Solutions FNZ logo

Impact & Reports

Looking for something else?
Curriculum Sub-Program Logo
Funding Sub-Program Logo

Since 2023

2 125

$334,100

awarded across 31 youth-led emissions reduction projects

3 67

684

students and teachers directly involved in project implementation

4 55

8,400+

community members engaged indirectly with the projects during implementation

5 112

65%

of projects supported are from rural, remote, and Indigenous communities

To learn more about these impactful projects, head over to the Solutions Stories library.

Reports

Pilot Years (2023-2025) Impact Report

2024 Report English

This report is a reflection on the grantee communities we worked with in Cycle 2 and the broader quantitative impact this program has had over its first two years.

Read this report if you want a quick snapshot of the impact data from the first two years of the program.

Cycle 2 Applicant Report

2024 Report English

This report is a brief analysis of the applications we received in Cycle 2. It tells the story of the ambitious visions that were shared with us, the appetite for change across Canada, and the communities willing to lead it.

Read this report if:

  • You work in grant-making and want to know how to prioritize certain communities and build a stronger pool of applicants
  • You work in education and want to see what the competition and evaluation process is like for project-based education grants
  • You work in the climate sector in communications, organizing, education, or program implementation and want to see what kinds of understanding and ideas Canadian students and educators have of “emissions reduction"

2023-2024 Impact Report

2024 Report English
2024 Rapport French

This was our inaugural year of the program, and this report is a very comprehensive deep-dive into our program development roadmap. We cover the who, what, why, and how behind building this program from scratch and why we made the choices we did along the way. This also includes quantitative and qualitative impact data from Cycle 1 of funding.

Read this report if:

  • You build grant-making programs and want to learn more about our approaches to trust-based philanthropy and how to reach and engage with potential applicants
  • You work in environmental education and want to know what gaps we identified across the sector
  • You work in philanthropy and want to learn about the impact of funding project-based learning
  • You work in climate infrastructure, emissions reduction, and/or green buildings and want to learn more about the interests and opportunities in K-12 schools
  • You work for a school board or are a member of government at any level and want to learn more about how to create programs to increase community engagement with emissions reduction and energy savings

“As an educator passionate about project-based learning and climate education, participating in the N:OW for Net-Zero program has been a transformative experience. It has empowered my students to engage meaningfully with sustainability issues, providing them with the tools to think critically, innovate, and take action for a greener future. So, having your help adds another piece to our puzzle, making our green projects a sustainable green initiative. It makes it more possible. "

 

François LeBlanc, Teacher Lead (2024)

“Our greenhouse project with N:OW for Net-Zero has been wonderful. It has been so fun for me and my classmates to learn about greenhouses and why we have built one. Working in the garden has been the highlight of my last year at Alert Bay Elementary, and I am so grateful to have spearheaded this project.”

Evan Byers, Student Lead (2025)

“I am so glad that we had the opportunity to go through the process and that our students were able to see the concrete results of their efforts take shape. Because of the effort of a handful of students, we managed to reduce the footprint of the entire sector, and one of those students had the opportunity last summer to go to champion the environment and project-based learning to more than 300 adults at an education conference! These were experiences that would not have come about without N:OW for Net-Zero.”

 

William Duncan, Teacher Lead (2024)

“Working with the Net-Zero program has further inspired me to live with the climate in mind, to grow my own produce, and has given me the knowledge on how to do so. It was so cool to find another way to garden without soil, and relying solely on water and nutrients. Instructions were clear throughout the project, and it was so exciting to see the vision for the project we had come to life.”

 

Sierra Tully, Student Lead (2025)

“The N:OW for Net Zero Program provided our school with the opportunity to grow local foods, educate a community, and inspire the next generation to rethink sustainable food production. The technical and interpersonal skills that the students garnered from the project will be invaluable in their future careers and lives.”

 

Ryan Morgan, Teacher Lead (2024)

“Working with N:OW for Net-Zero made executing my project much easier than it would have been without them. As a person who is new to leading environmental action projects, N4NZ’s guidance with the planning and documentation process was invaluable. Furthermore, they were always available and flexible when it came to my project's needs. All in all, working with the N4NZ program was amazing and I will always be more than happy to collaborate with them again!”

Josh Mullen, Student Lead (2025)

“N:OW for Net-Zero has been such an uplifting and easy-to-work-with program. Not only do they make funding readily available, but the team is there to work with you every step of the way. When I didn't know where to get resources or contractors, the team would help me find contacts. From start to end, the support I received was second to none.”

Mike Idzenga, Teacher Lead (2024)

“When first starting off with this grant, I truly didn’t have an understanding of net-zero operations. The one thing that caught my attention was the project based learning. It opens doors for many students to grasp outside of school concepts, whether that is building or managing a project. The way that N:OW for Net-Zero goes about running these projects helps everything run a lot smoother too! The constant resources they provide allow you to just focus and succeed on what you are asked of. Truly great experience.”

 

Allison Biggs, Student Lead (2025)

“The N:OW for Net-Zero Program is a fantastic program that can be easily implemented into a science course curriculum. Having it be made into a student project helped them have agency over the program. Their willingness to help was invaluable considering the time we have as teachers. I would work with them again in the future.”

 

Sebastien Smith, Teacher Lead (2024)

“Without Net-Zero and their team seeing our vision and acknowledging our passion for sustainable education, this project would not have been possible. Big projects like these just aren't possible on rural school budgets alone, so we really do appreciate being chosen for funding. Thank You!”

William Duncan, Teacher Lead (2024)

“N:OW for Net- Zero funding was the essential component to do our Housing Unit. The project idea was several years old, but the timing of the funding fit perfectly with how our school could move to implementation. The program staff were helpful in targeting how best the funds could be used. The success of the project has lead to new projects for 2024-25.”

 

Peter Menzies, Teacher Lead (2024)

"The support that we received from the N:OW for Net-Zero program was remarkable! The team members shared the same level of passion for our project as we did and went above and beyond with the variety of ways that they offered to support us from a distance. We are so grateful for the generous funding that allowed our school to purchase a hydroponic growing tower and the opportunity to collaborate with the N:OW for Net-Zero team this year!"

Dakota de Caux, Principal (2025)