About Us
Carmel Green Teen Micro-Grant Program
Created, developed, and administered by teens, this nonprofit program empowers young people to take action by funding youth-driven projects that reduce pollution, conserve natural resources, and/or save energy. The goal of the Carmel Green Teen Micro-Grant Program is to challenge area youth to use their skills, creativity and energy to help make Carmel / Clay Township in Indiana a greener, more sustainable community.
In 2009, the makers of Green Works natural cleaners created the Green Heroes program to identify and fund five eco-friendly community projects across the country. Through this program, the local youth group Carmel Area Roots & Shoots was awarded $10,000 to fund its eco-friendly project called the Carmel Green Teen Micro-Grant Program. Although this initial funding was exhausted in 2011, the City of Carmel and Carmel Utilities have partnered with us to support the program, allowing us to continue to educate the Carmel community and empower our youth. Almost 95% of our budget goes directly to funding the environmental youth projects.
Thus far, the Carmel Green Teen Micro-Grant Program has funded 37 hands-on, youth-driven green projects to help make Carmel / Clay Township a greener, more sustainable community. Together, these funded projects have:
For these clear impacts and for its impact on young people and other citizens around Carmel, the program and its board members have been honored with several awards, including:
Because of the program's success, we have created this grant package in hopes of spreading the impacts, both on the environment and on young people, of this program, helping make new communities greener, one youth project at a time.
In 2009, the makers of Green Works natural cleaners created the Green Heroes program to identify and fund five eco-friendly community projects across the country. Through this program, the local youth group Carmel Area Roots & Shoots was awarded $10,000 to fund its eco-friendly project called the Carmel Green Teen Micro-Grant Program. Although this initial funding was exhausted in 2011, the City of Carmel and Carmel Utilities have partnered with us to support the program, allowing us to continue to educate the Carmel community and empower our youth. Almost 95% of our budget goes directly to funding the environmental youth projects.
Thus far, the Carmel Green Teen Micro-Grant Program has funded 37 hands-on, youth-driven green projects to help make Carmel / Clay Township a greener, more sustainable community. Together, these funded projects have:
- Reduced carbon dioxide emissions by over 225 tons annually
- Provided Carmel residents with over $120,000 in benefits yearly
- Directly involved more than 600 young people, ages 5-19
- Had the opportunity to benefit virtually all individuals in the city
- Planted over 2900 trees
- Facilitated the recycling of about 27 tons each year
- Reduced water waste by well over 356,720 gallons annually
For these clear impacts and for its impact on young people and other citizens around Carmel, the program and its board members have been honored with several awards, including:
- White House Youth Sustainability Challenge (2012)
- Carmel Chamber of Commerce Images of Excellence Green Award (2011)
- Indiana Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence in Education and Outreach (2011)
- Jane Goodall's Global Leadership Award (2011)
- Indiana Heroes Award (2010)
- EPA's President's Environmental Youth Award (2009 Regional Runner-Up)
Because of the program's success, we have created this grant package in hopes of spreading the impacts, both on the environment and on young people, of this program, helping make new communities greener, one youth project at a time.