The mission of the Great Lakes Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center (Great Lakes TCTAC) is to support community organizations successfully navigate funding opportunities for climate and environmental projects from proposal concept to grant implementation.
Federal agencies are allocating historic levels of federal funding to advance environmental justice, via the Inflation Reduction Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and American Rescue Plan. Recognizing that community leadership is vital to effective solutions in the clean energy transition, remediating industrial pollution, and equitably advancing a green workforce, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have set up technical assistance centers all over the country to help community organizations navigate the federal funding process. This is a key strategy of the Biden Administration’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40 percent of the overall benefits of climate, clean energy, affordable and sustainable housing, clean water and wastewater infrastructure, and other environmental investments to environmental justice communities.
The Great Lakes TCTAC is 1 of 16 Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (TCTACs) nationwide funded by the EPA and the DOE. Two centers have been set up in EPA Region 5 which includes 35 federally recognized Tribal nations, and six states.
One Region 5 EJ TCTAC is led by Blacks in Green (BIG), in partnership with community-based organizations including: Black Environmental Leaders Association (BEL), Environmental Health Watch (EHW), Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association (MTERA), University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health (SPH), and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC).
Our Center, the Great Lakes TCTAC, is led by the University of Minnesota, and includes the Community Engineering Corps, Environmental Protection Network, Great Plains Institute, Michigan State University, Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association (MTERA), Ohio State University, Purdue University, the University of Illinois, and the University of Wisconsin.
WHAT WE DO
The Great Lakes TCTAC provides information on current federal funding opportunities, helps to navigate which opportunities match your needs, and offers guidance throughout the application process. Sometimes, we can offer additional support by partnering with community organizations on concept development and planning, engineering consultation, GIS mapping, or post-award grant management. Check out a full list of our services.
If you are interested in receiving support from the Great Lakes TCTAC, please fill out this short intake form.
WHO DO WE SERVE?
We help organizations that are leading community driven solutions in the clean energy transition, environmental health, climate resilience, and workforce development find and apply for the funding they need.
We serve communities that have been disproportionately burdened by environmental hazards and historically have not had the resources to apply for environmental, climate or energy related grants.