Published on: 2026-08-26
Source: Moscow Government – Правительства Москвы –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The Moscow Mayor’s grants allow the city’s non-profit organizations (NPOs) to implement dozens of initiatives in the field of ecology every year. They open recycling collection points, conduct workshops on plastic recycling, organize tours to sorting centers and quests. Grant support enables NPOs to scale these initiatives and attract more concerned citizens.
“Environmental initiatives of Moscow NGOs are a vivid example of how the city’s grant support turns ideas into real actions that change the life of a metropolis. The projects foster a culture of conscious consumption among children and adults, engaging thousands of Muscovites in caring for the environment,” —
Ekaterina Dragunova, Chairman of the Committee for Public Relations and Youth Policy of the city of Moscow.
“Ecoheroes”: fostering awareness through play
Autonomous Nonprofit Organization (ANO) “Center for Family Assistance with Children” “Family Club ‘Together’” With a grant from the Mayor of Moscow, the project “Ecoheroes” is being implemented. The organizers are convinced that the habit of sorting waste and treating resources carefully should be instilled starting from primary school. Instead of lectures, the authors of the initiative chose the format of ecological quests. Children do not just listen about the problem but solve it in practice: they come up with ways to give things a second life and complete team challenges.
As the project authors explain, this format works on two levels at once. First, the vivid emotions of victory and joy create a lasting connection: ecology becomes an interesting science, and knowledge reinforced by positive experiences remains for a long time. Second, a child who feels like an eco-hero proudly plays this role at home: they themselves start a container for recyclables and ensure that the whole family sorts waste correctly. Thus, children become the main allies in educating adults about ecology.
Another important format is the workshops “Second Life of Things.” Participants are taught that creativity does not require buying new materials: old cardboard, threads, packaging, buttons help create unique crafts. The organizers emphasize that by using recycled materials, children learn the main principle of conscious consumption: any item retains value even after fulfilling its original function.
This year, events took place at several venues: environmental quests in the Zhuzha Park, Eco-exchange campaigns and master classes at the Nora shopping and entertainment center, as well as educational lessons in schools. More than 300 residents from two districts of the Southern Administrative Okrug participated. The organizers plan to scale the project across the entire okrug, conduct more school lessons, and attract new partners.
“I realize. I share. I save”: from theory to habit
Another large-scale project, implemented with grant support, belongs to ANO “Center for the Development of Social-Innovative Projects in the Field of Building Communicative Connections in a Megalopolis”. The name “I Understand. I Share. I Conserve.” was suggested by Maria Yushmanova, a designer, who proposed creating branded clothing for eco-volunteers based on it.
“The idea turned out to be in demand: people need a unifying story, the opportunity to boldly declare their principles and find like-minded individuals. The path begins with awareness of the problem of waste and one’s personal impact on the planet, then a person learns to separate recyclables and finally moves on to a careful attitude towards all resources — material, natural, human,” the organization emphasized.
At the beginning of the year, a training course called “Clean City Plan” was organized for volunteers, featuring a series of meetings with experts and experienced ecologists. After that, several ongoing formats were established.
The largest of the events is the “Not Trash, but Recyclable” campaign. Volunteers organize recycling collection points in squares and parks across various districts: Pechatniki, Cherkizovo, Golyanovo, Izmailovo, Maryina Roshcha, Dmitrovsky, and Sokolnaya Gora. Since the project’s inception, 44 such events have been held, attended by more than five thousand people. They accept 65 types of materials—from paper waste, glass, and metal to rare kinds of plastic, electronics, and textiles.
During each event, volunteers help properly sort the brought recyclable materials, explain the difference between clean and contaminated plastic, and teach how to recognize the labeling. The organizers are confident that practical experience on site is the best way to establish the habit.
In addition to campaigns, the NGO creates environmental education stands and organizes an expanded format of the “Summer of Environmental Education” project — interactive platforms with quests, board games, and master classes on recycling raw materials. Such events, attended by 411 students, took place at the city’s leading universities: Moscow State Pedagogical University, Moscow State Linguistic University, A.A. Nikolaev Moscow Automobile and Road College, and the D.I. Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia. Additionally, events were organized at major city festivals, including IT Picnic, “City of the Caring,” and Eco Day at the Northern River Terminal, where they reached 1,176 people.
Another important direction is the volunteer days “Sort and Save” at the eco-center “Sborka.” Volunteers help with the secondary sorting of complex fractions: plastic caps, toothbrushes, pens, markers, and multi-component packaging. Since the beginning of the year, more than five thousand people have joined the project.
The Mayor of Moscow’s grant competition is the largest city program supporting social initiatives in various fields — from charity and assistance to children to sports and ecology. Thanks to the city’s support, nonprofit organizations can scale their ideas and help a large number of Muscovites.
The Moscow Mayor’s grants have been allocated for NGO projects since 2002. During this time, the city authorities have supported more than 3,800 initiatives.
A large-scale project appeared on the mos.ru portal special project, dedicated to the development of key areas of Moscow. These include transport, industry, healthcare, education, sports, and construction. The special project helps to learn how the capital has changed over the past years, what initiatives aimed at making the lives of citizens even more comfortable are currently being implemented, and what awaits Moscow and its residents in the near future.
On the project page “Ecology” You can learn about how the capital is renewing its green fund and expanding environmental education, as well as preparing to make eco-friendly solutions part of everyday life.
Stay updated on the main news through the official channels of the city of Moscow in messengers “Max” and Telegram.
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