EPA invests $600M in support of thousands of environmental justice projects

The federal government is investing $600 million to fund thousands of environmental justice projects through the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking program.

“For years, community advocates have been calling for federal support and resources to help address our country’s most pressing environmental justice concerns,” said EPA Administrator Michael Regan. “We’re responding to these calls by removing barriers that have traditionally held communities and applicants back from accessing these historic investments in America. Together, in partnership with these grantmakers, we are taking a giant step toward a future where every person in America has equal opportunity to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and live a healthy, productive life.”

The investment will go to 11 grantmakers, each representing a specific EPA region. They are: Health Resources in Action, Massachusetts; Fordham University, New York; Green & Healthy Homes Initiative Inc., Maryland; Research Triangle Institute, North Carolina; the Minneapolis Foundation, Minnesota; Texas Southern University, Texas; JSI Research and Training Institute, Inc., Colorado; Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs (SEE), Inc., California; Philanthropy Northwest, Washington; Institute For Sustainable Communities, Vermont; Research Triangle Institute, North Carolina; Climate Justice Alliance, California.

Ten organizations will receive $50 million each and one, Research Triangle Institute, will receive $100 million to serve as both a Regional Grantmaker serving communities in EPA regions four and seven. Collectively, the 11 organizations will issue thousands of subgrants to disadvantaged communities over the next three years.

“Every person has a right to drink clean water, breathe clean air, and live in a community that is healthy and safe,” said Vice President Kamala Harris in a statement. “For too long, however, low-income communities, immigrant communities, Native communities, and communities of color have endured disproportionate levels of air, water, and soil pollution.”

The program is funded by the Inflation Reduction Act. Communities across the United States will be able to apply to their regional grantmaker for a subgrant to fund a range of different environmental project activities. Elligible projects include small local clean ups, local emergency preparedness and disaster resiliency programs, environmental workforce development programs for local jobs reducing greenhouse gas emissions, fenceline air quality and asthma related projects, healthy homes programs, and projects addressing illegal dumping.

The grant organizations will work in collaboration with the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights to issue subgrants to community-based nonprofits and other eligible organizations representing disadvantaged communities. Each will design comprehensive application and submission processes, award environmental justice subgrants, implement tracking and reporting systems, and provide resources and support to communities. The subgrants are expected to become available by the summer of this year.