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:
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Increase community resilience through climate action activities
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Center meaningful community engagement
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Build community strength
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Reach priority populations
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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
Date |
Activity |
January 6, 2025 |
Notice of Funding Opportunity posted |
January 21, 2025 |
Informational webinar |
January 23, 2025 |
FAQs and webinar recording posted |
January 6–May 31, 2025 |
Accepting applications and reviewing on a rolling basis |
June 2025 |
Final awardees selected |
July 1, 2025 |
Awardees announced |
July-August 2025 |
Workplan negotiations and scheduling of awardee trainings |
September 2025 |
Trainings for awardees |
October 1, 2025-September 30, 2027 |
Grant execution period with quarterly reporting |
October 31, 2027 |
Final reports due |
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, interested applicants can email ClimateFund@gonzaga.edu with any questions about the CCAF or to request technical assistance with 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.