Opportunities for Funding

Grant Overview
The Thriving Communities Grantmaker Program, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, signifies a crucial step towards advancing climate and environmental priorities. Our approach involves a strategic alliance of experienced community-based grant-makers with extensive networks in the region. By leveraging the collective expertise of our partners, including SEE’s proficiency in managing government grants and contracts, we seek to streamline the distribution process and maximize the impact of environmental justice initiatives.

Region 9 Eligible Areas
Arizona
California
Hawaii
Nevada
The Pacific Islands of Guam, American Samoa, and CNMI
148 Tribal Nations

Eligible Subrecipients
Nonprofit organizations, community-based and grassroots nonprofit organizations
Tribal governments (both federally recognized and state-recognized) and intertribal consortia
Local governments
Institutions of higher education
Native American Organizations

Ineligible Subrecipients
Individuals
For-profit businesses
State governments

Allowable Activities
Air quality and asthma
Fence line air quality monitoring
Monitoring of effluent discharges from industrial facilities
Water quality and sampling
Small cleanup projects
Improving food access to reduce vehicle miles traveled
Stormwater issues and green infrastructure
Lead and asbestos contamination
Pesticides and other toxic substances
Healthy homes that are energy/water use efficient and not subject to indoor air pollution
Illegal dumping activities, such as education, outreach, and small-scale clean-ups
Emergency preparedness and disaster resiliency
Environmental job training for occupations that reduce greenhouse gases and other air pollutants
Environmental justice training for youth
Please note this list is intended for example purposes.

Disadvantaged Communities
The Project must benefit people in disadvantaged communities as defined by the Inflation Reduction Act Disadvantaged Communities Mapping tool or other Environmental Justice Mapping resources below.
Disadvantaged Area
Areas identified as Disadvantaged and above the 90th percentile in the following categories:
Climate Change
Energy
Health
Housing, Legacy Pollution
Transportation
Water and Wastewater
Workforce Development

Environmentally Burdened
Areas at or above the 80th percentile in one or more Environmental Justice Index indicators in the following categories:
Particulate Matter 2.5
Ozone
Diesel particulate
Air Toxics Cancer Risk
Air Toxics Respiratory HI
Traffic Proximity
Lead Paint
Superfund Proximity
RMP Facility Proximity
Hazardous Waste Proximity
Underground Storage Tanks
Wastewater Discharge

Rural Community
Defined as:
Non-metropolitan counties
Outlying metropolitan counties with no population from an urban area of 50,000 or more people

Indigenous/Tribal Land
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provides the Tribal Directory Assessment Tool (TDAT) with the ability to:
Link tribes’ geographic areas of current and ancestral interest down to the county level
Perform a variety of queries related to tribes

Quality Assurance
The success of an environmental program or project depends on the quality of the environmental data collected and used in decision-making which will depend significantly on the adequacy of the quality assurance project plan and how it is carried out. EPA Region 9 requires that a systematic process be used wherever possible and appropriate to plan all environmental data generation activities.

Quality Assurance Project Planning (QAPP)
To facilitate the development of objectives, the EPA has developed guidelines to help state and Tribal governments develop Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPPs) for documenting the type and quality of data needed for environmental decisions and the methods for collecting and assessing those data.

To find more information on the QAPP, please visit the EPA website.

Tier One will consist of grants for $150,000 for assessment, Tier Two will consist of grants for $250,000 for planning, and Tier Three will consist of grants for $350,000 (2 years) for project development. In addition, $75,000 will be available for capacity-constrained community-based organizations through a non-competitive process under Tier One. Each Grantmaker will design and implement a distribution program best suited for their region and communities.

Tier One Assessment Projects up to $150,000 (1 year)
Research (incidental to the project design)
Sampling
Testing
Monitoring
Investigations
Surveys and Studies
Public Education

Tier Two Planning Projects up to $250,000 (1-2 years)
Planning
Partnership-building
Public outreach and education
Coordination with community stakeholders to address environmental issues
Training activities for community organizations and community members
Projects and activities to spur community involvement (e.g., cleanups of vacant lots)
Smaller land purchases and acquisitions that require less than half of the total amount of subgrant funding

Tier Three Development of Projects up to $350,000 (2 years)
Project Development
Blueprints for construction or cleanup projects, schematics, and technical development
Work to get permits in place directly related to an environmental project
Smaller land purchases and acquisitions that require less than half of the total amount of subgrant funding
Implementation of project plans
Public outreach and education

A limited number of $75,000 non-competitive fixed-amount subawards will be available for severely capacity-constrained CBOs to access.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is committed to taking bold leaps to transform health in our lifetime and paving the way together to a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right. To achieve that vision, we are deepening our focus on dismantling structural racism, one of the biggest barriers to health in America. Racism and injustice have become embedded in many structures of American society, including the delivery and financing systems that support medical care, public health programs, and social services.

Effective solutions to systemic racism require medical care organizations working in partnership with public health and social services systems. RWJF’s Systems for Action (S4A) signature research program since 2015 supports research studies. The studies test novel ideas for aligning delivery and financing systems across sectors in ways that address the health and social needs of people experiencing health inequities.

This 2025 call for proposals (CFP) will provide funding for a new cohort of community-led pilot studies to produce new, actionable evidence about how to help medical, social, and public health systems work together to address forms of systemic racism. This CFP focuses specifically on systems alignment (SA) interventions that have the potential to dismantle or disrupt the health effects of systemic racism and to positively affect the health and wellbeing of communities that experience systemic racism. S4A prioritizes SA interventions that, if successful, can be rapidly replicated and spread to many communities and contexts across the U.S. in order to achieve broad national impact.

Opportunity Overview. Partners for Places enhances local capacity to build equitable and sustainable communities in the United States and Canada. It does this through trust-based grantmaking that supports equitable collaborative partnerships. Partners for Places is hosted by The Funders Network (TFN).

Since 2012, this fund has supported 208 local projects. Lessons from completed work are posted on the Partners for Places Idea Bank. Successful applications can be shared with permission from the grantee. Contact Ashley Quintana if you are interested in any one community’s work.

Funds support the: (1) spreading of local Equitable Climate Action (ECA) and / or Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) practices; and (2) advancing of opportunities for local government, frontline communities, and place-based funders to build trusting partnerships and develop projects together. Each community partnership must signal its collective priorities and collaborative approaches in the application.

Round 22 Funding Description.
This opportunity requires partnerships between (1) a local government sustainability and / or water department, (2) a frontline community partner, and (3) a place-based funder.
• One-year grants ($45,000 - $100,000):
o Use a strong, existing partnership to plan or implement an ECA and / or GSI project that addresses frontline community priorities.
• Two-year grants ($75,000 - $150,000):
o Create or improve collaborative partnerships between a local government sustainability and / or water department, frontline community partner, and place-based funder.
 The budget must either allocate or indicate matching funds for partnership building in year 1 and include the engagement of a facilitator to integrate equity principles.
o Are for planning and / or implementing an ECA and / or GSI project that addresses community priorities.

Award Budget.
There is $863,834 USD available to award in Round 22 to support ~6-8 projects.
• A local foundation match of at least 50% is required. A local funder matching grant letter or grant agreement showing proof of the match must be received within 3 months of award notification.
• The grantee cannot regrant any portion of the award without written permission from TFN.

Partners for Places funds can be used for:
• Personnel costs related to the work, like supporting new local government interns or staff, new or existing staff supporting frontline communities, or consultant fees.
• Other project costs, like community stipends, supplies, administrative expenses, or small capital / equipment expenses directly related to the work.

The purpose of the Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies (Rural MOMS) program is to support collaborative improvement and innovation networks to improve access to and delivery of maternity and obstetrics care in rural areas.

The purpose of this Rural Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) Planning and Development program is to improve health care in rural areas, including expanding access to medical care and long-term services, for rural aging populations by expanding PACE programs into rural areas.

Demonstration Grants
This opportunity funds projects that encourage the replication of promising local efforts. Grants tend to fall between $10,000 and $20,000 and will not exceed $25,000.

The demonstration grant opportunity will accept applications for projects that benefit residents, especially those age 50 and older, in the following categories:

NEW! Enhancing pedestrian safety by creating safer streets and sidewalks, with a focus on people age 50-plus, with funding support from Toyota Motor North America.

NEW! Expanding high-speed internet (broadband) access and adoption, with a focus on people age 50-plus, with funding support from Microsoft.

Reconnecting communities divided by infrastructure, with a focus on people age 50-plus, as highlighted in the award-winning AARP Livable Communities article series Before the Highway.

Implementing housing design competitions that increase community understanding and encourage policies that enable greater choice in housing, with a focus on people age 50-plus, by using the AARP Housing Design Competition Tool Kit.

Mission Focus: AARP will evaluate each project based on its consistency with the AARP mission to serve the needs of people age 50-plus. The project types described below will be prioritized over those that support ongoing programming or events.

Permanent physical improvements in the community

Temporary demonstrations that lead to long-term change

New, innovative programming pilots or services

Projects that are NOT eligible for funding:

Partisan, political or election-related activities

Planning activities and assessments and surveys of communities without tangible engagement

Studies with no follow-up action

Publication of books or reports

Acquisition of land and/or buildings

Purchase of a vehicle or mechanical equipment (such as a car, truck, bus, snow mobile, snow grooming machine or tractor)

Sponsorships of other organizations’ events or activities

Research and development for a nonprofit endeavor

Research and development for a for-profit endeavor

The promotion of a for-profit entity and/or its products and services

Capacity-Building Microgrants
Combining $2,500 grants with additional resources (such as webinars, cohort learning opportunities, up to 2 hours of one-on-one coaching with leading national nonprofit organizations and AARP publications), this grant opportunity will accept applications for projects that benefit residents — especially those age 50 and older — in the following categories:

NEW! Disaster Preparedness Training: Implement disaster preparedness training programs and resources for residents, especially those age 50-plus, with support from SBP and using the AARP Disaster Resilience Tool Kit.

Walk Audits: Implement walk audit assessments to enhance safety and walkability in communities, especially for people age 50-plus, with support from America Walks and using the AARP Walk Audit Tool Kit.

Bike Audits: Implement bike audits to enhance safety and bikeability in communities, especially for people age 50-plus, with support from The League of American Bicyclists and using the AARP Bike Audit Tool Kit.

HomeFit Guide Modifications: Implement education, simple home modifications and accessible safety solutions to create and maintain “lifelong homes,” especially for people age 50-plus, with support from the RL Mace Universal Design Institute and using the AARP HomeFit Guide.

Mission Focus: AARP will evaluate each project based on its consistency with the AARP mission to serve the needs of people age 50-plus. The project types described below will be prioritized over those that support ongoing programming or events.

Permanent physical improvements in the community

Temporary demonstrations that lead to long-term change

New, innovative programming pilots or services

Projects that are NOT eligible for funding:

Partisan, political or election-related activities

Planning activities and assessments and surveys of communities without tangible engagement

Studies with no follow-up action

Publication of books or reports

Acquisition of land and/or buildings

Purchase of a vehicle or mechanical equipment (such as a car, truck, bus, snow mobile, snow grooming machine or tractor)

Sponsorships of other organizations’ events or activities

Research and development for a nonprofit endeavor

Research and development for a for-profit endeavor

The promotion of a for-profit entity and/or its products and services

Flagship AARP Community Challenge grants have ranged from several hundred dollars for smaller, short-term activities to tens of thousands of dollars for larger projects. Since 2017, AARP has funded projects with an average grant amount of $10,000 to $12,000. Nine out of 10 grants (or 92 percent) are for $20,000 or less.

In 2025, grants will not exceed $25,000. (AARP also reserves the right to award compelling projects of any dollar amount.)

We are accepting applications for projects that benefit residents — especially those age 50 and older — in the following categories:

Creating vibrant public places that improve open spaces, parks and access to other amenities.

Delivering a range of transportation and mobility options that increase connectivity, walkability, bikeability and access to public and private transit

Supporting a range of housing options that increases the availability of accessible and affordable choices

Increasing digital connections and enhancing digital literacy skills of residents

Supporting community resilience through investments that improve disaster management, preparedness and mitigation for residents

Mission Focus: AARP will evaluate each project based on its consistency with the AARP mission to serve the needs of people age 50-plus. The project types described below will be prioritized over those that support ongoing programming or events.

Permanent physical improvements in the community

Temporary demonstrations that lead to long-term change

New, innovative programming pilots or services

Projects that are NOT eligible for funding:

Partisan, political or election-related activities

Planning activities and assessments and surveys of communities without tangible engagement

Studies with no follow-up action

Publication of books or reports

Acquisition of land and/or buildings

Purchase of a vehicle or mechanical equipment (such as a car, truck, bus, snow mobile, snow grooming machine or tractor)

Sponsorships of other organizations’ events or activities

Research and development for a nonprofit endeavor

Research and development for a for-profit endeavor

The promotion of a for-profit entity and/or its products and services

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announces a notice of funding opportunity, subject to appropriation, of up to $10 million in competitive grants to assist communities with extremely high energy costs. The grant funds may be used to acquire, construct, or improve energy generation, transmission, or distribution facilities serving communities where the average annual residential expenditure for home energy exceeds 275% of the national average. Eligible projects also include on-grid and off-grid renewable energy projects and the implementation of energy efficiency and energy conservation projects for eligible communities. Projects cannot be for the primary benefit of a single household or business. Grant funds may not be used for the preparation of the grant application, operating costs, or for the purchase of any equipment, structures, or real estate not directly associated with the provision of community energy services.

The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program makes federal funds available to states, U.S. territories, federally recognized tribal governments , and local governments for hazard mitigation activities. It does so recognizing the growing hazards associated with climate change , and the need for natural hazard risk mitigation activities that promote climate adaptation and resilience with respect to those hazards. These include both acute extreme weather events and chronic stressors which have been observed and are expected to increase in intensity and frequency in the future. The BRIC program’s guiding principles include supporting communities through capability and capacity-building; encouraging and enabling innovation, including multi-hazard resilience or nature-based solutions including the use of native plants; promoting partnerships; enabling large, systems-based projects; maintaining flexibility; and providing consistency. Through these efforts communities are able to better understand disaster risk and vulnerabilities, conduct community-driven resilience, hazard mitigation planning, and design transformational projects and programs.

Awards made under this funding opportunity are funded, in whole or in part, by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, more commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The BIL is a once-in-a-generation investment in infrastructure, which will grow a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable economy by enhancing U.S. competitiveness. The BIL appropriates billions of dollars to FEMA to promote resilient infrastructure, respond to the impacts of climate change, and equip our nation with the resources to combat its most pressing threats. In doing so, FEMA encourages investmen of these funds toward projects that are implemented using Good Jobs Principles to expand the availability of good, family-sustaining jobs with the free and fair opportunity to join a union for all Americans. FEMA recommends applicants design projects that are aligned with The Good Jobs Prinicples, a description of the elements of a Good Job that has informed the investment of billions of dollars through the Biden-Harris Administration's Invest in America Agenda.

FEMA will provide financial assistance to eligible BRIC applicants for the following activities:

• Capability and Capacity-Building activities – activities that enhance the knowledge, skills, and expertise of the current workforce to expand or improve the administration of mitigation assistance. This includes activities in the following sub-categories: building codes, partnerships, project scoping, hazard mitigation planning and planning-related activities, and other activities;

• Hazard Mitigation Projects – cost-effective mitigation projects designed to increase resilience and public safety; reduce injuries and loss of life; and reduce damage and destruction to property, critical services, facilities, and infrastructure (including natural systems) from a multitude of natural hazards, including drought, wildfire, earthquakes, extreme heat, and the effects of climate change; and

• Management Costs – financial assistance to reimburse the recipient and subrecipient for eligible and reasonable indirect costs, direct administrative costs, and other administrative expenses associated with a specific mitigation measure or project.