Leave No Trace Ireland awarded funding from Community Foundation
Leave No Trace Ireland is proud to be one of the recipients of the Climate Actions Work Grant Round, delivered by Community Foundation Ireland in partnership with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications!
This funding will enhance the “Love This Place” campaign, driving greater community engagement and climate awareness through social media videos and community events that promote sustainable outdoor behaviors and environmental stewardship.
It is part of a total of €500,000 in grants that will be distributed to 96 community groups and organisations across 23 counties, announced by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Darragh O’Brien, and Minister for the Circular Economy, Alan Dillon.
Welcoming the grant, Maura Kiely, CEO of Leave No Trace said: “We are thrilled to receive this funding, which will allow us to reach even more communities across Ireland with our message of sustainability and responsible outdoor practices. The support from Community Foundation Ireland will help deepen public understanding of how simple outdoor actions can contribute to climate resilience and the protection of our natural environments for future generations.”
With this funding, Leave No Trace Ireland will:
- Increase Climate Awareness: Use engaging social media content to educate the public on the benefits of Leave No Trace principles for climate action, biodiversity conservation, and natural carbon sink protection.
- Foster Community Engagement: Host community events like clean-ups and sustainability workshops, empowering individuals to take actionable steps toward environmental conservation.
- Encourage Climate-Conscious Behaviour: Showcase how small, collective actions contribute to a larger climate impact, inspiring long-term commitments to sustainable outdoor practices.
Leave No Trace Ireland will collaborate with local organizations, schools, and community leaders to maximize outreach through digital content, workshops, and community events. The initiative will launch in March 2025, with all videos and events scheduled for completion by September 2025. The organization will also seek continued funding and partnerships to ensure the project’s long-term sustainability.
Congratulating Leave No Trace. Denise Charlton, Chief Executive of Community Foundation Ireland said:
“Partnership is key to meeting the climate challenge. At Community Foundation we are proud to have contributed knowledge and insights from our network of local community groups to inform and deliver this Government initiative. A network which underpins all our work as a philanthropic hub. We look forward to seeing the impact of these imaginative projects.”
Further Information for Editors
The Climate Actions Work Engagement Fund
The Climate Actions Work Engagement Fund is a core component of the Climate Actions Work Programme. This programme has built on engagement with community groups through the National Dialogue on Climate Action over the last few years. The engagement showed that many community groups and organisations are supported through volunteers who often have to give up nights and days to undertake engagement and communications activities. The fund is intended to provide support to promote the incredible work already underway, and to encourage new participation. The fund supports groups to work with audiences who have not previously engaged in climate action at a local level or beyond.
About Leave No Trace Ireland
Leave No Trace Ireland is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible outdoor recreation through education, research, and partnerships. The organization advocates for sustainable outdoor practices to protect Ireland’s natural heritage for future generations.