Community Climate Action Fund

This significant funding, delivered through the EPA’s Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program and funded via the Inflation Reduction Act, comes at a crucial time as Spokane and the Inland Northwest face the growing impacts of climate change.  

Purpose:

The Climate Institute was awarded a $19.9 million dollar grant through the EPA’s Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grant Program. $2.6 million dollars of that award goes toward the creation of a two-year Community Climate Action Fund (CCAF). The objectives of the CCAF are:

• Increase community resilience through climate action activities

• Center meaningful community engagement

• Build community strength

• Reach priority populations

• Maximize integration across project

The Climate Institute created the CCAF with the goal of allowing Spokane community-based organizations (CBOs) to determine the best use of this $2.6M in environmental justice funding.

General Grant Criteria

All projects and activities funded by the CCAF must take place in Spokane and target communities within Spokane identified as disadvantaged by the EPA.

Projects funded by the CCAF must be aligned with at least one of the Climate Action Strategies identified below. More details on these strategies identified by the EPA can be found in the Community Change Grants Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Strategy 1: Green Infrastructure and Nature-Based Solutions

Strategy 2: Mobility and Transportation Options for Preventing Air Pollution and Improving Public Health and Climate Resilience

Strategy 3: Energy-Efficient, Healthy, and Resilient Housing and Buildings

Strategy 4: Microgrid Installation for Community Energy Resilience

Strategy 5: Community Resilience Hubs

Strategy 6: Brownfield Redevelopment for Emissions Reduction and Climate Resilience

Strategy 7: Waste Reduction and Management to Support a Circular Economy

Strategy 8: Workforce Development Programs for Occupations that Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Air Pollutants

Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants for the Community Climate Action Fund include a community-based non-profit organization (CBO), or a partnership between a CBO and one of the following: a Federally recognized Tribe, a local government (City of Spokane or Spokane County), or an institution of higher education (IHE). Other organizations and entities may participate in the Community Climate Action Fund as Collaborating Entities through subawards, or as contractors selected in accordance with competitive procurement requirements.

All projects and activities funded by the CCAF must take place in Spokane and target communities within Spokane identified as disadvantaged by the EPA.

Timeline 

Funding and Grant Term

The Gonzaga Climate Institute anticipates awarding approximately $2.6 million in funding through this NOFO depending on funding availability, quality of applications received, Institute priorities, and other applicable considerations. Awards are expected to be between $100,000-$300,000 each and cannot exceed $300,000. 

The grant execution period will be October 1, 2025-September 30, 2027 (see Timeline).

Technical Assistance

The complete Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Community Climate Action Fund will be posted on January 6, 2025. After the NOFO has been posted, Dante Jester (Climate Resilience Program Manager), who is not on the grant selection committee, will be available to answer questions about the CCAF and offer technical assistance to CBOs that are considering applying.

In the meantime, it is recommended that interested CBOs ensure they are registered at SAM.gov (this will be a requirement to submit an application and can take weeks to months to be approved) and start brainstorming projects they are uniquely situated to develop and manage that would fall within the grant criteria.

If you would like to receive email updates about the Community Climate Action Fund, please register with this form.