Southeast Communities Secure 2021 EPA Environmental Justice Grants

February 1, 2022

Several organizations in the Southeast have been selected to receive grant funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In December, the EPA revealed $14.1 million in funding will be allocated across 133 grants nationally, including 13 in its Region 4 district — covering Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and six Tribes.

The grants are part of the EPA’s Environmental Justice Small Grants and Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement programs. In total, 99 EJSG recipients were selected to receive up to $75,000 each and 34 EJCPS grant recipients were chosen to receive up to $200,000 each, after successfully completing the award process.

2021 Region 4 EJSG Small Grant Recipients

The following Southeast organizations have been awarded EJ small grants for 2021:

  • GASP, Birmingham, Ala. 
  • Young Teen Asthma & Wellness Camp, Inc., Birmingham, Ala. 
  • Bonifay Main Street Assoc., Bonifay, Fla. 
  • Sundari Foundation, Inc., Miami, Fla. 
  • Environmental Community Action (ECO Action), Atlanta, Ga. 
  • Girls First, Inc., Stockbridge, Ga. 
  • 2CMississippi, Ridgeland, Miss. 
  • Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health, Ridgeland, Miss. 
  • Clean Air Carolina, Charlotte, N.C. 
  • New Hope Community Development, Inc., Greensboro, N.C. 
  • Roanoke Economic Development, Inc., Rich Square, N.C. 
  • Toxic Free NC, Durham, N.C. 
  • Sustaining Way, Greenville, S.C. 

2021 Region 4 EJCPS Grant Recipients

These organizations were chosen to receive EJCPS awards for 2021:

  • Pioneer Bay Community Development Corporation, Gulf County, Fla. 
  • Live Healthy Little Havana Inc., Little Havana, Fla. 
  • Metro Community Ministries, Atlanta, Ga. 
  • SEEED, Inc., Knoxville, Tenn. 
  • Tennessee Environmental Council, Statewide, Tenn. 

Environmental Justice Small Grants Program

Established in 1994, the Environmental Justice Small Grants Program helps communities working to find solutions to local environmental and public health issues. The program provides up to $75,000 in funding per project — all that must be linked to at least one qualified environmental statute.

Eligible recipients include incorporated non-profit organizations, U.S. territories, tribal governments, tribal organizations, and Freely Associated States.

In 2021, 99 organizations in 37 states, along with Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico received $7.4 million in grant funding — including those in the Southeast noted above.

The bulk of this funding came from the American Rescue Plan — $5.25 million — which was allotted to projects focused on health income disparities from pollution and the COVID-19 pandemic. These projects also highlight and address minority or low-income populations facing disproportionate environmental or public health harms and risks through section 103(b) of the Clean Air Act and section 1442(c)(3) of the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program

The EJCPS was established to provide financial assistance to eligible organizations currently working or planning projects that address local environmental and/or public health issues in their communities. Recipients receive assistance building collaborative partnerships with other stakeholders to solve these problems at the local level.

All recipients must use the EPA’s Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Model in their projects. Created to boost collaboration between selected organizations and local stakeholders, the model has proven successful in a multitude of projects.

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