The goal of the NAR Sustainability Grant is to provide funding assistance to state and local REALTOR® Associations to help implement a sustainability program, event, plan, or update for their members, and to encourage the ongoing awareness of sustainability in real estate.
Thank you to all Associations that applied for a 2022 Sustainability Grant from the National Association of REALTORS®. Selecting recipients was not an easy task, as the applications NAR received exceeded expectations in both quantity and quality. We greatly appreciate the enthusiasm and passion brought to this process by all the applicant associations!
All applications were anonymized and then assessed by a team of sustainability-minded member leaders familiar with the industry and REALTOR® associations. The following Associations have been selected as this year's recipients:
- Bonita Springs Estero REALTORS®
- Central Oregon Association of REALTORS®
- Coastal Carolinas Association of REALTORS®
- Dayton REALTORS®
- Florida REALTORS®
- Fresno Association of REALTORS®
- Georgia Upstate Lakes Board of REALTORS®
- Greater Chattanooga REALTORS®
- Greater Louisville Association of REALTORS®
- Hawaii Island REALTORS®
- Idaho REALTORS®
- Navarre Area Board of REALTORS®
- New Haven Middlesex Association of REALTORS®
- North Carolina REALTORS®
- North Shore REALTORS®
- Oregon REALTORS®
- Prince William Association of REALTORS®
- San Juan Board of REALTORS®
- Stark Trumbull Area REALTORS®
- West Central Association of REALTORS®
- West San Gabriel Valley REALTORS®
A Sustainability Grant must be used to fund projects that will keep sustainability awareness top of mind for REALTORS® and Association staff. Grants are available for up to $5,000. Total funding is limited.
Examples of potential Association sustainability projects may include:
- Creating a sustainability committee or task force
- Hosting an educational event on sustainability in your market
- Hosting an environmental cleanup involving members
- Sustainable, energy efficient, or resource efficient upgrades to your association office
- Facilitating the creation of an association sustainability plan
- Hosting an informational session informing ways in which REALTORS® can advise on homes’ resilience against extreme weather impacts in your area
- Creating resources, programs, or initiatives promoting sustainable practices
- And many more! We look forward to hearing your association’s innovative ideas and proposals.
Grant Requirements
Applicants: The grant is available only to state and local REALTOR® Associations.
Application: Applications can be submitted at my.reviewr.com/site/narsustainability. All application materials are due by October 27, 2022.
Program Criteria
- Creates a new or enhanced product, program, project, process, or service to encourage and promote REALTOR® sustainability;
- Educates REALTORS® on the importance of having, and ways to implement, a sustainability plan at an association or business;
- Demonstrates a realistic budget and timeline necessary to complete the project/activity;
- Adaptable to other REALTOR® Associations.
These projects/activities may be funded up to $5,000, depending on the project type, budget, and meeting of all criteria.
Grant Timeline
September 22, 2022: Application period opens.
October 27, 2022: Application period closes. All application materials are due by this date.
November 30, 2022: Grant recipients announced.
April 28, 2023: Grant projects must be completed in order to ensure receipts are submitted before deadline.
May 5, 2023: All receipts/requests for reimbursement due to NAR for program payment.
- Note: Money must be spent by this date; otherwise, forfeited.
Please note that:
- By applying for funds through the National Association of REALTORS® Sustainability Program, the association agrees to accept counsel and advice from NAR, including, but not limited to, alternatives or alterations to their application and plan prior to being awarded funding.
- Due to limited funding, not all applicants will receive grants.
- NAR does not fulfill requests for funding towards general operating expenses or projects/programs that have already taken place or been completed.
Application Evaluation Process
Each application will be assessed by a team of sustainability-minded member leaders familiar with the industry and REALTOR® associations. The same assessment criteria will be utilized for every submission received, and each application will be anonymized during the evaluation process. This is done with the goal that each proposal be judged solely on its merits and with as much consideration to eliminating the potential for bias as possible.
Project Completion
Programs must be completed by April 28, 2023 (to ensure receipt can be submitted by the May 5, 2023 deadline.)
Within one month after the project/activity is completed, the following needs to be done:
- Email photos and a summary of your Association's sustainability project, including an outline of the project, key takeaways, and the number of attendees, if applicable.
This information may be posted on www.NAR.realtor/Sustainability as an example of how REALTOR® Associations have successfully used the NAR Sustainability Grant.
Disbursement of Grant Funds
Grant funds will be distributed as follows:
- Association submits proof of how funds were spent.
- Acceptable forms of proof could include: an invoice, signed contract, receipts and canceled checks.
- The request for reimbursement must be made before May 5, 2023, or the reimbursement grant is forfeited.
- Once all documentation is received, NAR staff will review materials and process the funding request to qualifying grantees.
- Checks can be payable to your Association or Board.
- It usually takes 10 working days to two weeks for the check to be processed and mailed out.
Associations will not be permitted to submit an NAR Sustainability Grant application the following year if funds were not used as described in the application, or if requests for reimbursement were not made before May 5, 2023.
All applications must be submitted through the online submission platform and no applications will be accepted via email.
For more information on the NAR Sustainability Grant, email SustainabilityGrant@nar.realtor.
