The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) established the Community Change Grants program to advance community-driven environmental and climate justice activities to benefit disadvantaged communities through projects that reduce pollution, increase community … Read more
Climate and Environmental Justice Block Grants provide $3 billion in competitive, 3-year grants to states, Tribes, and municipalities and community-based nonprofit organizations for financial and technical assistance to address clean air and climate pollution in disadvantaged communities.
Eligible Uses
Activities that benefit disadvantaged communities to confront and overcome persistent climate pollution challenges, including:
- Community-led air and other pollution monitoring, prevention, and remediation, investments in low- and zero-emission and resilient technologies, and related infrastructure and workforce development that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants
- Mitigating climate and health risks from urban heat islands, extreme heat, wood heater emissions, and wildfire events
- Climate resiliency and adaptation, including nature-based solutions
- Reducing indoor toxics and indoor air pollution
- Facilitating engagement of disadvantaged communities in state and federal public processes, including facilitating such engagement in advisory groups, workshops, and rulemakings
Eligible Recipients
A community-based nonprofit organization; a partnership of community-based nonprofit organizations; a partnership between a Tribe, a local government, or an institution of higher education and a community-based nonprofit organization.
Approx Annual Funding Amount
$3 billion over 5 years, including $2.8 B for grants and $200 M for technical assistance.
Cost Share Requirements
There is no cost share required.
Application Cycle
This is a new funding source created by the Inflation Reduction Act, and EPA has announced two different funding opportunities with these dollars. See the Other Info below for additional details.
Contact
This is a new program created by the Inflation Reduction Act; as additional information becomes available we will update this page.
Other Info
- Recent sub-allocations from the IRA have funded and established two grant programs under the EJ Block Grants program:
- The Environmental Justice Government-to-Government Program, designed to create equitable community engagement models for alleviating environmental issues.
- The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program, designed to help organizations working to address local environmental issues in their communities.
- This program is covered under the Justice40 Initiative.
- EPA announced Notice of Funding Opportunity is now open for applications on a rolling basis for $2 billion in Inflation Reduction Act funding to support community-driven projects that build capacity for communities to tackle environmental and climate justice challenges, strengthen their climate resilience, and advance clean energy, with a deadline of November 21, 2024.