) until September 14, for a chance to share the total grants of $100,000.

Winners are chosen by an independent panel of jurors consisting of academics, as well as experts from environmental organisations.

The judges – who are carefully selected in association with UNESCO Doha, based on geographical coverage, age and gender equality – look for initiatives that demonstrate a well-defined sense of purpose, a commitment to maximising available resources, and a reputation for meeting objectives and delivering planned programmes and services.

* For more information about the Ford Motor Company Conservation & Environmental Grants, visit https://me.ford.com or write to fmegrant@ford.com