EJ4Climate: Environmental Justice and Climate Resilience Grant Program

Deadline: 14-Nov-2024

The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) is excited to announce that the fourth cycle of the Environmental Justice for Climate (EJ4Climate) Grant Program is now open for applications for projects on “Community-led education programs to increase environmental justice and climate adaptation knowledge”.

The EJ4Climate Grant Program is dedicated to empowering underserved and vulnerable communities, and Indigenous communities, across North America, to help prepare them for climate-related impacts and to advance environmental justice.

Program Details

• The EJ4Climate Grant Program has been a driving force behind community-based organizations and individuals at the frontline of climate action, supporting solutions to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
• Community-led education programs can enable individuals to understand and analyze their problems and include a variety of perspectives in a learning-by-sharing approach. These programs can help community members transform their local knowledge into innovative actions or solutions and can lead to their active participation in decision-making. Education is also recognized as essential in addressing climate change and is a key element of climate adaptation, enhancing adaptive capacity and empowering people with the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to take action against climate change.
• The EJ4Climate Grant Program welcomes proposals that promote the development of climate adaptation knowledge related to the following themes: extreme weather impacts, transition to clean energy sources, conservation or restoration initiatives, traditional ecological knowledge to address climate change impacts and/or food sovereignty. Proposed approaches may include, but are not limited to: hands-on activities, place-based learnings, community-science initiatives, knowledge exchange with Elders, training and capacity building, awareness campaigns, and engaging youth as agents of change.

Funding Information

• With up to C$175,000 in grant funding available for recipients.

Eligible Projects

• The EJ4Climate program supports projects directed to vulnerable populations and favored populations, and indigenous communities, in Canada, United States and Mexico to prepare so much to infringe on challenges and associated impacts this is a phenomenon to stimulate environmental justice.
• EJ4Climate proposes to promote environmental justice, so that they can procure the participation and empowerment of communities in the field of solutions and creation of relationships that address the vulnerabilities in environmental and health materials, including the derivatives of the effects of the climate change.

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible grant applicants include non-profit organizations and NGOs, civil society groups, environmental groups, community associations, faith-based organizations, tribal nations, and Indigenous peoples and communities.
• Specifically, applicants must meet the definition of a “community-based organization,” which is a non-governmental organization that has demonstrated its effectiveness as a representative of a community or a significant segment of a community, and that assists its members in obtaining social, educational, or environmental services. Universities and academic and public research institutions are ineligible, but may partner with community-based organizations to support their applications and act as community partners.
• This program does not provide support to businesses, individuals, universities and academic and public research institutions, or municipal, provincial, state, territorial and federal governments, except tribal nations and Indigenous peoples and communities. However, applications are eligible from eligible organizations that form partnerships with the private sector or local government entities.
• Candidates must meet the following criteria:
  • Address the area(s) identified by the CEC Council in the call for proposals;
  • Have or strengthen the necessary organizational capacities and include other elements/resources to successfully carry out the project and contribute to its continued and long-term impact once funding ends;
  • Have a strong and clear implementation plan that involves community and grassroots leaders, and that lists stakeholders, actions, beneficiaries,

Ineligibility Criteria

• The following activities and projects are ineligible for funding:
  • activities that are the responsibility of a local government, state, provincial or federal government (e.g., building roads, bridges or sewage treatment plants);
  • purchasing motor vehicles, property or land;
  • renovations;
  • legal actions;
  • projects focused solely on planning;
  • projects aimed solely at beautifying an area;
  • lobbying or advocacy.

For more information, visit Commission for Environmental Cooperation.