On Tuesday, June 6, the city announced a new program to support local groups that are on the front lines of fighting climate change — the Neighborhood Climate Resilience Grant Program.
The new program is in line with the RVAgreen 2050 Climate Equity Action Plan, which City Council committed to in February. That plan includes a pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030 and reach net zero emissions by 2050.
The city has allocated $865,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds towards the grant program. Here’s the exciting part — distributing those funds to community groups.
Have a worthy organization in mind? Here are the eligibility requirements:
- Must be a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19)
- Needs to provide services to “residents and neighbors of the City of Richmond” — and those services should be in the areas of climate change, action, and resilience
- Show a connection between their work and the Climate Equity Action Plan
Groups can use funds in a variety of ways, including job and workforce training, building green spaces and recreational facilities, conducting neighborhood cleanups, and supporting food banks, just to name a few possibilities. There’s no ceiling or floor for the amount of funds each group can receive.
If you’re filling out the application, be ready to discuss (among other things):
- The community you serve
- The amount of funds you’re asking for and how they’ll be used
- The date your resilience solution will be implemented or completed
The deadline to submit via email is Friday, Aug. 4.