North American Partnership for Environmental Community Action (NAPECA)

For this grant cycle, the CEC is calling for proposals from organizations to support projects that will help North American communities implement circular economy initiatives and strategies to improve local well-being and the environment.

Circularity is about re-thinking how we extract resources, how we design and make products, how we distribute them, how we use them, how we reuse, share, repair, repurpose, and recycle them, and how we replenish our natural capital by carefully balancing the three dimensions of sustainability (environmental, social and economic).

Thus, circular economy (CE) systems can contribute to addressing environmental challenges at the local level, as well as impacting the North American region and beyond, by reducing extraction and retaining and recovering as much value as possible from resources. CE has the potential to improve the environment (prevention of pollution, protection of biodiversity, supporting resilience/adaptation) and the economy (through job creation, innovation and competitiveness, affordability and cost saving)—hence, considering the well-being of all community members. Public participation is crucial to the implementation of CE solutions in an inclusive and sustainable manner.

Potential projects supported under this grant cycle must propose CE initiatives or strategies to be implemented at the community level. For example: finding innovative ways of collecting and reusing plastics found in waterbodies and other natural environments; repurposing of municipal, industrial, agricultural or construction waste at the highest value possible; developing zero waste strategies or plans to reduce or eliminate single-use items; forming food recovery networks; implementing community action to share, reuse or repair— like creating community repair cafés or sharing hubs; establishing circular procurement frameworks; designing CE roadmaps; supporting innovation and the design and commercialization of circular products; and building communities of practice. The type of project activities put forward may include, but are not limited to, carrying out community awareness campaigns or educational programs, creating information resources, sharing best practices, training and capacity building, networking and implementing pilot projects.See the Call for Proposals for more information about the eligibility and selection criteria. 

Eligible applicants are tribal nations, Indigenous Peoples and communities, entities which are incorporated as nonprofit organizations, and academia in Canada, Mexico, or the United States.

• Indigenous governments, councils and organizations;
• Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), environmental groups and community-based associations; and
• Universities, academic and public research institutions.