Project Green launched Community Greening Grant, a €10 million grant scheme, giving communities in Malta and Gozo the opportunity to create and enrich green open spaces in their localities.
Community Greening Grant was announced by the Minister for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli, Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds Chris Bonett and Project Green CEO Steve Ellul.
Through this scheme, local councils, NGOs, schools, and other organisations will receive financial assistance to create greener spaces in their community. Project Green will be receiving applications for this grant and will guide eligible projects to benefit from European Funds. Additionally, Project Green will provide technical assistance, to further encourage organisations to apply.
This scheme will incentivise the creation of new green spaces, giving the community and nearby residents a new lease of life in their neighbourhoods. The scheme encourages the identification of sites which have fallen in disrepair, or which can be opened to the public. The scheme will also address issues related to water management faced by the community within their public spaces, to harvest rainwater for irrigation and cleaning, and to mitigate flooding risks
“This is one of the biggest environmental schemes for environmental projects in the community ever launched in our country. We are injecting a €10 million direct investment in our communities to implement the green projects that they have always aspired for. This scheme aims to encourage quality and innovation. We want the people to reap the greatest rate of return possible on this investment,” explained Minister Miriam Dalli.
Parliamentary Secretary Chris Bonett said that the government is committed to channel EU funds to support Project Green, as it implements projects that continue to improve our country.
“The environment is our priority, and we are determined to utilise the new EU funds programme to invest in projects that improve our environment and create more green spaces for our families,” said Chris Bonett.
Project Green CEO Steve Ellul explained how the agency will provide technical support before and during project implementation, while funding 90% of the project costs through the Community Greening Grant.
“We are aware that when it comes to such grant applications, applicants face complications and bureaucracy. Therefore, we prepared clear and simple guidelines and conditions. We will truly be investing people’s money for the people,” said Mr Ellul.
As part of the application process, applicants need to submit a 10-year maintenance plan, so that beneficiaries will implement the project and then oversee the maintenance of the area. More information can be found on: https://project.green.
Project Green tniedi Community Greening Grant: €10 miljun biex il-komunitajiet iħaddru spazji miftuħa
Permezz ta’ skema mħabbra mill-aġenzija Project Green, komunitajiet f’Malta u Għawdex se jingħataw l-opportunità li jħaddru spazji fil-lokalitajiet tagħhom, b’investiment totali ta’ €10 miljun.
L-iskema “Community Greening Grant” ġiet varata mill-Ministru għall-Ambjent, l-Enerġija u l-Intrapriża Miriam Dalli, is-Segretarju Parlamentari għall-Fondi Ewropej Chris Bonett u l-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ Project Green, Steve Ellul.
Permezz ta’ din l-iskema, kunsilli lokali, għaqdiet mhux governattivi, skejjel u organizzazzjonijiet oħrajn se jingħataw għajnuna finanzjarja biex isebbħu l-komunitajiet tagħhom. Project Green se tkun qed tilqa’ dawn l-applikazzjonijiet u tiggwida wkoll dawk il-proġetti li jkunu eliġibbli għall-Fondi Ewropej. Barra minn hekk, Project Green se toffri assistenza lil dawk li jkollhom bżonn għajnuna teknika, biex b’hekk tħeġġeġ aktar organizzazzjonijiet japplikaw.
Din l-iskema se tkun qed tinċentiva l-ħolqien ta’ spazji ħodor ġodda, li jagħtu nifs ġdid lill-komunità u r-residenti li jgħixu fil-madwar. L-iskema tħeġġeġ l-identifikazzjoni ta’ siti li maż-żmien sfaw mitluqa, jew li jistgħu jinfetħu għall-pubbliku. Din l-iskema se tkun qed tindirizza wkoll problemi relatati mal-immaniġġjar tal-ilma li jiffaċċjaw komunitajiet fl-ispazji pubbliċi tagħhom. Dan biex jaħżnu aktar ilma tax-xita għat-tisqija u t-tindif, filwaqt li jnaqqsu r-riskju ta’ għargħar.
“Din hija waħda mill-akbar skemi ta’ fondi għal proġetti ambjentali fil-komunità li qatt kellna f’pajjiżna. Qed nagħtu €10 miljuni direttament lill-komunitajiet tagħna biex iwettqu l-proġetti ambjentali li dejjem xtaqu li jkollhom fil-lokalitajiet tagħhom. L-iskema hija mmirata li tħeġġeġ l-innovazzjoni u l-kwalita; irridu li l-poplu jieħu lura l-akbar rate of return possibbli mill-fondi li ser ninvestu,” spjegat il-Ministru Miriam Dalli.
Is-Segretarju Parlamentari Chris Bonett qal li l-gvern kommess li permezz tal-fondi Ewropej, Project Green tkun tista’ twettaq proġetti li jkomplu jsebbħu pajjiżna.
“L-ambjent huwa prijorità għalina u determinati li mill-programm il-ġdid ta’ fondi Ewropej ninvestu dawn il-flus f’investimenti u proġetti biex insebbħu l-ambjent tagħna u noħolqu aktar spazji ħodor għat-tgawdija tal-familji tagħna,” qal Chris Bonett.
Il-Kap Eżekuttiv Steve Ellul spjega kif Project Green se tkun qegħda mhux biss tipprovdi sapport tekniku qabel u waqt l-implimentazzjoni ta’ dawn il-proġetti iżda permezz tal-Community Greening Grant se tkun qed tiffinanzja 90% tal-ispejjeż kollha ta’ dawn il-proġetti.
“Konxji mill-komplikazzjonijiet u burokrazija żejda li jiffaċċjaw numru ta’ applikanti għall-għotjiet bħal dawn. B’hekk ħejjejna linji gwida u kundizzjonijiet li huma ċari u sempliċi ħafna. Bil-fatti se nkunu qegħdin ninvestu flus in-nies fin-nies,” qal is-Sur Ellul.
Bħala parti mill-applikazzjoni, se jintalab pjan ta’ manutenzjoni li jkopri 10 snin, bil-għan li dawk li jibbenefikaw mill-iskema mhux biss jagħmlu l-proġett, imma jieħdu ħsieb il-manteniment taż-żona wkoll. Aktar informazzjoni tinkiseb minn: https://project.green.