EPA Grants and Assistance Agreements: Awards Supporting Climate Adaptation

EPA Grants and Assistance Agreements – Awards Supporting Climate Adaptation

Every year, EPA awards over $4 billion in funding for grants and other assistance agreements. From small non-profit organizations to large state governments, EPA works to help organizations achieve their environmental goals. Since 2011, EPA policy has incorporated climate change adaptation considerations into applicable competitive funding opportunity announcements. EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR) awards small grants to community-based organizations, and local and tribal organizations facing environmental justice issues. Some of the 2015 OEJ grant recipients addressed climate adaptation. For information on how to apply, see the Environmental Justice Small Grants Program. Below are some funding awards EPA has granted supporting climate adaptation in 2015:

Greening Our Gardens – Urban Growing Strategies for Climate Resiliency

Grantee: Regional Environmental Council (REC)

Location: Worcester, Massachusetts

The project will promote efficient water use, storm water run-off prevention, and the use of gardening practices that can contribute to climate resiliency, including carbon sequestration. REC’s project also seeks to increase access to healthy food in Worcester’s lowest income/highest risk neighborhoods through an educational program for urban gardeners in Worcester, MA. Greening our Gardens project activities will educate gardeners on these practices via community workshops on strategies that urban growers can use to increase climate resiliency, implement these practices through intensive support at four community gardens to strengthen capacity to sustainably grow healthy food, and build sustainability through the creation of a resource guide for the network of 60+ community and school gardens supported by the REC. The project will impact gardens across the city, but resources will be focused in Worcester’s five lowest-income/highest-risk neighborhoods. REC is partnering with the Stockbridge School of Agriculture and the MA Chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association.

Community-based Participatory Approach for Southeast Community Resilience and Adaption to Address Lung Health Impacts Exacerbated by Climate Change

Grantee: Greater Southeast Development Corporation

Location: Newport News, Virginia

This project aims to build an effective, resident-led partnership that uses community-based participatory research to address respiratory health effects of increased air pollution associated with climate change. Specific goals of the project are to: 1) create a resident-led coalition that will implement an educational program to improve the health of residents in the Southeast Community, Newport News, VA; 2) increase residents' awareness about respiratory disease; 3) increase residents' awareness about air pollutants and climate stressors associated with respiratory disease; and 4) develop asthma care and management strategies as a mechanism for adapting to the health impacts of climate change. The project will build community partnerships, while hosting forums, workshops and a summer camp to disseminate scientifically sound and community specific information and to educate residents about respiratory disease risks, air pollutants and climate stressors. Lastly, the project will assist residents with the development of common-sense, flexible approaches for sustaining self-care management as a long-term approach. 

Soil Safety Baltimore City

Grantee: Parks & People

Location: Baltimore, Maryland

Healthy urban soils play a critical role in building communities that are food secure and climate resilient. This project will focus on vacant lot sites located in Baltimore City’s East and West/Southwest Public Housing Development areas, providing outreach and hands-on-training to residents engaged in edible gardening. Specifically, the project aims to (a) educate over 2,000 city residents about the importance of soil and the preventive and precautionary measures of dealing with soil contaminants; (b) provide hands-on training to 12 to 15 community youth in soil sample collection, analysis and clean up; (c) provide assistance for the collection and analysis of 30 soil tests in the targeted communities; and (d) select 4 to 6 vacant lot demonstration sites (based on soil sampling results) to conduct hands-on training in strategies for building productive soil, such as building raised beds. Furthermore, the proposed project seeks to mitigate the impacts of climate change on these communities by increasing the area of “green” spaces which will help reduce the amount of stormwater runoff and the “heat island” effect caused by impervious surfaces (e.g., roofs, sidewalks, roadways).

Farming for the Future: Empowering Pennsylvania Farmers to Build Resilient and Sustainable Agricultural Systems in Response to a Changing Climate

Grantee: Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA)

Location: Pennsylvania

The project will empower farmers to adapt to changing climate conditions through sustainable agricultural methods including building soil and enhancing biodiversity on their farms. By bringing farmers, extension educators, researchers, and private and land grant universities together to learn and share with one another, the project will foster a community-based learning and innovation network to guide future work supporting climate change resiliency in the Pennsylvania agricultural community. PASA will host two on-farm Field Days, one Preconference Track at the 2016 Farming for the Future Conference, and one webinar. The project seeks to increase Pennsylvania farmers’ knowledge about climate change and its impacts on farms, both ecologically and economically. At least 100 farmers in Pennsylvania will attend educational workshops and increase their understanding of climate change and sustainable agricultural methods that can build farm resiliency. Through a Project Planning Committee and culminating Climate Change and Agriculture Round Table Meeting, a community-based learning and innovation network including farmers, agricultural organizations, Penn State Extension, and university students and researchers will be formed to advise project development and set new goals for future collaborative work.

Replicable and Scalable Community Climate Resilience Building in Two Communities in Palm Beach County

Grantee: The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Boca Raton

Location: Boca Raton, Florida

This pilot project will create a Resilience Adaptation Community Toolkit (ReACT), for use in community-led neighborhood canvassing. In addition, the tool will be used at community meetings to provide education and training to reduce public health risks associated with increasingly severe storms and sea level rise related to climate change in South Delray Beach and the Pearl City area of Boca Raton. This project seeks to address respiratory illness, water contamination, injury, and environmental contamination due to climate change and sea level rise.

Climate Change Resiliency: Effects of Industrial Animal Production on Mother Earth

Grantee: Rural Empowerment Association for Community Help (REACH)

Location: Warsaw, North Carolina

The purpose of this project is to enlighten the public, including grassroots, mid-range, and upper-level stakeholders about the correlation between industrial animal operations and climate change and how to protect themselves from these risks. This project is primarily concerned with the effects climate change can have on industrial animal operations.

Helping the Chatham Neighborhood of Chicago become Rain Ready

Grantee: Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT)

Location: Chicago, Illinois

The aim of this project is to help the neighborhood of Chatham become prepared for rain events as they become more prominent with climate change. CNT, partnering with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will design and test green infrastructure to improve storm water management and reduce urban flooding and water pollution. A Green Infrastructure model (Rain Ready) will be developed which can be replicated in other communities. Outputs include: 200 completed resident surveys, 100 residents attending meetings, 10 property assessments, and increased number of community leaders and partners addressing urban flooding and water quality.

Building community empowerment by Building Green Infrastructure

Grantee: Groundwork Milwaukee Inc.

Locations: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Groundwork Milwaukee will work with teens and young adults from the community area and train them about the impacts of climate change and the ability of green infrastructure (GI) to lessen its impacts. The young adults will be ambassadors to raise community awareness and knowledge of GI. Additionally, the water absorbing capacity of the land will be improved with rain gardens and absorbent trees. Outputs include: 15 rain gardens, 15 rain barrels installed, and 500 residents reached through door canvassing and flyers.

Louisiana Environmental Action Network 2015 Community Climate Resiliency Initiative

Grantee: Louisiana Environmental Action Network (LEAN)

Location: Grand Bois, Louisiana

This project is a new collaborative effort between the Louisiana Environmental Action Network, Defenders of Our Land and Water, and Louisiana State University to empower community members and facilitate opportunities to identify and reduce climate-related environmental concerns and threats to public health first in the small, rural Native American community of Grand Bois, LA and then to communities throughout Louisiana. LEAN and its partners will convene the 2015 People’s Collaborative Workshop. The workshop will bring together representatives of EJ communities from around the state that are affiliated with LEAN to identify local environmental hazards that could be exacerbated by climate change and to take the first steps to develop a Climate Hazards Action Plan (CHAP) for their community. Prior to the workshop, the partners will work closely with environmental leaders of the Grand Bois community and help them develop a CHAP which will be used as a case study to inform the efforts of the workshop attendees.

Adapting to Climate Change: Española Edible Food Forest

Grantee: TEWA Women United

Location: Española, New Mexico

The project will educate tribal and rural communities in Northern New Mexico to understand environmental, public health, and climate change issues related to one of our most vital resources – water. Project activities seek to educate the residents about local strategies to maintain clean and safe water supplies by demonstrating how traditional dry land farming techniques can be combined with contemporary strategies to improve water use efficiency and adapt to climate change. The project, developed by community members, is a collaborative effort between local schools, organizations and government. Tewa Women United has partnered with the City of Española for an Edible Food Forest terrace garden project. Specific project goals are: 1) Demonstrate wise use of water and water harvesting; 2) Educate our community on sustainable gardening methods as a tool for adapting to climate change.

Solutions for Climate Resiliency in North Denver EJ Communities

Grantee: Groundwork Denver

Location: North Denver and Commerce City, Colorado

Groundwork Denver will work to address climate resiliency specific to public health impacts associated with extreme heat events. Groundwork Denver plans to build community capacity to address these issues and provide "co-benefits" for residents. The project will help reduce public health impacts associated with climate change and build community capacity to address climate change issues. Groundwork Denver will work collaboratively with partners to address the issue, including Denver Environmental Health (DEH), community residents, and Adams County Sustainability Officer. At least 112 residents will be engaged in data collection, strategy development, piloting and action planning for the project. DEH and Adams County will help obtain data for vulnerability analysis, review and develop strategies to address vulnerabilities and identify ways to integrate strategies into local planning efforts. This project will develop an action plan with residents to address the public health impacts in low-income Denver communities resulting from extreme heat events. Extreme heat events can contribute to a range of health problems and aggravate pre-existing conditions Health impacts of extreme heat events are known to disproportionately impact vulnerable populations such as the elderly, infants and children, and people with chronic medical conditions.

Rainwater Harvesting Loan Program for Low-Income Families

Grantee: Sonora Environmental Research, Inc. (SERI)

Location: Cities of Tucson and South Tucson, Arizona SERI, with the assistance of Tucson Water and the University of Arizona, will educate low-income families and develop a loan program to overcome the upfront cost of obtaining a rainwater harvesting system and to provide a mechanism for families to invest in a system to meet the needs for more effective water management. SERI will develop this program with community input and pilot the program with a minimum of 10 families for shade tree irrigation. The project also seeks to educate low-income families on other measures to reduce the urban heat island effect. Given the ongoing drought in the southwest and the predictions that our climate will continue to get hotter and drier, approaches for more effective water management are increasingly important for our communities.

New Minority Residents in West Eugene: Strengthening public health and community resilience in an environmental justice community

Grantee: Beyond Toxics Location: West Eugene, Oregon

This project is designed to achieve community-identified solutions and accomplish measurable results by identifying areas of vulnerability, collecting community data, and building community effectiveness. This project seeks to help residents learn about how protecting natural and local wetlands can reduce the risk of flooding in flood prone areas. Additionally, community participants will learn to take necessary steps to reduce their vulnerability to flooding caused by increasingly frequent storms. Beyond Toxics will also work with residents to reduce health risks from exposure to high levels of fine particulate matter, and advance climate resiliency by learning to grow organic, culturally appropriate food for themselves and launching a community garden. Through this project, Beyond Toxics will provide education, training, and outreach on environmental issues and building capacity for current and future leaders on EJ issues, particularly vulnerable members of the Hispanic community.

Promoting Environmental Justice, Public Health, and Climate Resiliency in Response to Three Industrial-Scale Coal Mining Projects Proposed in the Fastest Growing Community in Alaska

Grantee: Chickaloon Native Village

Location: Chickaloon Native Village (traditional ancestral territory), Alaska

This project seeks to educate the local community, empower them to take action regarding public health, air, water quality, fish, wildlife health, and climate in response to proposed coal surface strip mining. In addition, the community will increase their awareness of the connection between coal surface strip mining, transporting, exporting, and consumption in relation to climate impacts, how climate impacts are being experienced locally, statewide, nationally, and globally. A final goal of the project will be to create a formal community stakeholder engagement plan, use an assessment of community concerns and goals, and develop a final Community Environmental Health Report to be shared with policy and decision-makers. It will include suggestions the community can act on locally to address climate change.

Building Climate Resilient Communities – New Orleans

Grantee: Groundwork New Orleans (GWNO) Project

Location: New Orleans, LA

The Groundwork New Orleans (GWNO) Building Climate Resilient Communities project will focus on teaching students to design, build, and install solar powered charging benches on or near bus stops in underserved communities. This will provide clean energy sources for public transportation users, educate community members, and provide a green power source within the community in case of an emergency. The project will coincide with other green initiatives GWNO has implemented along the Green Slice Lower 9th Ward neighborhood corridor and be a welcomed companion to the Lower 9th Ward Earth Lab, a green site previously developed under an EPA Small Grant. The goals of the demonstration project are to: 1. Address climate resiliency issues and community revitalization in two underserved communities; 2. Introduce green technology and innovative design career paths to GWNO’s Green Team students by creating a transferable skill; and 3. Provide community members with clean energy to use during daily commutes and during emergency power outages, when individuals may only have a cell phone to use for emergency calls. The demonstration project will increase public engagement capacity and efforts by providing educational signage on the importance of green energy sources while giving most people their first opportunity to utilize a solar powered energy source first hand. In addition, this project will expand our current Green Team curriculum and program to include climate change resilience as a central topic. The GWNO Green Team creates job opportunities for middle and high school students in New Orleans. In this program, youths engage in the meaningful work of environmental stewardship and green infrastructure development. The program focuses on renewing and inspiring sustainable relationships between the land, water, and people of New Orleans. While planning, implementing, and maintaining practical community-based projects, youth develop workforce-ready skills while cultivating leadership, stewardship, and citizenship capacity. In addition, the job training works as an afterschool curriculum, integrating environmental and social sciences and supplementing STEM education. The youth are encouraged to participate in the program throughout their school careers, building on previous skills and mentoring incoming students. Opportunities to attend field trips and leadership conferences enable program youths to shine on college applications and prepare for a variety of careers.

Common Ground Relief, Inc. Wetlands Education and Outreach

Grantee: Common Ground Relief Youth Wetlands Education and Outreach Program (CGR) Project

Location: New Orleans, LA

The Common Ground Relief Youth Wetlands Education and Outreach Program directly addresses community climate resiliency, in relation to the Clean Water Act, Section 104(b) (3), by engaging local youth in adaptation strategies that improve water use efficiency and quality in local neighborhoods and communities. The CGR Youth Wetlands Education and Outreach Program utilizes the following integrated environmental justice strategies to reduce water pollution and improve urban water quality, and to improve the resilience of local wetlands in the face of erosion and sea level rise: (1) education of local youth about the function of healthy wetlands and watersheds as well as the vulnerabilities to environmental risks in their neighborhoods and communities; (2) active engagement of local youth in research, hands-on projects and monitoring aimed towards the prevention, reduction, and elimination of water pollution; and (3) empowering local youth to actively participate and be a strong voice in the planning and decision-making processes that impact the region’s sustainability. The CGR Youth Wetlands Education and Outreach Program will serve elementary, middle and high school students in the primarily low-income New Orleans neighborhoods of Central City (70113), Treme (70116), Lower Ninth Ward (70117), Mid-City (70119), Gentilly (70122), Gert Town (70125), the CGR Native Plant Nursery II in the Lower Ninth Ward (70117) and planting and water testing locations including Bayou Bienvenue (70117), New Orleans City Park (70119), Bayou St. John (70119), Lake Pontchartrain (lake view area), locations along the Mississippi River and in various planting locations, to be determined.

North Gulfport Water Quality Education and Leadership Development Program

Grantee: Steps Coalition (Steps) Project

Location: North Gulfport, MS

Steps proposes an education and leadership development program that seeks to improve the water quality of Turkey Creek and connected waterways and to mitigate the effects of climate change for nearby communities. Steps proposes to achieve this goal by 1) educating nearby communities of storm water pollution prevention, improving water quality in Turkey Creek watershed, and wetland preservation and by 2) identifying and training leaders within the community to engage in a variety of activities that will improve water quality of Turkey Creek and connected waterways and the climate resiliency of nearby communities.

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Last updated on May 28, 2024