Community Change Grants fund community-driven projects that address climate challenges and reduce pollution while strengthening communities through thoughtful implementation. The Community Change Grants will support comprehensive community and place-based approaches to redressing environmental and climate injustices for communities facing legacy pollution, climate change, and persistent disinvestment. These concentrated local investments will fund community-driven, change-making projects that center collaborative efforts for healthier, safer, and more prosperous communities. Investments are intended to achieve the following objectives:
- Provide resources for community-driven projects to address environmental and climate challenges in communities facing disproportionate and adverse health, pollution, and environmental impacts, and suffering from generations of disinvestment.
- Invest in strong cross-sectoral collaborations with partners who bring a robust commitment to working with and for communities with environmental and climate justice concerns.
- Unlock access to additional and more significant resources to advance environmental and climate justice goals from across the federal government and other sources.
- Empower communities and strengthen their capacity to drive meaningful positive change on the ground for years to come. Strengthen community participation in government decision-making processes that impact them.
The Community Change Grants requires a partnership with a community-based non-profit organization (CBO). There are two tracks:
- 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.
Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis through November 21, 2024. EPA will permit applicants to resubmit an unsuccessful application after a debriefing with the agency.
Institutional Limit: Two (2) Applications
Internal Deadline: July 30, 2024, 4:45pm
Funder's Deadline: November 21, 2024, 11:59pm ET
