$200,000 Awarded to 32 Towns for Community-Based Projects to Improve Quality of Life in NJ
on Sep 28, 2012
Trenton, NJ – Today the non-profit Sustainable Jersey announced that $200,000 has been awarded through the Sustainable Jersey Small Grants program funded by the PSEG Foundation. Thirty-two local governments will accept green grants for community-based sustainability projects at the Annual Sustainable Jersey Awards luncheon on November 13, 2012 in Atlantic City. Since 2009, Sustainable Jersey has distributed over $795,000 in grants to New Jersey municipalities to help towns make communities more livable, environmentally friendly and prosperous.
“PSEG is committed to being a steward of the environment and making meaningful contributions to the communities it serves,” said Anne Hoskins, senior vice president of public affairs and sustainability for PSEG, one of New Jersey’s oldest companies and largest employers. “We are proud to support this program and to fund projects that will make life better in neighborhoods all over New Jersey.”
The 12 winners of the $20,000 and $10,000 grants have proposed projects that provide sustainable solutions to everyday challenges. Organic curbside waste recycling, storm water runoff solutions, innovative bioswales, water conservation, sustainable landscaping, wildlife interaction plan, community gardens and more have been added to the list of initiatives that the Sustainable Jersey Small Grants program is funding. New Jersey is the first state in the nation to have a comprehensive sustainability program for communities that links certification with strong state and private financial incentives, and a fully resourced program of technical support and training. Sustainable Jersey is 100 percent voluntary and each town can choose whether it wants to get certified and the actions it wants to do in order to achieve enough points to get certified.
2012 SMALL GRANT WINNERS:
- Four $20,000 Grant Winners: Hoboken, Island Heights, Middle Township and Princeton
- Eight $10,000 Grant Winners: Chester Twp. and Chester Borough, Galloway Twp., Gloucester Twp., Hightstown, Maurice River Twp., Mt Olive Twp., Park Ridge and West Amwell.
- Twenty $2,000 Capacity-Building Grant Winners: Boonton Twp., Burlington City, Camden, Cranford, Frenchtown, Glassboro, Haddon Twp., Hamilton Twp., Hammonton, Howell Twp., Madison, Maywood, Mendham Twp., Mountain Lakes, Norwood, Ocean City, Oceanport, Oradell, Pine Beach Borough and River Edge.
The Sustainable Jersey grants are intended to help local governments make progress toward a sustainable future in general, and specifically toward Sustainable Jersey certification. Currently, 67 percent of New Jersey’s towns and cities (378 towns across all 21 counties) have registered to become Sustainable Jersey certified. “The impact that these projects will make in New Jersey is incredible,” said Pam Mount, Chair of the Sustainable Jersey Board of Trustees. “Aiding towns and Green Teams to achieve their sustainability goals by funding green initiatives will have a ripple effect that will benefit us all.”
2012 Recipients of $20,000 Sustainable Jersey Project Grants
Municipality | County | Project |
Hoboken | Hudson | City of Hoboken Green Infrastructure Demonstration Project |
Island Heights | Ocean | Innovative Bioswale |
Middle Twp. | Cape May | Middle Township Water Conservation Project |
Princeton | Mercer | Organic Curbside Waste Program |
2012 Recipients of $10,000 Sustainable Jersey Project Grants
Municipality | County | Project |
Chester Twp. & Chester Boro. | Morris | Community Visioning Project |
Galloway Twp. | Atlantic | Sustainable Landscaping Certification and Mini-Grant Program |
Gloucester Twp. | Camden | "Growing" Our Green Team Projects |
Hightstown. | Mercer | Storm Water Management Solutions |
Maurice River Twp. | Cumberland | Maurice River Open Space and Recreation Plan |
Mt. Olive Twp. | Morris | Community Gardens at South Branch Preserve |
Park Ridge | Bergen | Wildlife Interaction Plan- Electric Lake and Pascack Brook |
West Amwell | Hunterdon | West Amwell Conservation Easement Program |
2012 Recipients of $2,000 Sustainable Jersey Capacity-Building Grants
- Boonton Township, Morris County
- Burlington City, Burlington County
- Camden, Camden County
- Cranford, Union County
- Frenchtown, Hunterdon County
- Glassboro, Gloucester County
- Haddon Twp., Camden County
- Hamilton Twp., Mercer County
- Hammonton, Atlantic County
- Howell Twp., Monmouth County
- Madison, Morris County
- Maywood, Bergen County
- Mendham Twp., Morris County
- Mountain Lakes, Morris County
- Norwood, Bergen County
- Ocean City, Cape May County
- Oceanport, Monmouth County
- Oradell, Bergen County
- Pine Beach Boro., Ocean County
- River Edge, Bergen County
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