Activism

Greenlining Institute Receives Grant for Climate Work with Underserved Communities

Over two thirds of the money from this new grant will be designated specifically for local grassroots organizations in these communities, building infrastructure and connecting them with the technical expertise needed to develop climate resilience projects.

Published

5 years ago

December 12, 2021

Oakland Post

“The Greenlining Institute is building on a 30-year track record of success to create a better, more just future for everyone,” said Greenlining Institute President and CEO Debra Gore-Mann.

$10 Million from Bezos Earth Fund Will Boost Local Community Groups to Fight Climate Change and Build Resilience

By Molly Tafoya

The Greenlining Institute has received a $10 million grant from the Bezos Earth Fund to help communities of color most burdened by climate change and systemic discrimination forge the infrastructure needed to fight climate change and build healthier, more resilient communities.

Throughout our decades of advocating for equitable climate and energy policies, Greenlining knows that the communities with the greatest burdens and needs often lack the resources to even apply for and effectively use funding that exists for climate efforts.

Such projects include energy and water efficiency upgrades, solar installations on single-family homes and multi-family housing complexes, green infrastructure, streetscape improvements, electric vehicle carsharing programs and more. This includes $1 million specifically for a catalytic climate action and racial equity fund to seed early-stage, community-led climate projects that will benefit the hardest hit communities.

“The Greenlining Institute is building on a 30-year track record of success to create a better, more just future for everyone,” said Greenlining Institute President and CEO Debra Gore-Mann. “Our work to build enduring, transformative new solutions is core to who we are, and we’re proud to have that legacy recognized by the Bezos Earth Fund with this grant. We are committed to bringing together diverse stakeholders from the public, private and nonprofit sectors to create dynamic frameworks of shared power for lasting change. And we are being very intentional in how we intend to spend the funds, including designating nearly $6 million for grassroots communities and their critical climate resilience work — because communities know best what their neighborhoods need to thrive.”