The Chicago Sustainability Challenge is now closed for applications. Our $70,000 challenge, in partnership with Microsoft, is dedicated to helping you build thriving and sustainable communities across Chicago.
Organize a Walking School Bus in your local area for a healthier, more fun way for kids to get to and from school.
Start growing food at home and share the joy of growing food with others.
Start recycling right with standardized recycling labels for your school that will help you to improve recycling and save your school money.
Promote pollinator health on your farm and receive recognition and consumer support for it.
Organize a free meeting place in your community to repair things instead of throwing them away.
Organize a river cleanup in your community or workplace and help to keep the Chicago River litter free.
Get hands-on education and support to plant trees in your neighborhood with your neighbors.
Start a community fridge in your community to share good food that would otherwise go to waste.
Use school grounds to develop a sense of place and connection to the environment for urban dwellers.
Start a grassroots campaign to reduce and eliminate wasteful plastic straws from our communities.
Organise an Open Orchard to bring people together, provide free fruit to local residents and green our urban environments.
Invite pollinators to your neighborhood by planting a pollinator friendly habitat in your garden, farm, school, park or just about anywhere!
The Chicago Sustainability Challenge is an opportunity for communities to come together to create a more environmentally sustainable future. We’re excited to support local action across Chicago and to see the collective impact we can have in building healthier, more sustainable communities.
