THE CHALLENGE

The Center for Behavior and Climate (CBC) believes that the only way to solve the climate crisis is through behavioral change and social change (c.f., Vaughter, 2016; Tam et al., 2021). Accordingly, The Center for Behavior and Climate (CBC) has secured funds from the Agape foundation to increase the use of behavior change approaches to climate action at a community level through the Behavior Change for Climate Action Challenge 2021. The Environment Council of Rhode Island is our fiscal sponsor.

We are open to nonprofits working in any of the following climate areas applying for these funds. The application is just 3 pages. Areas can include, but are not limited to: energy conservation, public action (e.g., policy support, volunteering, protesting, voting for politicians supporting climate action), food choices, tree planting, soil restoration, blue carbon restoration, renewable energy, and electrification of cars, trucks, buses.

CBC will select 3 nonprofits for this challenge. Each of the selected nonprofits will receive:

1) free technical assistance to learn how to apply behavior change for climate action from the CBC (workshop and continued technical support);

2) $4650 in funds to apply behavior change to an existing or new climate action project.

Applicable evidence-based behavior change include, but are not limited to, the following: Make it easy, Nudges/Choice Architecture;  Prompts;  Justification;  Instructions; Rewards; Feedback;  Social Modeling (social norms, block leaders, community interventions); Cognitive Dissonance; Commitments; Setting Goals; Games; and Tools to Counter Cognitive Biases.

How can behavior change tools help in your work? Here are some suggestions.

1. In your messaging campaigns.
2. By improving the effectiveness of your projects.
3. By increasing the numbers of people engaging in the climate action.
4. By making it easier for your audience to do the climate action you want. For example, making it easier to choose renewable energy online or to support policy actions.
5. By increasing public action and helping people to feel good about getting involved.
6. And more!