(AGENPARL) – mer 20 dicembre 2023 Issued: Dec 20, 2023 (4:09pm EST)
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Biden-Harris Administration selects Denver-based JSI Research and Training
Institute to receive $50M to fund Environmental Justice projects as part of
Investing in America Agenda
Nonprofit to reduce barriers to federal funds and issue Environmental Justice
grants across EPA Region 8 over the next three years
DENVER (Dec. 20, 2023) – Today, as part of President Biden’s Investing in
America agenda, the Biden-Harris Administration announced JSI Research and
Training Institute, Inc. (JSI) of Denver, Colorado, has been selected to
receive $50 million under EPA’s Environmental Justice Thriving Communities
Grantmaking program created by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act,
the largest climate action investment in history. JSI will use these funds to
serve as a Grantmaker for project applicants across EPA Region 8, which
includes Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming and 28
Tribal Nations. 
This new grant program, which will make it easier for small community-based
organizations to access federal environmental justice funding, responds to
community feedback about the need to reduce barriers to federal funds.
Specifically, the program will improve the efficiency of the awards process to
ensure communities that have long faced underinvestment can access the
benefits of the largest climate investment in history. Communities will be
able to apply to JSI for a subgrant to fund a range of different environmental
project activities, including small local clean ups; local emergency
preparedness and disaster resiliency programs; environmental workforce
development programs for local jobs reducing greenhouse gas emissions;
fence-line air quality and asthma related projects; healthy homes programs;
and projects addressing illegal dumping.  
“This Grantmakers funding will create much-needed opportunities for
Environmental Justice communities and leaders to receive federal grants s for
locally-developed projects that focus on improving the environment, public
health and quality of life,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC
Becker. “EPA looks forward to collaborating with JSI to deliver resources
and support in the communities that need them most.”  
“Access to clean water and clean air is a fundamental human right,” said
U.S. Senator Michael Bennet. “This investment will help remove barriers to
obtaining federal funds for small community-based organizations in parts of
Colorado that have long been disproportionately affected by poor water and air
quality. It is important to ensure those communities receive the resources
they need.” 
“Our Inflation Reduction Act gives us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to
address climate change for the communities that are facing it
head-on,” said U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper.  “Today’s investment
will catalyze locally-led solutions for climate resilience in Colorado and
other Western states.” 
“Today’s announcement represents a transformative step in our fight for
environmental justice,” said U.S. Representative Diana DeGette. “Thanks
to the Biden Administration, these investments will help ensure communities
across the Mountain West have cleaner air and water – improving public
health across the region. I’m proud that Denver will continue to be a leader
in this fight. As we address the climate crisis and the harmful pollution
fueling it, we’re working together to ensure a healthier, more equitable
future for all.” 
EPA Grantmakers will work in collaboration with EPA to issue subgrants to
community-based nonprofit organizations and other eligible organizations
representing disadvantaged communities. As a Grantmaker, JSI will design
comprehensive application and submission processes, award environmental
justice subgrants, implement tracking and reporting systems and provide
resources and support to communities.  
JSI’s team will focus on environmental, public health and quality of life
improvements in the most overburdened, vulnerable and underserved communities
by co-designing an equitable and inclusive grantmaking application and scoring
process.  The Institute will reach out to communities across EPA Region 8,
reducing burdens on subgrantees and engaging in monitoring, evaluation and
reporting that ensures the integrity, compliance and impact of the program.
JSI has more than 30 years as an environmental health training and technical
assistance provider and grant manager. The subgrants are expected to become
available by summer of 2024. 
JSI’s partners include:  
The Montana Watershed Coordination Council (Helena, Montana) 
The Oglala Lakota Cultural & Economic Revitalization Initiative (Pine Ridge
Indian Reservation, South Dakota) 
Dakota Resource Council (Bismarck, North Dakota) 
The Wyoming Outdoor Council (Lander, Wyoming) 
The Community Health Association of Mountains/Plains States (Denver,
Colorado)  
Equitable funding Advisory/Training Partner Community-Centric Fundraising
(Seattle, Washington) 
Grantmakers are expected to begin opening competitions and awarding subgrants
by summer 2024. Community-based nonprofit organizations and other eligible
organizations seeking subgrant funding will be able to apply for subgrants
through three concurrent tiers offered by the Grantmakers. Tier One will
consist of grants for $150,000 for assessment, Tier Two will consist of grants
for $250,000 for planning, and Tier Three will consist of grants for $350,000
for project development. In addition, $75,000 will be available for
capacity-constrained community-based organizations through a noncompetitive
process under Tier One. Each Grantmaker will design and implement a
distribution program best suited for their region and communities.  
The Grantmakers program is part of the?Federal Interagency Thriving
Communities Network and delivers on the Biden-Harris
Administration’s?Justice40 Initiative?which set the goal that 40% of the
overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged
communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by
pollution. Grantmakers will work in collaboration with the Environmental
Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs) to
create a robust support network to assist eligible entities when applying. 
Learn more about the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmakers. 
Background 
From day one of their administration, President Biden and Vice President
Harris have made achieving environmental justice a top priority. In August
2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, creating
the largest investment in environmental and climate justice in U.S. history.
EPA received $3 billion in total to award grants and fund related technical
assistance to benefit disadvantaged communities.? 
EPA has since launched and expanded innovative programs to provide more
support than ever before to communities that unjustly bear the burdens of
environmental harm and pollution. This investment includes the $177 million
for the creation of 16 EJ TCTACs in partnership with the U.S. Department of
Energy to remove barriers to federal resources and help communities pursue
funding opportunities like those made available through President Biden’s
Investing in America Agenda. 
EPA announced nearly $128 million to fund 186 projects across the country
that advance environmental justice as part of President Biden’s Investing in
America agenda. The organizations, which EPA has selected through
its Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving Cooperative
Agreement and Environmental Justice Government-to-Government programs, will
use the funds to ensure disadvantaged communities that have historically
suffered from underinvestment have access to clean air and water and climate
resilience solutions in alignment with the Biden-Harris Administration’s
Justice40 Initiative. 
Last month, EPA also announced approximately $2 billion in funding available
to support community-driven projects that deploy clean energy, strengthen
climate resilience and build capacity for communities to tackle environmental
and climate justice challenges. The Community Change Grants are the single
largest investment in environmental justice going directly to communities in
history, and will advance collaborative efforts to achieve a healthier, safer
and more prosperous future for all. 
Learn more about environmental justice at EPA.  
For up-to-date information on when subgrants will be available, subscribe to
the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights’ listserv by