New Brussels Airport Fund awards support to 18 projects in the local area

The first projects that will receive support from the Brussels Airport Fund, managed by the King Baudouin Foundation, have been selected. This Fund was set up in 2023 to support local organisations to set up sustainable projects. Brussels Airport has long supported charities that make a positive difference and bring people together, and also wants to support smaller local projects through this Fund. From the 29 proposals submitted, the jury selected 18 projects focusing on nature and environment, energy or mobility that bring people and their environment closer together.

In June 2023, the Brussels Airport Fund launched its first call. Local projects focusing on nature and environment, energy or mobility that stimulate the connection between residents and their environment could apply for support from this Fund. Sustainability is key: the projects were not judged only for the positive impact they could have on the neighbourhood and climate, but also by the long-term results they will have. In addition, a clear financial plan of approach and specific targets were also very important, and the projects must be carried out in one of the municipalities or cities in the area.

Green spaces and cycling mobility most popular themes

In total, the Fund received 29 submissions in this first call. An independent jury evaluated the projects and selected 18 projects that will receive support from the Brussels Airport Fund this year. An organisation could apply for project support between €1,000 and €10,000 per project, a total of €150,000 will be awarded to these projects this year.

The projects included several requests for green playgrounds and meeting spaces to bring together local residents and organisations. Among others, the Borrekensveld, a neighbourhood park in Grimbergen, will be redesigned, and there will be a care and experience garden in Haren, where they also want to renew a green zone so that it will be used more and is fit for use. In Rotselaar, they will work on a multifunctional food forest.

Bike mobility also featured several times in the applications, for example, one of the projects will provide cargo bike solutions to take children from the trailer park to school in Leuven and there will be a bicycle “library” in Sint-Pieters-Woluwe where children can borrow a bike.

Within the energy theme there is the project of youth centre Floerebloes in Wezemaal to make their building more energy-efficient together with local residents, and under the nature and environment theme River Cleanup vzw will further develop their programme for schools and offer it in Zaventem, this will later be rolled out even more widely.

Brussels Airport and the Fund look forward to seeing the results of these projects and the positive impact they will have on their neighbourhood!

Second call later this year

Brussels Airport wants to use the Fund to encourage sustainable local initiatives. All non-profit organisations, youth movements, local organisations, de facto associations, schools, etc. in the vicinity are eligible, as long as it concerns a specific project and not to support their normal operations. The Brussels Airport Fund is an independent Fund and is managed by the King Baudouin Foundation. A second call for projects will be launched later this year for support in 2025.