<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)"> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State" downloadurl="http://www.5iamas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place" downloadurl="http://www.5iantlavalamp.com/"/>  <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1> <img width=322 height=41 id="_x0000_i1026" src="cid:image001.jpg@01C6D79D.98C7DC30"><o:p></o:p> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State style="BACKGROUND-POSITION: left bottom; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: url(res://ietag.dll/#34/#1001); BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat-x" tabIndex="0" w:st="on">Ontario</st1:State></st1:place>’s Conservation Movement<o:p></o:p> To subscribe or unsubscribe to this listserve, go to <a href="http://www.weconserve.ca/" title="http://www.weconserve.ca/">www.weconserve.ca</a><o:p></o:p> <h2><o:p> </o:p></h2> <h2>ACT NOW – A Unique Community Funding <st1:place w:st="on">Opportunity</st1:place><o:p></o:p></h2> September 13, 2006 <o:p></o:p> The Ministry of Energy has announced a $750,000 Community Conservation Initiatives fund for community outreach activities to be carried out in this fiscal year (ending March 31st 2007).  The program is designed to enhance existing activities or support quick start projects.<o:p></o:p> Here are the files you need to apply: <a href="http://weconserve.ca/cciguide.doc" target="_blank">guide</a>, <a href="http://weconserve.ca/cciapplication.doc" target="_blank">application</a>, and <a href="http://weconserve.ca/ccibudget.doc" target="_blank">budget</a>.  The deadline is October 13 for applications.<o:p></o:p> Here’s what I propose we all do: Take the Lighten Up campaign and spread it door-to-door, in schools, and through groups that can reach special audiences.  If you are interested, and can reach a particular community or audience with a small project grant of between $15,000 and $30,000, please send me an initial expression of interest.<o:p></o:p> I will discuss with Ministry staff whether they would prefer to see individual applications or a single application where the Conservation Council would subcontract with each of you individually.<o:p></o:p> Through Lighten Up, and with funding support from The Beer Store, we will provide campaign posters with your logo included, pledge booklets, a mini questionnaire or audit for homes and apartments and promotional material.  We will also provide media support, incuding PSAs and media releases around Christmas and New Years.  And we will work with municipal partners (such as the <a href="http://www.town.oakville.on.ca/environment.htm" target="_blank">Town of Oakville</a>) and retail partners (TBA) to develop additional avenues for promoting the campaign..<o:p></o:p> Your task is to contact people directly, help them with the easy steps, and encourage them to make a commitment to work on reducing their electrical consumption over the next year.  This can be done through door-to-door contact, working with local schools, membership challenges, and/or community events, or whatever neat ideas you can come up with.<o:p></o:p> And if you are a province-wide organization with a specific program, how can you integrate and support the Lighten Up message?<o:p></o:p> Remember the Survey Monkey poll we did back in April?  Well it turns out that the 143 groups (big and small) that filled in the survey can reach over 800,000 people through their membership, over 200,000 via door-to-door contact, and over 50 million through media campaigns.  Each has a particular audience and skill, but taken together we have a pretty strong outreach potential.  (You can view the results at  <a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/Report.asp?U=193984390162">http://www.surveymonkey.com/Report.asp?U=193984390162</a>, or fill in the survey at <a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=841761939843">http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=841761939843</a><o:p></o:p> So what do you think?  If we work together, we can use a good portion of the ministry’s community fund to demonstrate the potential of a united community-based outreach campaign.  Post your thoughts and send me <a href="mailto:cco@web.ca?subject=Lighten%20Up%20proposal">e-mails</a> with your ideas <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <img border=0 width=131 height=96 id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image002.jpg@01C6D79D.98C7DC30" align=baseline> <a href="http://www.lightenupontario.ca">www.lightenupontario.ca</a> <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> </div> </body> </html>