EPA Opens $2B for Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program
Eligible applicants: nonprofits, tribal entities, local governments, higher education institutions. Applications are due November 21, 2024.
Announcement Type: Notice of Funding Opportunity (this program is currently accepting applications)
Opportunity: Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program
Overview and Eligible Uses: EPA’s new Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants program (Community Change Grants) has announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity in Inflation Reduction Act funds environmental and climate justice activities to benefit disadvantaged communities through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity to address environmental and climate justice challenges. These place-based investments will be focused on community-driven initiatives to be responsive to community and stakeholder input. They are designed to deliver on the transformative potential of the IRA for communities most adversely and disproportionately impacted by climate change, legacy pollution, and historical disinvestments.
Track I applications – Community-Driven Investments for Change will focus on multi-faceted applications with Climate Action and Pollution Reduction Strategies to meaningfully improve the environmental, climate, and resilience conditions affecting disadvantaged communities. Track II applications – Meaningful Engagement for Equitable Governance will facilitate the engagement of disadvantaged communities in governmental processes to advance environmental and climate justice.
The activities to be performed under the grants are expected to fall under the following categories:
Climate resiliency and adaptation.
Mitigating climate and health risks from urban heat islands, extreme heat, wood heater emissions, and wildfire events.
Community-led air and other (including water and waste) pollution monitoring, prevention, and remediation.
Investments in low- and zero-emission and resilient technologies and related infrastructure.
Workforce development that supports the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants.
Reducing indoor toxics and indoor air pollution.
Facilitating the engagement of disadvantaged communities in state and federal advisory groups, workshops, rulemakings, and other public processes.
Amount: EPA envisions allocating about $2 billion through this NOFO, with an estimated $1.96 billion designated for Track I, where individual awards are anticipated to fall between $10 million and $20 million. Additionally, around 20 Track II awards are expected, each ranging from $1 million to $3 million.
Award Type: Cooperative agreement
Eligible Applicants:
Partnership between two community-based non-profit organizations (CBOs).
Partnership between a CBO and a Federally recognized Tribe.
Partnership between a CBO and a local government.
Partnership between a CBO and an institution of higher education (IHE), including Minority Serving Institutions as described in Section III.A.
Key Dates: Applications are due November 21, 2024.
Key Links:
Community change grants program portal
For a full list of currently available grant programs under the Infrastructure Law and other helpful tools, take a look at our Helpful Resources page.
This tracker will continue to send updates when new funding opportunities are announced.
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