Prague Airport Supports Surrounding Areas with Millions of Crowns, Including Municipalities Affected by Main Runway Closure

The Good Neighbour Grant Programme Provided 15 Million Crowns to Local Communities

The construction of a photovoltaic power plant in the building of a municipal preschool, the repair of an inline track, a tourist rest area with a roof, and an autumn folklore festival - this is just a small list of projects which Prague Airport supported as part of this year's Good Neighbour grant programme. It distributed a total of 15 million crowns to support a total of 87 projects.

Prague Airport received 147 applications this year which met the grant criteria. The evaluation committee, with a representative of the surrounding municipalities (the Chairman of the Prague Airport Region association) as its member, selected 87 of them to receive financial aid. In addition to the already mentioned projects, this year’s supported projects included, for example, the renovation of the floors in the hall of the Sokolovna building in Únětice, the purchase of tents for community events in Dědina, and the construction of a children’s traffic playground in Jeneč.

"We are pleased that we were able to support our neighbours through interesting projects this year as well. We consider it right to invest financial resources in locations affected by airport operations. As part of the Good Neighbour programme, we distributed a lower amount this year than in previous years, because we donated 10 million in the summer to locations affected by the closure of the main runway,” Jiří Kraus, Vice Chairman of the Prague Airport Board of Directors, said.

The goal of the Good Neighbour grant programme is to support projects in various areas, such as culture, education, youth protection, physical education and sports, alongside animal and nature protection. Municipalities and city districts of the capital city of Prague which are affected by the operation of Václav Havel Airport Prague, as well as public benefit organisations active in their territory, can receive financial contributions. The Good Neighbour grant programme has been run, except for a break during the Covid pandemic, since 2007. During its existence, almost 800 projects worth over 180 million crowns have been implemented.

All projects supported under the programme are listed on the website here.

Almost Three Million to Strengthen Biodiversity

Three years after its launch, the Biodiversity grant programme has become a star among the grant programmes which Prague Airport publishes annually. This year's programme also supported projects focused on nature conservation. Out of a total of 18 applicants with 20 projects, 11 were selected, among which the airport distributed almost three million crowns. 

"The Biodiversity grant programme is a valuable part of Prague Airport’s corporate ESG strategy. It represents, local, but still effective, tool for supporting biodiversity and water retention in the landscape around the airport,” said Soňa Hykyšová, Prague Airport Director of Environment, Sustainability, and ESG.

This year’s programme supported projects focused on landscape regeneration, such as the restoration of the orchard at the Ruzyně cemetery, soil protection against erosion, namely the stabilisation of trees along the Kopaninský stream, alongside those which focused on effective stormwater management and the creation of habitats for pollinators. Some of the projects also focused on environmental education for children and students.

All projects supported under the Biodiversity programme are listed on the website here.

A Total of 6 Million Crowns to Language Learning for Children Donated by the Airport

Under the practice makes perfect motto, Prague Airport finances foreign language learning with native speakers, which takes place as part of regular school curriculum, and also contributes funds to children's language trips abroad. Financial subsidies are distributed to schools in the vicinity of the airport through the language programmes of airport partners. Prague Airport has been implementing the language learning support programme annually since 2006. This year, six million crowns were paid out under the programme.