DEARBORN, MI - Ford Motor Co. and the Green Festival have teamed up to find and fund innovative projects aimed at improving the environment.

The Community Green Grant program challenges organizations and individuals to propose ideas that would improve the environment in their local communities. Attendees at the Green Festival in five cities -- Chicago, Seattle, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco -- will vote to select the project proposal that will receive the $5,000 Community Green Grant.

“Being an environmentally responsible company is a key part of the Ford corporate identity,” said John Viera, Ford director of sustainability and vehicle environmental matters. “By working with the Green Festival, we are able to extend this sustainable thinking beyond Ford and do something tangible and permanent to improve the local community following each event.”

Before each event opening, a panel from Green Festival and Ford will select a group of Community Green Grant finalists from among the proposals submitted. During the Green Festival, the finalists’ project proposals will be presented in the Ford Pavilion, with the winner of the Community Green Grant chosen by a vote of festival attendees.

“We’re so pleased to be partnering with Ford to bring the Community Green Grant program to all of the Green Festival cities,” said Greg Roberts, Green Festival producer. “I am confident we will receive some very creative project proposals from the many people and organizations who participate in the events.”

Attendees will vote on the grant finalists throughout the two-day event. The votes will be tallied on site and the winning project proposal will be announced on the final afternoon of the Green Festival.

“The Green Festival is a great fit for Ford because it’s a way to connect with the most passionate and environmentally concerned consumers,” said Viera. “We can share our sustainability strategy and have a two-way dialogue about how we can work together to improve the environment.”

Ford will have a presence at each of the Green Festivals that includes a display at the Ford Pavilion, test drives of hybrids and electrified vehicles, and a presentation by a Ford executive who will discuss the company’s sustainability and green vehicle strategy.

The first $5,000 Community Green Grant will be awarded during the Chicago Green Festival, May 14-15. Later in 2011, the Green Festival and Community Green Grant will travel to Seattle, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Entries for each festival must be received by the following dates:

Chicago, May 7
Seattle, May 14
New York, Sept. 24
Los Angeles, Oct. 22
San Francisco, Nov. 5

Ideas can be submitted to communitygreengrant@actionpartners.com or mailed to:

Attn: Community Green Grant
3020 Carbon Place, Suite 300
Boulder, CO 80301