Government Funding and Collaboration

This page offers pointers to information about public (governmental) funding addressing climate, health, and equity. 

Foundations and donors may find this information useful for understanding public funding flows; identifying opportunities for  philanthropic action, such as supporting community engagement, capacity-building, or advocacy; and/or for identifying governmental counterparts for public-private funder dialogues. 

Practitioners may find this information helpful for understanding public funding flows; identifying opportunities for community engagement or advocacy; and/or identifying funding opportunities relevant to your organization, issue area, or community.   

This page is organized into four sections:

1. Information on Current Public Funding Opportunities including the Justice40 Initiative and newly-legislated federal funding
2. Hubs of Collaboration for / with Government Funders (organizations supporting interaction among US city, county, state, federal, tribal government, and/or other funders)
3. US Federal Agencies & Programs Addressing Climate, Health, & Equity (alphabetized list by US federal agency or office)
4. US City, County, and State Agencies & Programs Addressing Climate, Health, & Equity (alphabetical list by US State) 

This is not a comprehensive list; contact organizations listed for more.  Help us improve this resource by suggesting additions or corrections.

1.  Information on Current Public Funding Opportunities

This section highlights resources about new & current public funding related to climate, health, and equity, as well as technical assistance in navigating public funding opportunities.

Information on Justice40 Initiative 

Federal Government Resources related to Justice40:

The Justice 40 Initiative was established by Executive Order 14008 "with the goal of delivering 40 percent of the overall benefits of climate, clean energy, affordable and sustainable housing, clean water, and other federal investments to disadvantaged communities and tracks performance toward that goal through the establishment of an Environmental Justice Scorecard."  For more information, see the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) information in section 2 below and:

• The US Environmental Protection Agency's Justice40 at EPA page
• The White House Environmental Justice page, with links to information on the Justice40 Initiative, White House Interagency Environmental Justice Council, and White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council
• May 2022 Biden-Harris Administration Report to Congress on Progress on Environmental Justice
• The Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool, currently in beta form, being developed to help Federal agencies  implementing Justice40 to identify disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution. 

Nonprofit Resources Related to Justice40:

• Justice 40 Funding Finder, a tool to help communities learn about various federal funding programs associated with Justice40 and their application periods.  Hosted by the Equitable & Just National Climate platform, developed by the Center for American Progress.
• "Making Justice40 a Reality for Frontline Communities:  Lessons From State Approaches to Climate and Clean Energy Investments, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation (2021)
• The Justice40.com Fact Sheets, Accountability Framework, and other resources
• Justice 40 Accelerator shares information, resources, and capacity with frontline community organizations to formulate projects and apply for funding opportunities presented by the Justice40 Initiative.   Site includes Featured Funding Opportunities page.
• "On Anniversary of Historic Climate Executive Order, Environmental Justice Coalition Calls for More Action on Justice40, Cutting Legacy Pollution and Enacting Build Back Better Agenda," Equitable & Just National Climate Platform statement (Jan 2022)  

• The People's Justice40+ Community Benefit Playbook:  A Guide to Capturing Federal Infrastructure Investments 2022, Emerald Cities Collaborative (2022)

Information on Relevant Funding through the Inflation Reduction Act

Federal Government Resources related to the IRA

• The Inflation Reduction Act:  A Big Deal for People and the Planet, Michael Regan, EPA Perspectives (August 2022) and Inflation Reduction Act Overview:  Climate and Clean Air-related Provisions, US EPA PowerPoint

Nonprofit Resources Related to the IRA

• How states and cities can benefit from climate investments in the Inflation Reduction Act, C40 Knowledge Hub policy brief (August 2022)
• https://earthjustice.org/brief/2022/what-the-inflation-reduction-act-means-for-climatehttps://earthjustice.org/brief/2022/what-the-inflation-reduction-act-means-for-climate, Earthjustice Brief (August 2022) 

Information on Federal Infrastructure Funding

This section offers pointers to information about federal infrastructure funding via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that is related to climate, health, and equity.  See also Section 3 with more information on federal agencies distributing infrastructure funding, including Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Energy, Homeland Security, and Interior, and US Environmental Protection Agency.

Federal Government Resources on Infrastructure Funding:

• Building a Better America:  A Guidebook to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Governments, and Other Partners, Build.gov (2022)

• Department of Transportation resources on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

• US Environmental Protection Agency:   EPA’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds, Funding for Water Infrastructure and Lead Service Line Replacement, Biden-Harris Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan, Environmental Cleanup Funding:  Superfund and Brownfields programs, Clean School Bus Program Funding

• White House Releases Technical Assistance Guide to Help Communities Unlock Resources From Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (May 2018 White House announcement)

Nonprofit Resources on Infrastructure Funding:

• Brookings Federal Infrastructure Hub, Brookings Metro resource page to help practitioners, policymakers, and journalists better understand what the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) includes, how it works, and how specific programs can benefit particular places.

• Communities First Infrastructure Alliance and partners' resources for building just, equitable, and more resilient communities using Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA) funds.

• Demystifying Federal Funding Webinar Series. SPARCC (Strong, Prosperous, and Resilient Communities Challenge) webinars and background resources related to transportation and other infrastructure-related spending. 

• Ensuring Racial Equity in Infrastructure Spending, YouTube recording of a March 2022 philanthropic and federal partnership briefing co-hosted by The Communities First Fund, The Funders Network, Environmental Grantmakers Association and Neighborhood Funders Group.  Here are related notes on Challenges and Solutions.

• Equitable Infrastructure Implementation Principles and other Equitable Infrastructure Initiative resources, US Water Alliance (2022)

• From ARPA to IIJA - Fulfilling the Promise of Equity, PolicyLInk

• Legislative Analysis for Counties:  The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, National Association of Counties.

• Opportunities for Health Professionals to Advance Climate, Health and Equity through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health (2022)\

• Rural Capacity Map identifying communities where investment in staffing and expertise are needed to support infrastructure and climate resilience projects, Headwaters Economics (2022)

• The American Rescue Plan Act:  Centering Equity and Impacted Communities, Communities First & Full Spectrum Labs 

• The People's Justice40+ Community Benefit Playbook:  A Guide to Capturing Federal Infrastructure Investments 2022, Emerald Cities Collaborative (2022)

Technical Assistance on Accessing Public Funding

• Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers Program of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides grant funding for  centers that can support communities with environmental justice concerns with training, assistance, and capacity-building related to federal grant funding.

• Environmental Protection Network (EPN) Pro Bono Technical Assistance Program recruits former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) staff to serve as volunteers to help community organizations navigate government regulations, data, policies, or grant applications.

• Justice 40 Accelerator shares information, resources, and capacity with frontline community organizations to formulate projects and apply for funding opportunities presented by the Justice40 Initiative.   

• A Thriving Communities Program of the US Department of Transportation is being established to provide technical assistance and capacity building to help communities access federal funding and make transportation improvements.  

2.  Hubs of Collaboration for/with Government Funders  

 Association of State and Territorial Health Officials

• Climate and Health resources for climate change adaptation, readiness, and impacts work at state and territorial health agencies

• Climate-Ready Territories funds territorial health agencies to prepare for and respond to climate health effects.

Bureau of Indian Affairs

• Tribal Resilience Program funding supports tribes, tribal consortia, and authorized tribal organizations to build adaptation and resilience.  

Federal Health Systems Learning Network

• Learning network for federal health systems (VA, IHS, DoD) to support implementation of Executive Order 14057 on greenhouse gas emissions.  Coordinated by Office of Climate Change and Health Equity, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

National Association of City and County Health Officials (NACCHO)

• Global Climate Change Workgroup provides leadership and resources to support local health department climate change efforts.

• Directory of Local Health Departments.

National Caucus of Environmental Legislators

• NCEL state exchanges on climate and energy, environmental health, environmental justice

The Funders Network 

• Partners for Places matching grant program supporting partnerships between local US and Canadian city and county government sustainability offices and place-based foundations, focused on enhancing local capacity to build equitable and sustainable communities. Supported by TFN in partnership with the Urban Sustainability Directors Network.

Pacific Northwest Tribal Climate Change Project 

• Tribal Climate Change Funding Guide

Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN): 

• USDN Manages funds including the USDN Innovation Fund, USDN Peer Learning Exchange Fund, Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance Funds, and Partners for Places Fund.

U.S. Department of Agriculture

• USDA Climate Hubs

US Global Change program

• Interagency CrossCutting Group on Climate Change and Human Health

White House Council on Environmental Quality

• Coordination of federal government efforts to improve, preserve, and protect America's public health and environment 

• White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council  established to advise the Chair of the Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the newly established White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council (IAC) to increase the Federal Government’s efforts to address environmental injustice. 

• Manages Justice 40 Initiative established by Executive Order 14008 "with the goal of delivering 40 percent of the overall benefits of relevant federal investments to disadvantaged communities and tracks performance toward that goal through the establishment of an Environmental Justice Scorecard." See  also Justice40 information in section 1 above.