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This month, we are celebrating Black History Month and the many leaders, communities, and organizations leading innovative solutions to address climate change and fight for environmental justice. This newsletter includes a list of recent webinars, articles, and other resources highlighting Black-led climate solutions.
We also highlight an opportunity to shape the Greater Boston Climate Action Plan and a range of grant opportunities related to organizational capacity building, climate resilience, sustainable economic development, and more.
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Celebrating Black History Month
Black community members and Black-led organizations continue to lead on climate solutions, including those at the intersection of environmental, social, economic, and public health. The below list highlights just a few recent initiatives to celebrate and recognize Black voices in the climate and local government spaces.
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Take MAPC's Survey to Shape the Greater Boston Climate Action Plan!
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MAPC is developing the Greater Boston Climate Action Plan, which will be a roadmap for the region to equitably and rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the next ten years. We want to learn about what is most important to you through our new survey. The findings will shape actions that our municipalities and region can take to reduce emissions and improve quality of life. Please fill out the survey and share with your networks. The deadline to complete is Friday, March 21. | |
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HVAC Showcase Connects Students and Clean Energy Employers
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On Tuesday, February 25, Franklin Cummings Tech (FCT) and ABCD hosted a showcase to connect students currently enrolled in FCT's HVAC&R certificate program with regional clean energy employers. Throughout the event, employers toured the school's labs and facilities and students provided live demonstrations of their recent work installing and fixing heat pumps, managing refrigerants, and more. This event helped to advance the goals of the Good Jobs Metro Boston Coalition, a City of Boston initiative led by FCT with support from MAPC and other partners to place clean energy training program graduates in high quality jobs. If you are interested in learning more or know a clean energy employer who might want to connect with students, please reach out to FCT Associate Director of Career Services Greg Chludzinski.
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Photo courtesy of Franklin Cummings Tech.
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Webinar: Flooding Studies 101
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The Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) grant program is offering a webinar titled Demystifying the Hydrologic and Hydraulic Model: Flooding Studies 101 on Thursday, March 6 from 10:30 am – 12 pm. This webinar is part of the MVP Winter Webinar series. The MVP program provides support for communities in Massachusetts to identify climate hazards, assess vulnerabilities, and develop action plans to improve resilience to climate change. Register to join the webinar. | |
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Webinar: Solar Energy Guidance for Consumers
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The Community Engagement, Consumer Protection, and Advocacy & Response divisions of the Commonwealth's Office of the Attorney General are offering a webinar, Solar Energy 101: A Guide for Consumers, on Monday, March 3 from 11 am - 12 pm. Hosted during National Consumer Protection Week, this webinar will provide an overview of the benefits of solar while sharing practical information to help consumers steer clear of increasingly common deceptive practices. Register. | |
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Forum on the Role of Insurance in Addressing Climate Impacts | |
BuildingEnergy Boston 2025 Conference | |
The Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) is hosting its annual BuildingEnergy Boston conference and trade show March 20 and 21, 2025. The conference will feature sessions, conversations, and more by practitioners in the high-performance building and design, energy efficiency, and renewable energy space. Register. | |
Recording: Boston Community Choice Electricity | |
The Boston Climate Action Network co-sponsored a webinar for Boston residents about the City of Boston’s Community Choice Electricity (BCCE) program in early February. The webinar helped attendees understand the household costs of using predatory third-party electricity suppliers and provided information on how to switch to BCCE. BCCE is an affordable, price stable, and renewable electricity option with no fees for opting in or leaving the program. BCCE supports the production of green electricity, which improves our air quality and reduces climate warming pollution. Watch a recording of the webinar. | |
Training on Web Soil Survey Tool | |
On Tuesday, March 25 from 1 - 2:30 pm, the Middlesex Conservation District is hosting a training on the Web Soil Survey (WSS) tool. WSS, developed and maintained by the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NCRS), provides soil data for 90% of counties across the country. David Zimmerman, NRCS Acting State Soils Scientist, will share information about leveraging the tool to determine local soils, access soil interpretations and property data using the Soil Data Explorer, and more. This event is intended for members of Conservation Commissions, Agricultural Commissions, Planning Boards and Town Planners, Farmers, and Consultants and assumes some experience with WSS. Register. | |
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Environmental Justice Capacity Building Grant
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The Environmental Justice Capacity Building Grant, administered by Undersecretary Power and the Office of Environmental Justice and Equity (OEJE), is accepting applications through Saturday, March 15, 2025. Through this grant, OEJE seeks to support community organizations that are working with those communities who are most impacted by climate change to amplify their voices and build their capacity. Non-profit organizations (501(c)(3)), tribal governments, federally and state-recognized Tribes, and other community organizations working with environmental justice communities are eligible to apply. Partnerships between eligible grantees, community-based organizations, and private organizations are welcome to apply.
Submit applications to jonathan.guzman@mass.gov and cc ej.inquiries@mass.gov with the subject line "EJ Capacity Building Grant - (Applicant's Name/Organization)" along with all relevant application documents.
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Community One Stop for Growth Expression of Interest Period Begins | |
The Community One Stop for Growth portal offers a streamlined application process that makes it easier for Massachusetts communities and entities to apply for 12 state grants related to economic development and housing through one application. The portal aims to "reorient the Commonwealth from a passive review of funding requests to an active partner in economic development strategy, priorities, and investment." It is based in a framework (the "Development Continuum") for the lifecycle of economic development projects ranging from activities to prepare for growth to activities to catalyze specific projects. Public entities are eligible for all project types and eligibility for nonprofit and for-profit applicants varies by category. As a first step, applicants are invited to submit an Expression of Interest through Wednesday, March 26, 2025. The Executive Office of Economic Development will review EOIs and let applicants know if their idea fits one or more of the relevant grants and where on the continuum the project falls. The application submission period will then open on May 5, with applications due Wednesday, June 4, 2025. Learn more. | |
The One Stop for Growth Development Continuum. Credit: Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. | |
EmPower Innovation and Implementation Grants | |
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The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) is accepting proposals for the second round of its EmPower Innovation and Capacity Building and Implementation grants. For both grants, MassCEC is prioritizing proposals that 1) leverage existing incentive programs (e.g. Mass Save), 2) serve renters through investments in landlord outreach and anti-displacement measures, 3) test innovative finance or partnership models (e.g. on-bill financing, green leasing), 4) provide public health and air quality co-benefits, and 5) improve language access for clean energy resources.
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Innovation and Capacity Building Grant ($5,000-$25,000): These grants are meant to provide "seed funding" for organizations, local governments, individuals, or a partnership to research potential program models or projects and/or to build organizational capacity to support potential program models or projects. Applications are due on a rolling basis through Thursday, April 3, 2025. Learn more.
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Implementation Grant (Up to $150,000): These grants are intended to fund implementation-ready place-based or network-based projects that result in improved access to clean energy benefits and reduced energy burdens for defined priority groups. Community-based organizations, individuals, local governments, and other groups with a history of working with priority groups are eligible to apply. The second round of applications are due Thursday, April 3, 2025. Learn more.
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Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) Electric Solicitation Grant | |
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) is issuing a grant opportunity for-diesel emissions reduction project under the U.S Environmental Protection Agency’s Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) program. The grant is open to any public or private entity, and the application is open through Monday, April 7, 2025. The implementation of this program is designed to accelerate the retirement of less efficient, polluting vehicles, engines, and equipment, and replace them with new zero emission vehicles and equipment. | |
Massachusetts School Building Authority's Accelerated Repair Program | |
The Massachusetts School Building Authority has opened the 2024 Statement of Interest Period for its Accelerated Repair Program and the Core Program. These programs provide funding for school building construction, additions, and/or renovation repairs. The Accelerated Repair Program is intended for roofs, windows/doors, and heat pump conversions in existing school facilities. The Core Program is intended for new construction, additions, and/or renovation projects. The deadline for submitting Statement of Interest for the Accelerated Repair Program and the Core Program are Friday, March 21 and Friday, April 11 respectively. | |
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Reduce, Reuse, Repair Microgrants | |
Starting April 15, MassDEP is accepting applications for its Reduce, Reuse, Repair Micro-Grants Program, which provides $3000-$10,000 for projects that reduce waste through reuse, repair, donation, sharing, and/or rescue. Eligible applicants include nonprofits, businesses, schools and colleges, regional authorities and municipalities. To learn more, read the grant guidelines and join an informational webinar on Tuesday, April 1. Apply by Thursday, May 15. | |
Environmental Protection Agency Thriving Communities Grants | |
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Funded through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the grant program will award $48 million to community-based organizations, environmental justice organizations, nonprofits, federally and state recognized Tribal governments, and other groups representing "underserved, urban, rural, Indigenous, remote, and capacity-constrained communities." The EPA selected a coalition of organizations (including Health Resources in Action, Alternatives for Community & Environment, and New England Grassroots Environment Fund) to serve as the grantmakers. Funding is available for assessment, planning, and implementation projects that aim to "address past, current, and future environmental health and justice challenges, and specifically the legacies of disinvestment and injustice." Learn more about eligibility and project types and how to receive support on your application.
The first deadline is Friday, March 7, 2025. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis with quarterly deadlines until funding is expended.
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Municipal Investment Fund | |
Through the Municipal Investment Fund, ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability USA and the Coalition for Green Capital are seeking about 100 local governments, Tribes, and their partner not-for-profit organizations interested in creating public-private partnership plans to "accelerate the deployment of capital to clean energy projects." During the first phase, selected communities will receive up to $250,000 and technical assistance to develop these plans. In the second phase, 10 communities will be selected for additional funding of up to $2 million for market-building activities. Learn more and apply by Wednesday March 5, 2025. | |
2025 AARP Community Challenge | |
AARP Livable Communities is accepting applications to the AARP Community Challenge through Wednesday, March 5, 2025 at 5 pm. The AARP Community Challenge supports three grants that demonstrate the ability to improve communities with tangible changes, leverage additional funds and support from public, private and philanthropic funders, as well as quick-action projects that can help communities become more livable for all residents, especially those age 50 and over. Learn more about the grant opportunities. | |
Mosaic, a national funder, is accepting applications for its 2025 Grant Cycle, with concept notes due by Wednesday, March 5, 2025. Grants range from $50,000 to $300,000 and are available to projects that support climate, conservation, and environmental health and justice movements by bridging across sectoral, political, ideological, demographic, and geographic divides. | |
The Grassroots Fund is accepting applications for its Grow Grant program through March 18, 2025. The grant is designed to support community groups in New England that have experience executing local projects. Grants range from $1,000 to $4,000, with priority given to volunteer-driven organizations with budgets under $100,000. The program is open to groups in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Learn more about the grant program and register for office hours throughout March. | | | | |
