TogetherGreen is an Audubon program funded by Toyota, that aims at helping people get involved in creating a brighter, healthier future. It’s a program that provides inspiration, leadership and opportunities that will make people aware and will persuade them to take action at home, in their communities and beyond to improve the health of our environment.

Sample projects that received funding include:

  1. Engaging low-income students in middle schools to devise and implement energy saving plans (Denver, CO);
  2. Constructing gardens to stem storm water overflows that carry pollutants and disease-laden sewage into homes and waterways (Pittsburgh, PA);
  3. Involving the public in hands-on strategies for restoring vanishing wetlands vital to flood control (coastal Louisiana); and
  4. Reducing bird fatalities caused by their attraction to the lights in high-rise buildings (Minneapolis, MN).

“Our biggest environmental problems can’t be solved unless we engage people from every ethnic, racial and economic community that makes up America and help them realize their power to make a difference in their own communities,” said Audubon President John Flicker. “These TogetherGreen Innovation Grants help local groups to engage people and to start achieving tangible conservation results at the same time”

Launched in the spring of 2008, a total of 41 projects in 24 states were selected from nationwide applicants to receive up to $1.4 million in TogetherGreen Conservation Innovation Grants, for the next five years the project will run. Many of them target inner-city and non-English speaking audiences that always seemed underserved by the environmental community.

For more info check out the press release