On December 20th, The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) selected 11 Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmakers that will receive $600 million to serve as pass-through entities to provide subgrants to community-based nonprofits and other eligible subrecipients. Grantmakers will alleviate much of the burden that the federal grants process places on small, resource-constrained community-based organizations supporting underserved communities and marginalized populations.

This process is a crucial element of implementing the Justice40 Initiative, launched in 2021 via Executive Order: an intentional, “whole-of-government effort to… deliver at least 40 percent of the overall benefits from Federal investments in climate and clean energy to disadvantaged communities.” 

For Region 9, which encompasses California, Arizona and Nevada, the Biden-Harris Administration selected California-Based Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs, Inc. to receive $50 million to fund environmental justice projects, working in partnership with California based funders and others, including the Liberty Hill Foundation, Resources Legacy Fund and the International Community Foundation (read the full news release).

With now massive amounts of federal funding beginning to flow into the region, multiple opportunities exist for philanthropy to support the equitable implementation of these dollars. One emerging program that directly relates to this EPA funding is the #EJ Ready Initiative, which is surveying the landscape for related opportunities, providing critical technical assistance to community-led organizations on the ground and leveraging the power of the network through convenings.

At this upcoming convening, you’ll hear from local leadership engaged both with implementing the EPA’s EJ Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program and #EJ Ready. We’ll also explore multiple options for philanthropy to support these and related initiatives to ensure equitable implementation of public funding in service to low-income, communities of color to make a just transition into healthy, thriving and resilient places.

This convening is part of a series of quarterly conversations hosted by the Southern California Grantmakers Environmental Funders Group.

The SCG Environmental Funders Group meets quarterly to educate prospective and current environmental funders about environmental challenges and opportunities in Southern California and foster collaboration, and share successes and challenges. Please contact Katy Pelissier at katy@socalgrantmakers.org for more information or visit the group’s page on the Southern California Grantmakers’ website.

This program is part of SCG’s 2024 recurring programs. To register for all upcoming dates, please click the “Register for Recurring Dates” button. This feature is only open to members; please contact us if you are a non-member and wish to register for the series at programsrsvp@socalgrantmakers.org or (213) 680-8866.

Recurring Dates:

• May 17th, 2024 Learn more >>>
• September 20th, 2024 Learn more >>>
• November 15th, 2024  Learn more >>>