October Newsletter: Funding Opportunities, Working Group Events, and more!

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Happy October, MWBDC!

It’s been – as always – a busy month here at the Coalition! Our transition to becoming a 501c3 is going well, and we are excited to share more this winter. As most of you know, we also wrapped up our 2023 regranting program this month. With over $2.5 million in requested funds and only $500,000 available in the program budget, our staff and Finance Subcommittee had to make a lot of tough decisions.

However, it’s also cause for celebration that our program is growing! With over 150 great applications, we will be able to use this proven interest in our work as we continue to apply for the funding that makes this regranting program possible. Keep an eye out for a blog post in the near future that gives an overview of our 2023 Empowerment Grant Recipients, and make sure to welcome them and our 2023 Participation Stipend Recipients into our coalition and our movement.

We also wanted to lift up other funding opportunities that apply to our members – especially the Community Energy Innovation Prize, Community Change Grants, and Energy Equity Grants. Read more about each of these funding sources in this newsletter! If you applied for an Empowerment Grant and need a copy of your application to reuse for one (or both) of these opportunities, reach out and we can get that to you!

Keep reading for details on those funding opportunities, overviews of upcoming events our working groups have been planning (online and in-person!) and all of the resources, news, and meeting links for the month of October.

In solidarity,

– Marnese, Jacob, and Maggie

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

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Jennifer Young

Jennifer Young is an Energy Programs Manager with Michigan Interfaith Power & Light, a nonprofit whose mission is to inspire and equip people of faith and conscience to exercise stewardship of and love for all Creation. In this role she works with dozens of faith communities across the state to assist them in bringing earth stewardship into congregational life. Jennifer’s primary responsibilities include working with 11 faith communities who were awarded $100K each to make their worship facilities energy efficient via a “Sacred Spaces” grant from the State of Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. Additionally, she serves as a representative of Michigan IPL in a newly launched initiative “Solar Faithful” which aims to increase solar access among low-income/low-wealth congregations, BIPOC led faith communities, and diverse faith traditions.

Jennifer is honored by the opportunity to participate in the Midwest Building Decarbonization Coalition and to contribute towards creating a cleaner, healthier, and more just world. She sees the MWBDC’s work as instrumental to building a movement that ensures that the benefits of clean energy are available to all.

Deirdre Courtney Nieves

Deirdre is a social scientist, educator, and environmental justice advocate. Deirdre works with communities and organizations in Michigan and across the country advancing energy democracy and organizing for transformative federal action to cut carbon emissions, end fossil-fuel use, and address the climate crisis.

At Western Michigan University, Deirdre serves as a Professor of Environment and Sustainability and Intercultural and Anthropological Studies. She is recognized for her interdisciplinary work across multiple fields with a strong emphasis on the study of relationships between people and their diverse environments. Deirdre is also the Director of Climate Solutions and Justice with the West Michigan Environmental Action Council. She has been part of the Environmental Fellows Program (Yale School for the Environment & UM SEAS) and the Advance Midwest Partnership. Deirdre enjoys spending time in the great outdoors. In the past few years, she has traveled to experience the stunning natural beauty and wildlife of Yellowstone, Zion, Olympic, Glacier, and Grand Teton National Parks.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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Save the Date: 2024 Equity Summit

We are excited to announce that we will be hosting our third annual Equity Summit in person in 2024!

Save the Date: July 31 – August 1, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Our theme is Sustainability Renaissance: Unleashing the Power of Collective Action. This conference embarks on a transformative journey towards a just and sustainable future. Over two days, we will explore themes such as building decarbonization, equity, cultural respect, storytelling, and the power of collective action. This conference serves as a rallying call, igniting our passion and empowering us to mobilize around the Justice40 Initiative and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Mark your calendar now! In the coming months, we will share more information on registration, speakers, and sessions.

Register now for our Demystifying Justice40 Leadership Bootcamp!

Join MWBDC on November 16th, 2023 for a day-long workshop all about how we can build capacity, grow expertise, and work towards equitably implementing the Justice40 Initiative.

The bootcamp will be held from 9 AM – 4 PM EST, live on Zoom. We will have multiple speakers and sessions, including our Keynote, Naomi Davis, Founder and CEO of Blacks in Green – who was recently awarded a $10 Million grant from the Biden Administration to help other Midwestern Environmental Justice groups apply for federal funding.

Learn more and register now!

Youth in Climate Podcast Series

Our first installment of the Youth in Climate Podcast Series is this Thursday! We switched up how we’re sharing these sessions this time – instead of using Zoom, we will be streaming directly to our MWBDC Social Media channels. Check out this page on the website and use the buttons to set a reminder on Facebook, YouTube, or LinkedIn so you will be notified when we go live!

Faith in our Communities: Decarbonizing for a healthier future

Join the MWBDC’s Interfaith working group for their first event! This lunch and learn session will be on October 25^th from 1 – 2 PM EST.

How can Houses of Worship receive benefits and direct pay from the Inflation Reduction Act? Join this lunch and learn to learn and network with other people of faith. Featuring Reverend Raymond C. Dix Jr., Senior Pastor, Pilgrim Baptist Church and Sheila Curry-Campbell, Program Director/Resource Manager, Pilgrim’s Progress CDC. Moderated by Jennifer Young, Michigan Interfaith Power & Light. Register now!

Values Statement

The Education and Trainings Subcommittee has been hard at work writing MWBDC’s Values Statement – and now it has a home on our website! Check it out here.

Faith in Place hosts 2023 Green Team Summit

Join Faith in Place for an awesome watch party event in person or online on October 8. Catch Faith in Place’s 2023 Green Team Summit’s inspiring keynote address by Leah Thomas, founder of Intersectional Environmentalist. We’ll gather, connect, and envision a more inclusive environmental movement together. RSVP for your watch party site when you register for the summit here: https://bit.ly/GTS-2023-RSVP. Can’t wait to see you there! 🌎🎉

Environmental Justice Coordinating Council Fellowship Program

Public Policy Project is currently recruiting Minneapolis and St. Paul residents to participate in their EJCC Fellowship. Their focus is Minneapolis residents. However, others can apply also. EJCC was founded by Public Policy Project in 2017 with two critiques: 1) that the “environment” has been overly framed by whites and tends to exclude BIPOC issues; and 2) getting past the failure of mainstream environmentalism that considers harm to soil, water, air, and biodiversity, but excludes harm among human beings as “environmental.”

EJCC is a year-long Fellowship of African American and other people of color change agents

working to address environmental issues in their community. Read more about the fellowship program and get your application in by October 6^th if you’re interested! Reach out to James Trice at [email protected] if you would like to discuss the program further.

The Outdoor Pollution is Coming from Inside the House: New Report & Webinar

Sierra Club, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, and Physicians for Social Responsibility are hosting a webinar on Thursday about their new report: The Outdoor Pollution is Coming from Inside the House: National Building Pollution Report. The webinar will be recorded and shared with folks who register, so if you have a conflict make sure to register anyway.

When: Thursday, October 5, 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET

Topic: Building Pollution Report Webinar

Register in advance here

Job Openings

Director of the Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Technologies Office | Department of Energy
Director of the Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office | Department of Energy
Technical Project Manager, Community Programs (MI) | Elevate

Do you have announcements for the next Newsletter? Share them with Maggie at [email protected].

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

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Community Energy Innovation Prize

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Office of Economic Impact and Diversity (ED), and Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO) are launching the Community Energy Innovation Prize. This prize is a successor to DOE’s Inclusive Energy Innovation Prize and Community Clean Energy Coalition Prize.

Through this prize, DOE seeks to identify and support:

Organizations that are community-centric and have experience in successfully engaging with disadvantaged communities to address energy challenges and implement clean energy technologies.
Organizations that promote environmental, climate, and energy justice and demonstrate strong community ties.
Organizations that can use their experience to serve as bridges between DOE and disadvantaged communities and stewards of the Justice40 Initiative.
Clean energy grassroots innovation and in-community coalitions related to technology advancement and solutions in climate and clean energy with a focused impact on disadvantaged communities.

Check out the full details of the program and view upcoming webinars and events.

Community Change Grants Program

EPA’s new Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants program (Community Change Grants) will invest approximately $2 billion dollars in Inflation Reduction Act funds in environmental and climate justice activities to benefit disadvantaged communities through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity to respond to environmental and climate justice challenges. These place-based investments will be focused on community-driven initiatives to be responsive to community and stakeholder input. They are designed to deliver on the transformative potential of the IRA for communities most adversely and disproportionately impacted by climate change, legacy pollution, and historical disinvestments.

Quick Facts:

Total funding amount: $2 billion

Award sizes: Mostly $10-20 million, with some $1-3 million grants for community engagement

Timeline:

Notice of funding opportunity expected this fall
Applications will be open on a rolling basis for one year
Three year project term

Eligible organizations:

Partnerships of two or more CBOs
A CBO plus a local government, Federally-recognized Tribe, or higher education institution

Eligible projects: All projects must benefit “disadvantaged communities.”

Climate resiliency, adaptation, and risk mitigation

Community-led pollution monitoring, prevention, and remediation
Low- and zero-emission and resilient technologies
Workforce development
Indoor air quality improvements
Public engagement in state and Federal processes

More info: FAQ and program webpage

Energy Equity Grants

Climate Nexus, a strategic communications group dedicated to highlighting the impacts of climate change and clean energy solutions in the United States, is seeking to connect frontline, Black, Indigenous, and people of color-led (BIPOC) groups with resources to continue or expand their efforts against gas expansion and promote electrification of buildings in the energy transition through our Energy Equity Grants.

The Energy Equity grants prioritizes groups with an annual budget of $1 million or less to boost their efforts in racially, ethnically, gender, and culturally diverse communities across the United States and at the intersections of public health and energy justice. Grants range from $20,000-$40,000. Organizations looking to augment their climate-forward work will need to complete a brief application. The grant application process will close at midnight ET on Wednesday, October 11, 2023.

RESOURCES

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Community Voices in Energy – new website!

The Environmental Defense Fund and Blacks in Green just launched the Community Voices in Energy website!

The site will help spur a just energy transition by ensuring that community members are able to testify and share their direct experience on the record in public utility commission hearings where enormous energy investments are decided — so that utility regulators can make rulings that lead to a more equitable, healthy and affordable energy future. Tools and resources frame the issues, and community members can sign up on the site for training to become Certified Energy Justice Intervenors with EDF.

Thanks to Christie Hicks for sharing this info!

State-Level Building Electrification Factsheets from RMI

RMI has created a series of state-specific factsheets designed to inform policymakers, advocates, and other stakeholders. These comprehensive guides offer state-specific insights, address common queries, and employ visuals to demystify complex concepts. Currently available for 16 priority states (including MWBDC’s Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin) with robust electrification initiatives, our guides serve as a compass for informed decision-making.

Check them all out here!

State Policy Approaches to Address Gas Stove Pollution from RMI

Emma Hines of RMI shared this slide deck that overviews different state policy approaches regarding gas stove pollution. Notes from Emma:

Use these slides: We want these slides to help educate advocacy partners & even policymakers in your states on options for proactive and incremental action on gas stoves. I’m happy to brainstorm ways and venues to share these slides in your state coalitions – or even be the guest speaker if needed.

Help me keep the slides updated: As you become aware of more potentially viable state policy approaches, or examples of how they’re being applied, please send them my way so I can keep this catalogue updated.

Always feel free to ping me to check if there’s a more-recently-updated version of these slides.

If you have any updates for her, you can get in touch via email at [email protected]!