Fanwood 'Green Team' Awarded $5K Sustainable Jersey Grant

Sustainable Jersey representatives announced this week that Fanwood has been awarded a $5,521 Sustainable Jersey Small Grant. The borough is one of just fifteen municipalities in the state to apply to receive a Sustainable Jersey Small Grant at the $10,000 level. 

“I am gratified that the Borough of Fanwood has been selected to receive 2013 funds from the Sustainable New Jersey Program," said Mayor Colleen Mahr. "In an era of diminishing state funding, it is difficult to fund quality of life programs. Because of Sustainable New Jersey we have established a volunteer 'Green Team.'" 

Mahr says the Green Team has been successful in raising community awareness about direct actions we can all take to improve the environment, to live healthier lives and to husband our local natural resources. 

"This new round of funding will help build on past efforts, institutionalize some of the successful past programs and hopefully take the borough to the next level of 'silver' certification," said Mahr. "The Fanwood Green Team is determined to make a difference in Fanwood and this new grant is a welcome boost to their efforts."

The 2013 Sustainable Jersey Small Grants Program funded by the Walmart is providing $380,000 in grants to local governments for sustainability projects. The winners of the grants have 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.

A core element of the Sustainable Jersey program is to direct funding and resources to municipalities to aid them in making progress. Currently, 70 percent of New Jersey’s towns and cities (398 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.”  

2013 Recipients of $10,000 Sustainable Jersey Project Grants

1.     Boonton Township:                   Natural Resource Inventory

2.     Byram Township:                  Conservation Easements Commitment 

3.     Fanwood Borough:                  Sustainability Community Education and Outreach Initiative ($5,521)

4.     Fort Lee Borough:                  Community Garden

5.     Haddonfield Borough:          Green Building and Sustainability Master Plan Element

6.     Hamilton:                           Rain Garden Demonstration  & Water Conservation Education Program

7.     Lambertville:                  Turning Food Scraps and Biological Wastes into Green Power

8.     Middletown Township:         Grazing Goats for Poricy Park

9.     Milltown Borough:                   Sustainable Education Program

10.  Montgomery Township:          Bicycle Safety - Pilot Program

11.  Mount Olive Township:          Conservation Easement Preservation Management

12.  Nutley Township:                  Water Conservation Challenge

13.  Raritan Township:                  24/7 Accessible EV Charging Station Installation

14.  Stratford:                            School & Community Environmental Education Project

15.  Summit:                            Summit Free Market Permanent Structure