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Environmental and Climate Justice (E&CJ) Community Change Grants Program (CCGP)

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Grant Insights

The Environmental and Climate Justice (E&CJ) Community Change Grants Program (CCGP) aims to support comprehensive community and place-based approaches to redressing environmental and climate injustices for communities facing legacy pollution, climate change, and persistent disinvestment. Program funds are authorized through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Two eligible project tracks include Track I: Community-Driven Investments for Change and Track II: Meaningful Engagement for Equitable Governance.

Key Updates U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Funding Opportunity Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program (CCGP) – Track I and Track II
NOFO Release Date 11/21/2023
Application Due Date 11/21/2024 (Application packages will be accepted on a rolling basis until the closing date) by 11:59 p.m. ET via www.Grants.gov
# of Programs · Track I: Community-Driven Investments for Change
· Track II: Meaningful Engagement for Equitable Governance
*Additionally, there are two Technical Assistance (TA) programs, including Community Change TA (CCTA) and Community Change Equitable Resilience TA (CCER TA)
Total Funding Available  $2,000,000,000
Award Minimum Track I: $10,000,000 and Track II: $1,000,000
Award Maximum Track I: $20,000,000 and Track II: $3,000,000
Recipient Cost-Share/Match Requirements: No cost-sharing or matching is required as a condition of eligibility.
Summary

Track I Objectives: Community-Driven Investments for Change
· Implement comprehensive climate action strategies and infrastructure that build resilience and adaptive capacities of communities.
· Reduce and remediate quantifiable health-harming pollutants.
· Conduct robust community engagement throughout the project.
· Develop strategies to increase the likelihood that benefits of the investments accrue to existing residents of disadvantaged communities.
· Support populations acutely vulnerable to environmental pollution.
· Maximize integration across projects to bolster benefits.

Track II Objectives: Meaningful Engagement for Equitable Governance
· Prepare, train, and educate disadvantaged communities on how to engage in government processes related to E&CJ activities.
· Establish advisory councils, taskforces, or similar bodies to facilitate disadvantaged communities’ engagement with the government in environmental decision-making.
· Facilitate collaborative governance to provide recommendations and implement decisions that benefit disadvantaged communities.
Implement processes for disadvantaged communities to have input on and influence decisions for allocating public budgets to E&CJ priorities.
Eligible Applicants Applicants eligible to apply and receive grants under this NOFO are (1) a partnership between two community-based nonprofit organizations (CBOs) or (2) a partnership between a CBO and one of the following:
· Federally Recognized Tribe
· Local Government Entity
· Institution of Higher Education

CBO: Any corporation, trust, association, cooperative, or other organization that is operated mainly for scientific, educational, service, charitable, or similar purposes in the public interest and is not organized primarily for profit; and uses net proceeds to maintain, improve, or expand the operation of the organization.

*The Lead Applicant will enter into a subaward with the Statutory Partner that must contain the elements of the Partnership Agreement.
**Lead Applicants may submit a maximum of two applications and receive up to two awards if they demonstrate their capacity and capabilities to effectively perform, manage, oversee, and complete both awards within the three-year grant period of performance.
Special Consideration All applications must demonstrate that the projects will primarily benefit disadvantaged communities in the Project Area. All Track I applications must include at least one Climate Action Strategy and at least one Pollution Reduction Strategy. Track I applications must include a Community Engagement and Collaborative Governance Plan, Community Strength Plan, Readiness Approach, and Compliance Plan.
Notes Target Investment Areas (TIAs) for Track I Applications:
*A Track I application for a TIA can only address one TIA. Addressing a TIA is not required.
· TIA A: Tribes in Alaska – an estimated $150M for projects benefitting Indian Tribes in Alaska.
· TIA B: Tribes in the Continental United States and Hawaii – an estimated $300M for projects benefitting Tribal communities outside Alaska.
· TIA C: Territories – an estimated $50M for projects benefitting disadvantaged communities in the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
· TIA D: Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities – an estimated $50M for projects benefitting disadvantaged unincorporated communities.
· TIA E: United States (U.S.) Southern Border Communities – an estimated $100M for projects benefitting non-Tribal disadvantaged communities within 100km north of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Program goals and projects must align with EPA Strategic Plan Goal 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights – Objective 2.1: Promote Environmental Justice and Civil Rights at the Federal, Tribal, State, and Local Levels.

Period of Performance: By statute, every grant funded under this NOFO cannot exceed three years.
Contact Information Information or Questions about this NOFO
Email: CCGP@epa.gov

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