Environmental Justice Fund
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Overview
THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FUND APPLICATION PERIOD HAS ENDED.
Across the United States, race is the most significant predictor of a person living near contaminated air, water, or soil. The Environmental Justice Fund was created in 2017 for this reason to support efforts that benefit and are led by, or in partnership with, those most affected by environmental and climate inequities: Black, Indigenous, People of Color, immigrants, refugees, people with low incomes, youth, and elders.
In 2024, $250,000 is available for grants and there are two funding options available. Applicants may select to apply for a $10,000 or $25,000 grant. Projects must be completed by December 19, 2025.
What We Fund
We fund diverse community efforts addressing climate change and advancing environmental justice, including arts and storytelling, community education, capacity building, climate preparedness, programming related to green jobs*, and community planning and visioning.
Eligible projects/programs must:
- Focus on advancing climate and/or environmental justice;
- Be led by or in partnership with those most affected by environmental and climate inequities (as defined above);
- Benefit people who live, learn, work, worship and play in Seattle;
- Occur within Seattle city limits.
For examples of eligible projects, please see the Examples of Eligible Projects.
*for the purpose of the EJ Fund green jobs are defined as jobs and careers within the context of addressing climate change and sustainability.
Who We Fund
We welcome proposals from Tribes and tribal organizations of any size, and non-profit organizations or community groups whose work is led by or in partnership with Black, Indigenous, people of color, immigrants, refugees, people with low incomes, youth, and/or elders.
Eligible Applicants must:
- Have an average operating budget of $500,000 or less for the current and previous fiscal year. (applies to the applicant, not the fiscal sponsor)
- Have 501(c)3 nonprofit status; or
- Have a fiscal sponsor with 501(c)3 nonprofit status; or
- Be willing and able to secure a fiscal sponsor with 501(c)3 nonprofit status if awarded a grant
- During the contracting period, EJ Fund staff can help connect groups to potential fiscal sponsors if needed.
How to Apply
Proposals must be submitted online here and must include a complete Application Form, which can be found here.
NOTE: The 2024 application period has ended.
- Complete the Application Form, which will include your narrative responses, project timeline, and project budget.
- Submit the Application Form online
Application Materials
- 2024 Environmental Justice Fund Application Form (this must be completed and submitted via the online application)
- 2024 Environmental Justice Fund Guidelines
- Complete Sample Application Form – for Reference Only
- Scoring Rubric – for Reference Only
Information Sessions & Technical Assistance
Watch the information session below to learn more about the Fund, the review process, the qualities of a strong proposal, and to ask questions!
Download the 2024 EJ Fund Info Session Presentation
Technical Assistance
Access to Technical Assistance (TA) consultants is available at no cost. All applicants are strongly encouraged to request TA prior to drafting a proposal. TA consultants will be able to:
- Discuss your project idea for EJ Fund alignment
- Review your draft proposal and provide feedback
- Provide high-level edits on your draft proposal
Consultants will not be able to:
- Help you design your project idea
- Draft your application responses
Click here for consultant bios
Email equityenviro@seattle.gov to request technical assistance.
If the number of requests for TA exceeds consultant capacity, applicants will be prioritized by organizational budget and staff sizes in order of smallest to largest. In addition, groups and organizations led by individuals for whom English is not a first language will be prioritized and interpretation will be provided.
Application Review Process
OSE partners with Seattle’s Environmental Justice Committee (EJC) which serves as the Grantmaking Committee for the EJ Fund. EJC members are individuals with deep community roots working closely with communities to advance environmental and climate justice.
The EJC will review proposals for project purpose and clarity, community benefits, feasibility, and budget. The strongest proposals will address all the items outlined in the “green” sections of each of the criteria categories in the scoring rubric.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! The applicant group/organization must have an average operating budget of $500,000 or less for the current and previous fiscal year. Please note that this does not apply to Tribes, tribal organizations, or the fiscal sponsor.
In 2024, the Environmental Justice Fund will have an open and rolling application process, with grants awarded as applications are received. Funding will decrease over time, and the application may close before the October 20th deadline if funds run out. Please check this webpage for updates.
Organizations or community groups should be able to demonstrate the following:
1) Their work is led by or in partnership with those most affected by climate and environmental issues
2) They have ties to their community and understand their community’s(ies’) climate and environmental justice issues
3) Their proposed project/program is informed by their community
Yes, but if your project is less than 75% complete at the time of application, please reach out to OSE Program Manager, Ximena Fonseca-Morales at ximena.fonseca-morales@seattle.gov prior to drafting your proposal.
More Frequently Answered Questions can be found in the application guidelines.