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Grants for Green ConstructionBy Zack
Verde When it comes to new construction techniques, grants are often
a way to cut costs. Federal grants for green construction are plentiful with billions
literally available. A federal grant is an award of financial assistance
from a Federal agency. It is intended to carry out a public purpose or support
or stimulate a purpose that is authorized by a law of the United States. Federal
grants can be found and applied for electronically. The site Grants.gov is the
central clearing house for Federal Grants. There are twenty six different
agencies that offer over 1,000 grant programs. The grants that apply to green
construction are mostly offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The total amount of grants available exceeds $400 billion dollars. The grants
offered by the feds fall into twenty one categories. The categories that have
the most impact on green construction are Energy, Environmental Quality, and Health. Most
of the grants are directed toward specific geographical areas. Some of the major
concerns of the grants include water quality improvement and the prevention of
urban storm water runoff. Many of the grants are connected with the Leeds certification
program. Leeds stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is
a program that is run by the United States Green Building Council and it establishes
green construction standards and awards certificates to those that maintain these
standards. Although there are federal grants available, it is on the state
and local level that the large majority of grants can be found. The green movement
is a grassroots type of thing that appears to be strongest at the local level.
Environmental concerns are often very local, and the problems that have been caused
by the neglect of the environment are local as well. The pollution of waterways
is a good example of this. grant programs exist that are directed at the Great
Lakes or at Puget Sound, for example. States that are bordering these waterways
usually offers these grants. The idea of environmental impact areas has led to
the localities that border or are inside the impact area being the best source
of funds for projects that will address the problems. Private foundations
like the Kresage Foundation are among the best sources of green construction grants.
The Kresage Foundation has been offering grants under their Green Building Initiative
Program. It is specifically geared toward the area of planning and design. While
it is true that State, local, and private foundations are the major sources of
grants that can be considered pure green building, the federal government is also
a source. Research is the key to finding a grant for your project, so take the
time to explore the various options mentioned above. About the AuthorZack
Verde is with GreenBuildingCompanies.com - providing green
building articles. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Zack_Verde
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