Great Lakes Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program

The Great Lakes Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program (TCGM), funded by the EPA, offers $40 million to support environmental and public health initiatives in underserved communities within EPA Region 5. This area includes Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, and 36 federally recognized tribal nations. The program aims to eliminate barriers to federal funding, promote community-led innovation, and strengthen community-based organizations addressing environmental and public health challenges. Eligible applicants include tribal governments, Native American and Indigenous organizations, community-based nonprofits, local governments, philanthropic organizations with 501(c)(3) status, and institutions of higher education. Projects must focus on disadvantaged communities as identified by the EJScreen mapping tool and must demonstrate how the proposed initiatives benefit these populations. Priority consideration is given to federally recognized tribes, small nonprofits with budgets under $5 million, organizations with fewer than 10 full-time staff members, communities with populations under 10,000, and areas with federal or state disaster declarations in the past five years. The program offers funding in three tiers. Tier 1 (Assessment and Engagement) provides one-year grants of up to $150,000 for capacity-building activities such as GIS mapping, environmental monitoring, and public engagement. Severely capacity-constrained applicants may qualify for Tier 1 grants up to $75,000 through a noncompetitive process. Tier 2 and Tier 3 grants focus on larger-scale projects, and applicants can find specific details for these tiers in the application materials. The program allocates 30% of funds to tribal and Native American organizations, 25% to rural communities, and 45% to urban communities. Applications are open from December 5, 2024, to November 2026, with multiple review cycles. For the first round, applications must be submitted by January 31, 2025. The process begins with an intake form submitted via an online portal, which determines eligibility and provides access to application materials. Applicants are encouraged to download templates for work plans, budgets, and applications to prepare their submissions. Grant decisions are made by the Regional Community Advisory Committee (RAC), a 10-member panel representing the region's diversity and expertise in environmental and public health issues. Selected applicants will work with the Minneapolis Foundation to finalize their work plans, milestones, and budgets before receiving funding. Organizations must obtain a Unique Entity ID (UEI) through sam.gov to be eligible for funds, and applicants are advised to start this process early as it may take several weeks. Additional resources, including webinars and office hours, are available to guide applicants through the process. Organizations can also seek assistance from the EPA’s Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers. For further information or questions, applicants can email greatlakestcgm@mplsfoundation.org. This program is a critical opportunity for grassroots and community-based organizations to address environmental disparities and improve public health in the Great Lakes region.