We are applying to the Dundee Climate Fund 3.0 to upgrade the lighting on our indoor football pitches to new, energy-efficient wide beam LED lights. The current lighting system is outdated and highly inefficient, contributing significantly to our rising utility costs, which have quadrupled compared to last year. By transitioning to LED lights, we aim to reduce our energy consumption, lower carbon emissions, and make our facility more cost-effective and environmentally friendly.  Our pitches are available seven days a week for use by community groups, other Dundee charities, para-sports clubs, private organisations, and local schools. One of these schools actually uses our facility as their P.E department as their own in-house facilities are not fit for purpose. We maintain the pitches to the highest standards while keeping hire costs affordable to ensure accessibility for all.

This project aligns with the Dundee Climate Fund’s focus on energy efficiency and sustainability. It directly addresses the Energy category by reducing electricity consumption and improving energy efficiency in a community facility. The upgrade will make our facility more sustainable, while the energy savings will allow us to allocate more resources to our core mission—supporting the local community.

Showcase the Street is a registered charity located in one of the most deprived areas of Scotland. Our facility offers sports, technology, employability training, fashion design, and dance programs accessible to over 3,000 people weekly. We focus on reducing barriers to participation, especially for families experiencing poverty, and ensure that everyone in our community has access to these opportunities, regardless of their financial situation.

The LED lighting upgrade will have a direct positive impact on the running costs of the facility, ensuring we can continue to provide affordable, inclusive programming. It will also serve as a public example of the benefits of energy-efficient upgrades, potentially inspiring other local residents and organisations to adopt similar practices.

The grant will be used to fund a Support Worker and associated activities, to enable Carers of Dundee’s vision and action of what climate change means to them. This proposal will engage with unpaid Carers across Dundee and deliver a project that supports Carers and their families, friends & local community to take part in climate change action. The project will run from 1st May – 31st Oct 2025.

There will be a series of events, outings & workshops with local community organisations, using local green and blue spaces. The project will be delivered in 3 stages:

1. 3 clean-up events over different terrains and environments - Beach, Woodland & River.
2. Art creation - Reduce, Recycle, Reuse –using the waste products to create an art piece.
3. Celebration event - to showcase the full project. Increasing public awareness, engage the wider community.

The workshops will focus on use of renewables, encouraging active travel, reusing resources and thus reducing waste. The outings we propose will ensure the Carers benefit from green space in the city and encourage them to grow in their own home environment which will work towards building increased awareness in the climate change agenda.

In addition to the climate benefits, this 6 month project will alleviate isolation, increase social connectivity within Carers own locality as well as City wide and enhance health & wellbeing which is a detrimental factor for all Carers.

The basis of this project has come directly from Carers who were given the opportunity to explore this topic during research conducted by Dr Kate Miller. Carers felt they were currently not well involved with Climate change largely due to barriers in existing opportunities to get involved. Carers said they would like to take part in something that would benefit the wider community as well as improve their personal health and wellbeing.

“We can begin by doing small things at the local level, like planting community gardens or looking out for our neighbours. That is how change takes place in living systems, not from above but from within, from many local actions occurring simultaneously.” Grace Lee Boggs, American author and activist

Art has the power to help us to imagine and inspires action. We are launching a yearlong project to raise awareness of the climate emergency through the creation of a vibrant greenspace at DCA in partnership with community groups from across Dundee.

We will work with a Lead Artist to facilitate a series of workshops with community partners across the city to develop a welcoming greenspace onsite at DCA, which will be open to all and free to access.

We have established relationships Amina Muslim Women’s Resource Centre, Dundee International Women’s Centre (DIWC), Artangel, Maxwell Centre and Dundee Botanics. Through these partnerships, we will involve a diverse cross-section of people, including families and young people, in the co-design of our green space.

We will reach out to local experts to help shape this project, including Grow Dundee, an incredible network of existing food growing and community gardens, Bonnie Dundee, who maintain planters across the city, and Creative Dundee, who worked on various similar community-led projects.

Environmental benefits of this project include:

• Community Engagement: Local communities will lead the creation of a greenspace, ensuring the space is what their community needs. 
• Enhanced Urban Habitat: Promoting biodiversity and supporting ecosystems.
• Improved Air Quality: Through the planting of trees and plants.
• Emissions Offset: Contributing to carbon sequestration.

Further to this, there is robust evidence that integrating green spaces into urban environments enhances mental and physical health, improves wellbeing and aids relaxation.

The greenspace at DCA will provide a welcoming and safe social space in the centre of Dundee, benefiting DCA staff, visitors and local communities. The greenspace will be used for years to come, serving as the site of future workshops and events.

Join us in creating a welcoming, safe, and sustainable greenspace in the heart of Dundee! Thank you for your support.

Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH) will deliver a year-long programme of environmental projects and activities at Growing Chrysalis, the community garden in the heart of Dawson Park. Our goal is to give individuals and families from across the region the chance to step outside and reconnect with nature.

Our programme will blend environmental awareness with therapeutic gardening to create a space where people can thrive alongside nature. Families will learn how climate change impacts our greenspaces and local wildlife, gain practical skills to help create a more sustainable future, and improve their wellbeing from being outdoors surrounded by nature.

All our activities will be dynamic and inclusive, tailored to meet the diverse needs of everyone who joins. These will include:

• Green Minds Sessions: Weekly garden-based activities focused on gardening, wildlife, and creativity. Each session ends with time to connect socially, building stronger bonds within the community.
• Local Produce Festivals: Celebrate Tayside’s rich agricultural heritage with events highlighting local produce—potatoes, soft fruits, and berries.
• Recycle Fun Days: Family-friendly events promoting sustainability through fun, hands-on activities using recycled materials.
• Grow Your Own Food Workshops: Practical sessions on sourcing and growing local, seasonal food—from foraging to creating your own food forest.
• Saving Local Wildlife: Learn about the impact of climate change on local wildlife and how to protect our precious wildlife with sessions on growing wildflowers for pollinators, building bat boxes, and creating wormery composts.
• Reducing Food Waste: Sustainable cooking sessions using homegrown produce, held in our outdoor kitchen to strengthen healthy eating and social connections.

Kanzen is a registered charitys committed to not only building better lives but also to making a positive impact on the environment. With our new initiative to introduce an electric vehicle, we aim to significantly reduce our carbon footprint and contribute to a greener, more sustainable future. This will help us cut harmful emissions, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and set a strong example for other organisations in the community. It will also support us to remove barriers by providing accesible transport to those who need it. 

As well as reducing our carbon emmissions, an electric vehicle would also help us save money which we can then repurpose back into our charitable activities. 

Kanzen is an award winning charity and we are the current Dundee Social Enterprise of the Year, Dundee Sports Club of the Year and winners of The Courier Business Awards for Community Impact. 

We organised the first carbon neutral martial arts event in Europe and are proud to be an organisation rooted in the community. 

Abertay University Students' Association has been operating Abertaysty since 2019, and in the last academic year we provided 1705.6kgs of food to 1023 users (1.6kg per user on average) .  We currently only offer ambient food, as we do not have space for refrigeration.  However, we are moving to a custom designed space in December of this year and will then be able to widen our offering to students.  We work with Fareshare as our supplier, ensurng that we employ the principles of circular economy.  We would like to use monies from the fund to increase the amount we have available to widen our provision to chilled and frozen foods, to both help the students, and to collaborate on the prevention of food wste. Moving forward we would like to expand the larder to include a not-for-profit refill station, both to widen the offering, but also to encourage students to engage in more sustainble shopping practices.  To this end we would request funding to purchase the equipment needed, and the first purchase of goods to stock the station.

We also use Abertaysty to highlight other sustainable initiatives being promoted by the Association, the university and the wider community, and to provide access to information and guidance on how to live more sustainably.

Forthill Community Sports Club is committed to sustainability and enhancing its facilities to better serve the community. Our proposed solar panel installation, (£22,505 cost), will significantly lower energy costs, allowing us to reinvest savings into sporting programs, outreach, and development. By reducing our carbon footprint, we create a more sustainable future for our members and inspire young athletes to take part in an environmentally conscious sports culture. This initiative strengthens our role as a community hub, promoting both physical well-being and environmental responsibility.

Forthill Community Sports Club is a local hub dedicated to promoting sports and physical activity in the community. Based in Broughty Ferry, Dundee, the club provides facilities for a variety of sports, including cricket, tennis, hockey, squash, rugby and table tennis. It serves a wide range of age groups and skill levels, from beginners to seasoned athletes, and is focused on fostering both sporting excellence and community engagement. In addition to hosting matches and events, Forthill also plays a key role in sports development and outreach, offering programs that encourage active participation, teamwork, and personal growth. The club's inclusive and welcoming environment makes it a vital part of the local sports culture. Our facilities are used by a variety of community groups who are not directly linked to Forthill, and we hope that the financial savings throught this solar project will allow us to open our doors to more groups.

One Parent Families Scotland aim to deliver Climate Action Workshops offering a variety of sessions designed to empower single parents and families in Dundee to reduce their environmental footprint and create a more sustainable future.

Discovering how small changes can make a big difference in daily life through our sustainable living sessions. Learning to save money and reduce waste with our food waste reduction workshops. Discovering tips to save energy and money on utility bills in our energy efficiency sessions. Enjoying fun and educational activities with your children in our family-friendly workshops. Connecting with other like-minded individuals and become a Climate Champion in our community engagement sessions.

By participating in our workshops, single parent families will:

• Gain valuable knowledge and skills.
• Save money on household expenses.
• Help protect the environment for future generations.
• Connect with your community and make a positive impact.

This special initiative will empower young students to connect with the environment through hands-on, food-growing experiences. School children in Eastern Dundee will not only learn the science of planting, growing, and harvesting, but will also develop a deep appreciation for the environment and sustainable living. By running student-led farmers' markets, they’ll gain practical skills in agriculture and business, bringing fresh, healthy produce home to their families. This initiative will also improve school grounds, local greenspaces and biodiversity by buying and planting a diverse school orchard and sustainable vegetable gardens, with the input of the pupils themselves.

This project is more than just teaching children how to grow food—it’s about nurturing the next generation of environmental stewards. Many of these students come from low-income households, and some do not have gardens at home. The school becomes their only opportunity to engage with nature in a meaningful, skills-focused way. By instilling these abilities early, we help cultivate healthier lifestyles and promote self-reliance, all while creating a lasting impact on their communities. The seasonal alignment of Terms 4 and then Term 1 of tha academic years 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 ensures that students experience the full growing cycle, from seed to harvest, making this project a cornerstone for future school-led growing initiatives.

With the support of Dundee Climate Fund, this project will transform the way children view food and sustainability, making their school not just a place of learning but a thriving hub of community-driven resilience and environmental consciousness. These young learners will be equipped to tackle food insecurity and promote healthier futures for generations to come. Our instructors will even show them how to preapre and cook some of their produce on open-fires outdoors! Without this investment, the project simply cannot move forward. 

Dundee Science Centre (DSC) is a lifelong learning resource committed to engaging and empowering our community with science whilst developing their skills. We will deliver a brand-new community engagement programme shining a light on climate change, through play and hands-on learning, to inspire action.  

Discover: We are experiencing a climate emergency. Our planet’s temperature is rising, biodiversity is decreasing and the change in our climate is having a devastating effect on life across the globe. Across Tayside, we have experienced record-breaking heatwaves and extreme flooding - putting our health and homes at risk. It’s important that we come together as a community to support each other and to protect our planet, now and for the future. Participants will discover how this has happened and the impact it will have on life on Earth through engaging demonstrations and hands-on learning.  

Explore: Dundee is at the forefront of climate action and adaption. Guided by the Sustainable Development Goals, we will explore ways in which our city and the surrounding areas can take action to build resilience to climate change and continue to grow in a climate positive way. 

Play: We will bring fun, engaging workshops and play-based activities into community centres and hubs across Dundee, alongside our community partners which include Dundee Bairns, Dundee Stroke and Exercise Group and Abertay Enviromental Science team including Dr Rebecca Wade. Our mission is to facilitate positive experiences with science, empower our community and to encourage them to connect with the natural world, embracing and protecting it for the future. 

Whilst the majority of the project delivery will take the form of in-person workshops throughout the community, we will also upskill community leaders and educators to ensure our work has a lasting legacy and provide resources for community centres to continue building their skills for years to come. Our programme development team utilise research informed learning practises and work closely with the Association of Science and Discovery Centres and the National Environment Reseach Council to bring the latest scientific developments to our audiences in exciting and meaningful ways. 

DSC will participate in community festivals, offering engaging and interactive experiences connected to our Climate Champions initiative. We will also host visits to our centre, where the public can explore sustainability through our award-winning exhibitions, guided by our expert science communicators. 

The environmental benefits of the project will include: 

Awareness Raising: Our team will provide a wide range of examples to establish a deep understanding of the global to local impacts of climate change.  

Community Engagement: We will work closely with a wide range of audiences to develop engaging and impactful workshops that allow them to take ownership over their own learning and apply their skills to help solve issues within their communities.  

Skills Development: Our team will raise the science capital and STEM skillset of participants as well as providing opportunities to improve critical thinking, literacy, numeracy and teamwork in informal settings. These transferrable skills will be beneficial in taking climate action but also in the personal and professional lives of the those involved.  

Climate Action & Adaption: The intended outcome of our work is to have our participants go out and take action in their local area that positively benefits the both the environment and their community.  

No action is too small or insignificant when it comes to creating a better world. Join us as we create Climate Champions across Tayside and play our part in driving meaningful climate action.