Funding period opens for $40M in environmental justice project grants
The “Flourishing in Community” program is open to applications from nonprofits, communities, municipalities and higher education institutions.
The application period for funding under Fordham University’s environmental justice program, “Flourishing in Community,” has opened to support communities affected by climate change, pollution and other environmental factors in Puerto Rico, New York, New Jersey, the U.S. Virgin Islands and eight federally recognized Indigenous nations.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded the program a total of $50 million over three years to foster community-led environmental justice initiatives. Of that, $40 million will be used for grants ranging from $75,000 to $350,000, and $10 million will be used to create outreach tools and support grantees in the process.
Submitted proposals may include approaches such as environmental workforce development programs, projects related to air quality and respiratory diseases, sustainable and healthy housing programs, cleanups of abandoned or underused spaces, emergency preparedness programs, disaster resilience, and projects to address illegal spills.
All proposals must be in areas administered by EPA Region 2, which includes Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, New York, New Jersey and eight federally recognized Native American nations.
Julie Gafney, associate vice president for strategic initiatives, and Surey I. Miranda, director of campus and community relations, are leading the grant process, “confirming Fordham University’s commitment to community development in response to pressing environmental issues affecting communities.”
“Today is a historic day for Fordham University and EPA Region 2. We are embarking on a journey to allocate $40 million in federal funding to communities bearing the brunt of the climate crisis and environmental challenges. These resilient communities, with their deep-rooted knowledge and innovative approaches, are poised to tackle pressing issues in their communities,” said Gafney.
“We look forward to receiving applications from across the region for workforce development programs, educational projects, clean air and water initiatives, solar energy projects, plantings, and improvements to access to green spaces and waterways,” she said.
“Our commitment to fostering community-led solutions is unwavering, and we firmly believe that this collaborative path is the most promising route to advancing higher education,” added Gafney.
Puerto Rican nonprofit organization ConPRmetidos was selected as a partner to support participating entities to apply for grants.
“Puerto Rico faces different environmental challenges that place its population in a state of vulnerability in the face of the advancing climate crisis,” said Isabel Rullán, executive director of ConPRmetidos.
“The grants will allow the development of environmental justice projects that contribute to improving the well-being, quality of life and health of communities in Puerto Rico. At ConPRmetidos, we take on the responsibility of providing information to applicants, offering support to future sub-beneficiaries and being their allies in this process,” said Rullán.
The other partners commissioned for review and selection relevant to EPA Region 2 are New York Immigration Coalition, New Jersey Immigrant Justice Alliance, U.S. Virgin Islands Community Foundation and the New York Entrepreneurship Corp.
