EPA is accepting applications on a rolling basis for $2
billion in Inflation Reduction Act funding available 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.
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.
Designed with meaningful community, Tribal, and other
stakeholder involvement, the investments EPA makes through the Community Change
Grants 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.
Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants for the
Community Change Grants include a partnership between two community-based
non-profit organizations (CBOs), or a partnership between a CBO and one of the
following: a Federally recognized Tribe, a local government, or an institution
of higher education (IHE), including Minority Serving Institutions as further
described in Section III.A. Other organizations and entities may participate in
the Community Change Grants as Collaborating Entities through subawards, or as
contractors selected in accordance with competitive procurement requirements.
Funding: Awards under Track I are expected to be between
$10-20 million each and cannot exceed $20 million. Awards under Track II are
expected to be between $1-3 million each and cannot exceed $3 million.
Period of Performance: Maximum of 3 years.
Number of proposals: Under this NOFO, Lead Applicants, as
defined in Section III.A, may submit a maximum of two eligible applications and
may receive up to two awards, if they demonstrate the capacity and capabilities
to effectively perform, manage, oversee, and complete the awards within the
three-year grant period of performance. The two applications may be two Track I
applications, two Track II applications, or one of each. Lead Applicants who
submit more than two total eligible applications will be asked to withdraw the
excess one(s). EPA will not review more than two eligible applications from any
one Lead Applicant
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