Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The previous Clean School Bus (CSB) Grant Program opened on April 24, 2023 and closed on August 22, 2023. The TCTAC anticipates a grant cycle with similar dates this year. 

EnDyna, EPA's technical assistance contractor, will lead with EPA participation, a series of informational webinars on Community Change Grant Technical Assistance. 

The Michigan Office of the Environmental Justice Public Advocate, Office of Climate and Energy and the Michigan Infrastructure Office hosted a webinar in January 2024 called "Community Change Grants: Michigan Support Webinar." A link to the recording is provided as well as a link to an interest survey.  

The Anthropocene Alliance and the Environmental Protection Network is co-hosting monthly virtual discussions on the second Wednesday of every month. The discussions will focus on federal funding and other topics of interest for frontline and environmental justice communities nationally.

To help applicants as they work through their Community Change Grant Applications, EPN has created a suggested 6-step application process for Track I and Track II—including a suggested timeline.

Great Lakes TCTAC Partner Illinois Extension hosted a 3 part webinar series focused on opportunities available to rural communities in Illinois related to the energy transition.

The UMN is home to a new federal office intended to get as much climate investment into environmental justice communities as possible. As part of this effort, Minnesota political leaders, officials from the Environmental Protection Agency, and university staff held a roundtable discussion Wednesday highlighting the initiative. 

The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund’s (GGRF) Solar for All is a competition to create and expand the number of low-income and disadvantaged communities primed for distributed solar investment. The application deadline is Sept 26 but letters of intent are due in August. 

EPA recently announced the $7 billion Solar for All competition, created by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF). This competition will award up to 60 grants to states, territories, Tribal governments, municipalities, and eligible nonprofit recipients to create and expand the number of low-income and disadvantaged communities primed for distributed solar investment—enabling millions of low-income households to access affordable, resilient, and clean solar

The University of Minnesota is mentioned among the list of organizations housing a newly funded regional EJ TCTAC center.