Community Carbon Fund
To sponsor the formation and implementation of local carbon reduction projects that help foster economic development, social well-being and environmental stewardship in the Tallahassee area
Reducing Carbon Emissions Benefits:
- Environment: Greenhouse Gas CO2 emissions are reduced.
- Social Services: Utility costs are reduced for non-profit social service agencies that serve the poor or disadvantaged.
- Local Economy: Donated funds remain in our community through the use of local contractors on projects.
- Carbon Offset: Donations can offset your carbon footprint and are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.
- The Community Carbon Fund provides energy-saving retrofits to the facilities of local non-profit organizations that serve low-income or disadvantaged individuals.
- Those non-profit organizations benefit from an immediate reduction in utility costs that continues each year, freeing up more of their funds to be used to serve clients.
- Greenhouse Gas CO2 emissions are reduced due to the energy efficiency of the retrofit projects.
- Donors can make a contribution of any amount, or can donate an amount that offsets their carbon footprint by using our website’s Carbon Calculator.
- Sustainable Tallahassee’s Community Carbon Fund committee manages the donated funds: We solicit project requests, require energy audits, evaluate the carbon reduction impact of project requests, evaluate the utility cost savings of project requests, and leverage the donated funds to accomplish more by arranging for donated materials and taking advantage of local energy rebates.
The Community Carbon Fund, a donor advised fund at Sustainable Tallahassee, Inc., 501(c)(3), breaks new ground in the carbon reduction market. It is a community-based, open-access carbon reduction fund. The Fund offers a structured, highly transparent option for the public to easily play a role in reducing carbon emissions by supporting local community projects that foster positive economic, social and environmental development.
Anyone – individuals, organizations and businesses – can contribute to the Community Carbon Fund to reduce their carbon emissions from personal or business behaviors including traveling, commuting and home/business utilities usage.
As a result of their consumption patterns, Americans annually emit more than 7.5 billion tons of carbon, contributing to a global increase in temperature, rise in sea level and dramatic changes in climate and weather patterns. These effects are cause for concern and action. As more individuals and corporations around the globe are motivated – either by personal passion or regulation – to be better stewards of the environment, reducing carbon emissions has become a viable choice for citizens or businesses to undertake.
The Community Carbon Fund allows donors to “think globally, green locally.” Contributions not only support action steps to reduce carbon emissions in the Tallahassee area, they enhance the economic and social health of the local community. Tallahassee donors can be assured their contributions are making positive change happen in their own backyard.
Everyone benefits. The Community Carbon Fund originated to help combat the harmful impact of carbon emissions in the Tallahassee region and on the environment worldwide, which in the end, has positive, global benefits for all. Locally, many parties benefit. Donors are able to reduce their carbon footprint in a quick, easy, and ethical way. Organizations granted funds use the money to not only sustain their missions but also effectively reach out and help their target audiences. Finally, the Tallahassee area benefits because funds are given directly to projects in the region, stimulating economic development, creating jobs and improving the community’s environmental health.
The ST Community Carbon Fund represents collaboration at its best. Supportive of one mission, the unique partnerships at the Community Carbon Fund work to stimulate economic development through environmental programs and stewardship. The fund concept originated with Sustainable Tallahassee, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit.
Toggle ContentCarbon reduction projects lower the amount of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. These types of projects may be used to counterbalance or compensate for other environmentally harmful emissions activities. To be a legitimate reduction, the project cannot be a “business-as-usual” activity – an activity that would have occurred anyway.
Use the carbon calculator to better understand your carbon footprint and donate enough to offset all or any portion of your carbon footprint.
Donating to the Community Carbon Fund is different than buying conventional ‘carbon offsets’ for several reasons. Contributions to the Fund go to local projects overseen by non-profit organizations throughout the Tallahassee area that would not have happened or would not have happened the same way without this funding. To reduce administrative fees, the Community Carbon Fund has chosen not to certify and retire the carbon emissions reductions that result from the funded projects.
Toggle ContentSince Sustainable Tallahassee, Inc. is a charitable organization under the Internal Revenue Code, section 501c3. Contributions are generally tax-deductible. Contributors should consult their own tax advisor about their specific situation.
All proposed projects will go through a process similar to that of typical grant proposals. An Advisory Committee made up of representatives from the Carbon Fund Steering Committee as well as academics and professionals with relevant expertise will make funding recommendations to be approved by the Sustainable Tallahassee Board of Directors. Projects will be considered based on a range of metrics, including cost per metric ton of CO2 reduced, collateral social and economic benefits, location, track record of the non-profit organization and number of people served.
The ST Community Carbon Fund is committed to making sure that as much of a donation as possible goes directly to projects. In developing and launching the Fund, in-kind contributions of time and expertise have been solicited from partnering organizations whenever possible. More specific information about this will be provided upon the announcement of the Fund’s projects.
The ST Community Carbon Fund’s will work with potential applicants to calculate and validate the expected carbon reduction from each proposed project. These CO2 estimates will follow the best available greenhouse gas accounting principles. All calculations will be made as transparent as possible. In fact, one of the goals of the ST Community Carbon Fund is to equip local non-profit organizations with the tools to accurately calculate the carbon reduction benefits of their projects.