Better Business Challenge Mini-Grants are Back

As part of the 2020 Better Business Challenge, the Community Climate Collaborative is excited to once again partner with the City of Charlottesville’s Economic Development Office to offer Mini-Grants to income-qualifying business owners to implement energy savings projects (or other sustainability-related work). These mini-grants are designed to enable participating City businesses to implement sustainability initiatives that both save money and reduce environmental impact in ways that may not be otherwise possible. 

Last year, four local business owners received $1,500 in funds to complete energy efficiency actions through the Mini-Grant program. This year we are excited to double those funds!

LG’s Elixir 

LG’s Elixir received funds to purchase an Energy Star portable dishwasher, allowing staff to reuse glass bottles that customers bring in to recycle and save water by eliminating handwashing.

Lesly Gourdet of LG’s Elixir wanted to “keep bottles out of the landfill and put them to use!” C3 worked with him on incentivizing customers to return their used glass bottles; in turn, he used the dishwasher to expedite the process of getting them back into use.

He advises future applicants to think about the Mini-Grant as an opportunity to give back while also growing their businesses. LG’s Elixir used its Mini-Grant to prevent waste, conserve water, and spread the word about sustainability to its customer base. C3 commends LG’s Elixir for its great work, and hopes the Mini-Grant will inspire more actions like these in even more businesses!

Other Mini-Grant Projects

Pie Guy received funds to revamp their lighting system by replacing fluorescent tubes with more efficient LEDs, as well as converting their hood ventilation switch as per a recommendation from their LEAP Energy Assessment.

Sealed with a Kiss received funds to purchase and install LED lighting, which reduce utility costs by 10% for the salon.

Jackson II successfully worked with their landlord to replace inefficient fluorescents with LEDs.

How to Apply

C3 welcomes funding requests for a wide variety of sustainability actions, no matter the structure or priorities of your organization. Whether you want to purchase one large piece of efficient equipment, or undergo many small changes to overhaul your disposal system, no action is too small, too large, or too out-of-the-box if it results in a local businesses reducing costs and improving environmental impact.

The first step is to fill out the Mini-Grant application.  If you do not have access to a printer, please pick up a paper copy at our office located at 306 East Jefferson Street Suite B in downtown Charlottesville. Awards will be determined by the application and the project’s economic and environmental impact. 

All applications must be sent to Claire Habel, Commercial Program Manager via phone at 434-202-7993, email (claire@theclimatecollaborative.org) or mail by March 31, 2020, and selected businesses should receive notification by June 2020. See below for contact information.

We thank the City of Charlottesville’s Economic Development Office for supporting this program. We’re thrilled to offer the opportunity for sustainability to even more local businesses!