Finding new ways to reduce your carbon footprint and help make your neighbourhood more sustainable can be difficult, but it's a heck of a lot easier when you have an extra $25,000 in your pocket. 

Luckily, the city of Toronto is now accepting applications for its waste reduction community grants.

"Grants of up to $25,000 are available to support innovative community-based projects that reduce residential waste and increase participation in the City's waste diversion programs such as Blue Bin recycling and Green Bin organics," reads a press release from the city.

Grants of up to $25,000 are available to support innovative community projects that reduce residential waste & increase participation in the #CityofTO's waste diversion programs. Details in this news release:https://t.co/z0aBjDShm5

— City of Toronto (@cityoftoronto) January 22, 2020

Toronto launched the Waste Reduction Community Grants program back in 2018.

Since then, more than $188,000 in funding has been awarded to Toronto residents for different initiatives.

The program is part of the city’s Long Term Waste Management Strategy, "which identifies the need to support community, grassroots initiatives that reduce or divert waste from landfill."

According to the city, the program also supports the TransformTO climate action strategy and targets for greenhouse gas reduction.

The city's release states that ideas that promote waste reduction in apartment buildings and condominiums, involve multilingual communities, equity-seeking groups or Neighbourhood Improvement Areas will be prioritized for funding. 

In order to apply for one of the waste reduction community grants, groups must either be an incorporated non-profit organization or partnered with one. 

Resident/tenant/neighbourhood associations, condominium and apartment boards, business associations, service clubs, community organizations, registered charitable organizations, environmental organizations and school groups/clubs/councils are all examples of eligible groups.

"Sending less waste to landfill should be a priority for us all," said Councillor James Pasternak, Chair of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee, in a statement.

"Toronto residents have always been both creative and innovative and therefore we need their help to find ideas that will work in each unique community," he continued. 

"Ideas like organizing clothing or toy-swap programs, upcycling, creating a lending space, offering educational workshops or making zero waste toolkits to give to your community are all great ideas that can help to reduce waste."