The Building Resilience, Innovation, Sustainability, and Assistance for the Environment Center (BRISA Center for the Environment) will give you or your organization free hands-on help, training, resources, and support towards environmental initiatives. Go to About Us for details on our organization and How We Can Help for our menu of services.
Yes, we provide 100% free services. We are funded by the US EPA and Department of Energy.
We can help individuals and organizations with a range of services, including:
- Conducting environmental and energy analyses.
- Navigating government websites.
- Identifying, applying for, and managing funding and grant opportunities.
- Participating in government/regulatory decision-making processes.
- Training for student interns and community champions.
If you don’t see a service, please Contact Us.
We serve American Samoa, Arizona, California, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Hawai'i, and Nevada including Native American Tribes and Indigenous communities in these areas. We also serve all federally and non-federally recognized Native American tribes and Indigenous communities in this area. Region 9 is US EPA’s way of referring to this whole region.
If you live outside our service area, there are other Centers that we can refer you to.
No, we cannot give out funding. We can help you find funding opportunities and apply for and obtain grants. We are also available to provide support in post-award grant management aspects, including reporting, quality assurance, and gaining a better understanding of grant policies and procedures, among other areas.
We are dedicated to delivering technical assistance and training services to a wide range of organizations and communities, including:
- Individuals
- Non-profit organizations
- Community-based and grassroots organizations
- Tribal nations and other tribal organizations and communities
- U.S. Territories
- Underserved communities and organizations
- Rural and remote communities and organizations
- Local and state governments
- Educational institutions (e.g., schools, colleges, and universities)
- Disadvantaged businesses
- Philanthropic and civic organizations
- Faith-based organizations and churches
- Utility and healthcare providers and clinics
If you are not sure if your organization is eligible for help, please Contact Us.
Please complete our Contact Form. Within 1 business day, we will contact you using your preferred contact method as indicated in the form, to discuss the next steps. If you have any questions, you can also reach out to us by phone or email.
You can ask us for help at any time online here, or by emailing or calling us (WESTEJ-Center@arizona.edu; Toll-free: 1 (877) 518-4634). We will reply to you within 2 business days, except around holidays when this may take longer.
Yes, we will collaborate with your organization to identify current and upcoming funding opportunities geared explicitly towards supporting projects focusing on energy and environmental justice within your community that meet your needs.
No, we cannot help write the funding application itself. However, we can offer hands-on help to make sure all parts of the application are ready to submit. We will also offer related trainings if needed. We can also assist in connecting your organization with accessible or pro-bono funding application writing services.
Yes, the BRISA Center for the Environment can help with needs assessments.
Yes, we can help guide individuals in navigating federal websites.
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