CLIMATE REALITY Announces recipients of 4th annual Climate Justice For all grants

Ten organizations and grassroots groups in the US and Puerto Rico will receive $20,000 each to implement projects in communities disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis and environmental injustice

(Washington DC—August 3, 2023) – Today, The Climate Reality Project announced 10 recipients of grants totaling $200,000 to lead the fight for environmental and climate justice, as part of the organization’s fourth annual Climate Justice for All grants program. Each organization will receive $20,000 in funding for local projects in communities disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis and environmental injustice.

In 2023, the Climate Justice for All program received a record number of applications – with over 160 applications from 36 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico — to implement initiatives in areas such as climate advocacy, community organizing, campaign development, capacity building, home retrofitting and weatherization, urban agriculture, green workforce development, disaster preparedness, and much more.

“This summer has demonstrated the severity of the climate crisis – especially for those impacted first and worst, whose challenges and solutions have gone underrecognized and under-resourced for far too long,” said The Climate Reality Project President & CEO Phyllis Cuttino. “Climate Reality is proud to support community organizations on the frontlines of this crisis through its Climate Justice for All grants program. These remarkable organizations are doing the vital work of helping to create a sustainable, just, and resilient future for all.”

Applicants to the Climate Justice for All program submitted proposals detailing projects and initiatives that directly address environmental justice issues in communities around the United States and Puerto Rico.  Submissions were evaluated based on how their project will aim to advance a just transition in line with Climate Reality Project’s four global campaigns. During the grant period, The Climate Reality Project will be working with grantees to provide speaking opportunities at training events and ongoing resources to maximize their funding efforts.

This year’s Climate Justice for All grants will support the 10 organizations listed below and help fund project-based climate initiatives from July 2023 to March 2024. The recipients are:

El Puente will empower, educate, and provide resources to six community hubs in Puerto Rico to strengthen climate adaptation, energy infrastructure, and disaster-preparedness efforts across the island. The organization’s community engagement strategy will culminate in the Caminata Puerto Rico ante el Cambio Climático, an annual march that gathers thousands of people to demonstrate against global warming and climate injustices affecting the island.

Girl Plus Environment will relaunch the Protecting Our Energy Project to educate, engage, and empower a second cohort of Black and brown women and non-binary individuals living in Atlanta’s most energy-burdened communities to fight for clean and equitable energy policy that prioritizes the needs of communities of color while addressing climate change.

HBCU Green Fund will launch the Energy Fellowship Program to train current HBCU students in core concepts of climate change and climate justice and introduce them to the clean energy industry and professionals working in the field. Throughout the program, the fellows will learn real-life skills such as conducting investment-grade energy audits for businesses owned by frontline communities.

The Institute for Climate and Peace will train and empower 40 BIPOC adolescent girls from rural Hawaii with knowledge, skills, networks, and resources that honor their identity and prepare them to champion community resilience and climate justice in their communities.  

Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization will leverage its long-lasting relationship with South Side Chicago communities to educate, engage, and inspire participation among Black, low-income households and senior citizens in community solar programs, clean energy workforce training, and other incentives for homeowners. 

Native Conservancy will work with Alaskan Native communities to engage in a restorative and regenerative industry by conducting an immersive kelp farming fellowship. Using traditional Native ecological knowledge to assess marine ecosystems and inform sustainable practices that build resilience for climate change, the OceanBack project will provide blue-green workforce development and environmental stewardship for prospective ocean farmers .

Protect our Aquifer will launch the Look Out Below educational series to empower frontline communities in Southwest Memphis to act and protect the Memphis Sand Aquifer – the city’s primary source of drinking water – from fossil fuel pollution and climate change. To inspire action, this organization will host community meetings, learning workshops, and toxic tours around contaminated sites.

RISE St. James will combine strategic communication with local organizing to bring national awareness on the legacy of environmental pollution to the air, water, and climate  caused by the petrochemical industry in Cancer Alley, Louisiana. To achieve these goals, RISE St. James will conduct a community outreach education campaign to create a groundswell of anti-petrochemical sentiment and raise support to stop the expansion of petrochemical developments in the South. 

The CLEO Institute will promote sustainable development and resilience in Miami Dade’s frontline communities by engaging a cohort of 30 BIPOC women in immersive workshops that explore the concepts of environmental justice and gender equity and provide hard skills in areas of disaster-preparedness, climate advocacy, gardening, and financial literacy.  

The Semilla Project will mobilize BIPOC youth ages 13–24 to address the lack of green transportation and increased air pollution in New Mexico. Through community organizing, social media content creation, and capacity-building workshops, youth will feel empowered to add their voice and advance health equity and climate justice in the Southwest.   

For more information about the Climate Justice for All grants and this year’s recipients, please visit: https://www.climaterealityproject.org/climatejusticegrants.

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ABOUT THE CLIMATE REALITY PROJECT

Founded by Nobel laureate and former US Vice President Al Gore, The Climate Reality Project is working to catalyze a global solution to the climate crisis by making urgent action a necessity across every sector of society. With a global movement 3.5 million strong and a grassroots network of trained Climate Reality Leader activists, we're spreading the truth about the climate crisis and building popular support for clean energy solutions. For more information, visit www.climaterealityproject.org or follow Climate Reality on social at @ClimateReality.