Congressman Ritchie Torres and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hosted a roundtable discussing $50 million in environmental justice grant money to be doled out to local clean energy organizations.
These climate initiatives are funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The IRA’s Justice40 section is specifically focused on uplifting disadvantaged communities impacted by climate change and pollution in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and eight federally recognized Native American nations.
“As many of you know, the IRA is the boldest piece of climate legislation ever conceived anywhere in the world. It’s going to set the United States on a trajectory to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030,” Torres said. “It is the first law in history that is specifically designed to proactively prioritize the lowest income communities — the communities that need the money the most and have been most affected by catastrophic climate change.”
This is broken down into two major sections for nonprofits, churches with a 501(c) status, local government, and community-based organizations in the city and state: the EPA Community Change Grants (CCG) and the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking program.
Track 1 of the CCG grants range from $10 million to $20 million, while Track 2 entails smaller, $1 million to $3 million payouts for organizations. Most of the funding is intended for community-based projects, like local clean-up efforts or workforce development in clean energy, that directly address environmental concerns.
“The main goal is to reshape communities that are facing deeply rooted environmental issues,” said EPA Region 2 Deputy Regional Administrator Alyssa Arcaya.
Eligibility for who qualifies as “disadvantaged” is determined by a combination of census tract information, income data and historical poverty levels in a neighborhood, energy and housing costs, unemployment and education levels; and proximity to flooding, lead paint, diesel particulate matter exposure, wastewater discharge and underground storage tanks, traffic pollution, and other hazardous risks.
The application period for CCG is open until Nov. 21. Harlem’s WeACT for Environmental Justice has been appointed as the region’s technical assistance provider to help organizations sign up, fill out applications, find collaborators, and get projects off the ground until 2028.
The Thriving Communities Grantmaking is run through Fordham University, giving local organizations subgrants ranging from $75,000 to $350,000. Projects will be evaluated by a convened board of organizers of about 20 people from region 2, led by Mothers on the Move Executive Director Wanda Salamán.
“With strong Environmental and Community Activist Leadership, we ensure that everyone in our community has a fair and equitable chance to apply for this funding. It is especially important that disadvantaged communities, often the most affected by environmental and social inequities, are in leadership roles in this process,” said Salamán, who’s originally from Puerto Rico. She’s been a community organizer in the Bronx since she immigrated to the U.S. in 1975.
“By having a voice in reviewing applications and shaping the direction of these initiatives, we can ensure that the funding reaches those who need it most and that our communities are leading the way toward a more just and sustainable future,” Salamán said.
The application portal will open for the Thriving Communities Grantmaking online for interested organizations this September. Information on how to apply for grants can be found through the Thriving Communities form.
“I think this is a really important step forward for Fordham to live its social responsibility. That we are an institution, not just in the Bronx, but of the Bronx. We have tremendous resources at our fingertips. We have a big, vibrant university population. We do a lot of teaching, learning, and research, but we also have the infrastructure that allows us to support programs like this to distribute funding and to offer support and technical assistance to community organizations that need it most,” said Dr. Julie L. Gafney, Fordham’s associate vice president of Strategic Mission Initiatives.
“I’m so excited and I’m so humbled to serve as a partner to the federal government,” she continued. “And as a trusted partner, more importantly, to the organizations here, in the Bronx. Trying to get that funding to the front line communities that are doing the real work on the ground.”
For more information about Community Change Grants, please visit communitychangeta.org/how-do-i-apply. For the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking program, please visit Fordham’s website and fill out the form.
If you need help navigating grant information, contact WE ACT’S EPA Region 2 Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center at www.weact.org/tctac/.
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