40 million kroner will help green neighborhood communities grow across the country.

From community gardens and pocket parks to repair cafes, community dinners, and other green initiatives close to everyday life. Green Neighborhood Communities have been bringing neighbors together across the country since 2020 to turn green ambitions into concrete actions where they live. With 39.5 million DKK from the Nordea Foundation, there will now be an increase in activities and more partnerships across the country, writes Green Neighborhood Communities in a press release. The goal is to grow the number of local green neighborhood communities from around 350 today to 1,000 within the next five years. At the same time, collaboration with municipalities will be expanded, and more local enthusiasts will receive help to start and run green activities. Green Neighborhood Communities began six years ago at the home of founder Bent Mariager on a suburban street in Frederikssund. Since then, he has been pleased to see the initiative grow into a nationwide, citizen-driven movement that has involved more than 50,000 people. Green transition starts with the neighbor The basic idea is simple: it is easier to change habits and bring green ideas to life when doing it together with others. The local groups are self-organizing and can focus on what makes sense where they live. This could be establishing a community garden, planting trees, organizing swap days, repairing things together, or creating other local solutions that benefit the climate and biodiversity. According to the press release, you do not need to sign up for membership or pay dues to participate. "Many people want to do something green, but it can be difficult to move from thought to action alone. When you stand together with your neighbors, it becomes both easier and more fun. With support from the Nordea Foundation, we can help many more get started and provide local communities with the support they need along the way," says Bent Mariager, founder and spokesperson for Green Neighborhood Communities, which works with several municipalities that want to support the green transition. Christine Paludan-Müller, head of grants at the Nordea Foundation, is pleased with the strong enthusiasm in the Green Neighborhood Communities: "Green transition is not only about large technical solutions. It is also about the choices we make in everyday life and experiencing that we can actually make a difference together with others. Green Neighborhood Communities have shown that there is great power in local enthusiasm. With this support, we want to help that power spread to even more local communities," says Christine Paludan-Müller.