RBC announces final wave of 2010 RBC Blue Water Project
Leadership Grant recipients
TORONTO, July 29, 2010— RBC today announced
the last wave of its 2010 RBC Blue Water Project Leadership
Grant recipients. Seven organizations from Canada, the United
States and Trinidad & Tobago will share over $1.2 million.
This is in addition to the $2 million in grants to 22 organizations
announced in June, 2010.
RBC's funding will support a range of projects from wetland
and shoreline restoration to water quality monitoring and
sharing of sustainable water management practices in agricultural
regions. The seven new RBC Blue Water grant recipients are:
CANADA
Wildsight: A grant of $150,000 will enable Wildsight
and the Lake Winnipeg Foundation to launch the Living Lakes
Network Canada, a national network whose mission is to enhance
the protection, restoration and rehabilitation of lakes, wetlands,
rivers, and other water bodies of Canada. This NGO based network
is developed in partnership with Living Lakes International
and Global Nature Fund.
Manitoba Museum: A grant of $200,000 will support
the creation of a Lake Winnipeg Basin Ecosystem Challenge
- the first Canadian virtual simulator that will allow users
to manipulate different real-life variables that impact long-term
sustainable development of the Lake Winnipeg Basin. By balancing
issues such as economic development, environmental protection,
water quality and biodiversity, people will experience how
their personal choices affect the health of one of North America's
largest ecosystems. The Museum has partnered with the International
Institute of Sustainable Development, another RBC Blue Water
Project grant recipient on this initiative.
Mid-Vancouver Island Habitat Enhancement Society:
A grant of $70,000 will help this organization protect the
Englishman River watershed and its rich ecosystem by funding
an assessment of the interaction of ground and surface water.
The findings will be communicated to the public, as well as
to provincial, regional and municipal water managers so they
can make more informed planning decisions.
Forum for Leadership on Water (FLOW): FLOW, a project
of Tides Canada Initiatives, is an independent group of water
leaders and experts from across Canada that promotes solutions
to protect Canada's freshwater resources. RBC's funding of
$300,000 will be used to work with Assembly of First Nations
in scoping a First Nations Water Commission. The Water Commission
will enhance First Nations' capacity to improve their drinking
water systems as well as become more involved in broader,
national water management discussions and decision-making.
RBC will also support a water expert forum in the Northwest
Territories (NWT) to assist in the exchange of water information
and expertise between the North and South. The forum will
help NWT water managers access world-class knowledge to implement
the new territorial water strategy, while sharing innovative
ideas applied by the Northwest Territories broadly across
Canada.
Wildlands League: A grant of $200,000 will help Wildlands
League develop an integrated watershed plan with the Shibogama
Tribal Council, whose five main communities live in the Severn
and Winisk watersheds in the far north of Ontario. These rare,
ecologically significant watersheds remain undammed and unregulated,
and Wildlands League will map them using the best available
data on current and proposed uses. The organization will also
work with the tribal council to develop "first principles"
for watershed stewardship using indigenous knowledge.
UNITED STATES
Ocean Foundation: A grant of US$250,000 will help this
organization produce interactive, educational modules about
local watersheds for visitors to the Expedition Blue Planet
tour, featuring Alexandra Cousteau and her Blue Legacy team.
Over five months, the team will travel across North America
in a custom biodiesel bus to film significant global water
issues and conduct community "watershed action"
days along the way. The tour itself, sponsored by RBC and
produced in partnership with the National Geographical Society's
Freshwater Initiative (also funded by the RBC Blue Water Project),
will travel 23,000 kilometres and its content will be delivered
through online, live events, media, classroom programs and
television.
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
University of West Indies: A grant of US$60,000 will help
the University's Institute of Gender and Development Studies/Women
Gender Water Network, of St. Augustine Campus partner with
the Institute for Public Health and Water Research to offer
a vacation camp for more than 90 children, aged 8-12 in Matelot,
Biche and Icacos, three rural communities recently affected
by school closures caused by water scarcity. The camp will
be an interactive and fun environment to learn about all aspects
of water - sources of water, the sustainable use of water
and water management, hygiene and sanitation.
RBC is recognized among the world's financial, social and
environmental leaders and is listed on the 2009-2010 Dow Jones
Sustainability World Index and the DJSI North American Index.
RBC has been named one of Canada's Greenest Employers, one
of Canada's Best Diversity Employers, one of Canada's 50 Most
Socially Responsible Corporations and one of the Best Workplaces
in Canada. In 2009, RBC contributed more than $105 million
to community causes worldwide, through donations of more than
$52.6 million, and an additional $52.5 million in sponsorship
of community events and national organizations.
The RBC Blue Water Project is a 10-year, $50 million philanthropic
commitment to supporting organizations that protect watersheds
and ensure access to clean drinking water in Canada and abroad.
Since 2007, RBC has committed more than $25 million in single
and multi-year grants to 292 organizations, including the
seven announced today.
Applications for the 2011 RBC Blue Water Project Leadership
Grants are due in March 2011. Applications for Community Action
Grants are accepted year-round. For more information on the
RBC Blue Water Project, as well as grant guidelines and application
forms, visit www.rbc.com/bluewater.
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Media contact:
Jackie Braden, Brand Communications, (416) 974-1724,
jackie.braden@rbc.com
Note: Financial references in Canadian dollars unless otherwise
indicated.
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