NAR Sustainability Grant

Thank you to all who participated in the 2024 NAR Sustainability Grant!

The quality and quantity of this year’s application pool exceeded expectations and we are heartened to see the continued growth of sustainability at associations across the country. Due to our limited total funding, we are unable to award grants to every exciting, innovative proposal we received.

We are thrilled to announce the following associations as the recipients of a 2024 NAR Sustainability Grant:

Atlanta REALTORS®
Cape Cod & Islands Association of REALTORS®
Cape Fear REALTORS®
Charleston Trident Association of REALTORS®
Chicago Association of REALTORS®
Colorado Association of REALTORS®
Durham Regional Association of REALTORS®
Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS®
Minneapolis Area REALTORS®
Murray Calloway County Board of REALTORS®
Naples Area Board of REALTORS®
New Haven Middlesex Association of REALTORS®
New Jersey REALTORS® Association
Northwest Mississippi REALTORS®
Puerto Rico Association of REALTORS®
Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS®
South Shore REALTORS®
Staten Island Board of REALTORS®
Texas REALTORS®
Tillamook Board of REALTORS®
Tri-Lakes Board of REALTORS®
Tuolumne County Association of REALTORS®
West & Southeast REALTORS® of the Valley

The goal of the NAR Sustainability Grant is to provide funding assistance to state and local REALTOR® associations to aid in implementing a sustainability program, event, plan, or update for their members, and to encourage the ongoing awareness of sustainability in real estate.

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 topics in your market.
Hosting an environmental cleanup involving members.
Making sustainable, energy efficient, or resource efficient upgrades to your association office.
Facilitating the creation of an association sustainability plan.
Crafting resources tailored to environmental hazards or resiliency needs specific to your local market.
Offering resources, programs, or initiatives promoting sustainable practices.

Visit the “Take Action” section of the NAR Sustainability Toolkit for State and Local Associations for more potential project ideas.

Grant Criteria

The project/activity must meet the following criteria for eligibility:

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 in 2024;
Adaptable by other REALTOR® associations.

These projects/activities may be funded up to $5,000, depending on the project type, budget, and alignment with grant criteria.

Please note the following:

NAR does not fulfill requests for funding towards general operating expenses or projects/programs that have already taken place or been completed.
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.

Receipt of a NAR Sustainability Grant in previous years does not prevent an association from applying for the Grant again! All applications are evaluated based on alignment with the grant criteria and the NAR Sustainability and Resilience Plan.

Grant Qualifications

Applicants: Available only to state and local REALTOR® associations.

Note: Associations will not be considered eligible for an NAR Sustainability Grant application in future years if Sustainability Grant funds were not used as described in past applications, or if previous requests for reimbursement did not adhere to the mandatory deadlines.

Application: Applications were submitted through the online submission platform, Reviewr. Applications were open for submissions on Monday March 4th, 2024, and closed at 11:59pm CT on Monday April 1st, 2024.

All applications must be submitted through the online submission platform. No applications will be accepted via email.

Application Evaluation Process:

All applications are blind reviewed and scored by a team of sustainability-minded member leaders familiar with the industry and REALTOR® associations. The same assessment criteria are utilized for every submission received, and each application will be anonymized during the evaluation process to eliminate potential bias.

2024 Grant Timeline

Monday, March 4th: Application period opens.

Monday, April 1st: Application period closes. All application materials were due by 11:59 p.m. CT on this date.

Monday, April 22nd: Grant recipients contacted and announced.

Wednesday, October 16th: Grant projects must be completed by this date to ensure receipts are submitted before the October 23rd, 2024, deadline.

Wednesday, October 23rd: All receipts/requests for reimbursement due to NAR for program payment.

Note: Money must be spent by this date and the reimbursement request submitted to the appropriate NAR staff; otherwise, the grant reimbursement funding will be forfeited.

Disbursement of Grant Reimbursement Funds

Reimbursement funds will be distributed as follows:

1. Association submits proof of how funds were spent.

Acceptable forms of proof include: an invoice, signed contract, receipts and canceled checks.

2. The request for reimbursement must be made before October 23rd, 2024, or reimbursement grant is forfeited.

3. 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there an application form sample available?

Please download the following PDF for example application questions and additional pro-tips for crafting grant proposals.

2024 Sustainability Grant Sample Questionspdf (126.58 KB)

What would happen if I don’t use the funds as described on my original application or if the project/activity doesn’t take place?

Associations will not be considered eligible for an NAR Sustainability Grant application in future years if Sustainability Grant funds were not used as described in past applications, or if previous requests for reimbursement did not adhere to the mandatory deadlines.

Can a brokerage, institute or affiliate group apply for the NAR Sustainability Grant?

Only state and local REALTOR® associations can apply.

Connect With Us

For more information on the NAR Sustainability Grant, reach out to sustainabilitygrant@nar.realtor.