UPLIFT Climate and Environmental Community Action Grant

The UPLIFT Climate and Environmental Community Action Grant program (“UPLIFT”) offers an unprecedented opportunity to support disadvantaged communities by building the capacity of institutions of higher education (IHEs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) who play a significant role in supporting disadvantaged communities work towards creating healthy, climate resilient, and thriving communities for generations to come.

The UPLIFT Grant will support the development of a community of practice that will bring together IHEs, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), CBOs, philanthropy, the private sector, and government entities to learn from one another about the climate and environmental justice challenges that disadvantaged communities face, identify solutions, develop partnerships, and engage with government (at the local, state, and/or federal levels) through a variety of public processes such as advisory councils, rulemaking processes, grant opportunities, to ensure that their vital voices are a part of and help to inform decisions that impact disadvantaged communities (as defined in Appendix A).

Additionally, the UPLIFT Grant will support the development of a subaward program that will support community-driven projects in disadvantaged communities that address climate challenges and reduce pollution while strengthening communities through thoughtful and collaborative implementation. The historic support provided by this grant will enable disadvantaged communities and their partners to work together to build capacity and collaborative partnerships to help them begin to address longstanding environmental challenges and implement meaningful solutions to meet their needs now and for generations to come.

Partnership of Community Based Nonprofit and an Institution of Higher Education are eligible to apply.