Frequently Asked Questions for FCM's 2024 Sustainable Communities Awards

What’s in it for me?

• Recognition from your peers, your community and the national media for your municipality’s accomplishments in sustainable development.
• The opportunity to showcase and present your initiative at FCM's 2025 Sustainable Communities Conference (details coming soon).
• Individual coaching and support to help you develop a TED Talk-style presentation that will be recorded at the conference and shared through FCM’s channels.
• Showcase your sustainability initiative as a scalable model that other communities can learn from.
• Receive a digital award badge to share on your website and social pages.

FCM will cover the cost of conference registration and certain travel-related costs for award winners who are travelling outside of their region (for an in-person event). This subsidy is awarded based on need. Contact us to see if you are eligible.

I’m from a small municipality. Why should I apply?

We encourage communities of all sizes from across the country to apply for the awards. We recognize that innovation can mean different things in different contexts and that the most inspiring and creative ideas don’t have to come from those who have the most resources to invest. Our judges will consider the benefits of your initiative to your local community and the overall quality of your application.

A group of small municipalities in the Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine region won the 2022 Sustainable Communities Award (SCA) in the climate change category for developing a transportation project that reduces GHG emissions and provides more equitable options.

How do I apply for an award?

The application process for the SCAs takes place entirely online. When you are ready to submit an application, simply select “click here to access the submission forms” at the bottom of the SCA home page to be directed to our online application form. Here, you can enter answers to the questions on the form and upload relevant files and photos.

Please submit your completed application by June 28, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. EDT to be considered for the awards.       

If we require any additional information about your application, we will contact you directly.

How do I know if I am eligible?

All Canadian municipalities and their partners are eligible to apply for an SCA. Please note that consultants and other partners may apply on behalf of their partner municipality but must indicate at least one team member who works at the municipality.

You should also be able to comfortably answer questions about:

• The environmental, social and economic benefits of your initiative.
• Lessons learned and/or challenges.
• How you measure or evaluate the success of your initiative.
• The need that your initiative addresses in your communities.

If you have questions about your eligibility to apply or if you are unsure about which category to apply for, please contact the FCM awards team.

What additional information will I need to apply?

In addition to answering the questions in the application form, you’ll need:

• A signed letter of support from your mayor, council or a senior municipal staff person. Email us at awards@fcm.ca to request a sample letter to help you prepare for your application.
• A photo that FCM can use to promote your initiative (JPEG/PNG/PDF). Be sure to provide the best-quality photo available to you and indicate a photo credit.
• Up to three additional reports, documents, forms or other attachments that you feel help describe your initiative or support your application.
• (Optional) If your initiative received funding from the Green Municipal Fund (GMF), Municipalities for Climate Innovation Program (MCIP) or Municipal Asset Management Program (MAMP), you may provide the project number and title of the initiative.

When will I find out if my project won?

Applications for the SCAs close June 28, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Judging takes place in July and August, with winners being contacted in September 2024. 

All applicants will receive an email confirming their application was received. Then, before the end of September 2024, applicants will be notified about whether their initiative was selected for an award or not.

How are the award winners selected?

Applications are reviewed by a panel of judges, which includes sector experts and FCM board members. Our judges are highly experienced in their fields and many are or were peer reviewers for GMF.

For more information about our judges, view the judges’ page.

I still have questions. Where can I get some extra help or find out more?

We have prepared two videos to help answer your questions:

Devin LaFleche shares his experience as an applicant and winner of SCA 2020

Read the transcript

How to make your application stand out, by Yves Hennekens (judge for the SCAs)

Read the transcript

Please contact us if you have any other questions: awards@fcm.ca