Ohio Climate Justice Fund announces Fall/Winter 2021 grant award recipients
Community organizations ready to lead conversations around equitable climate solutions
(Ohio) Today, the Ohio Climate Justice Fund (OCJF) proudly announced the recipients of their second round of grants designed to build power through community conversations centering environmental justice and equitable climate solutions.
The Ohio Climate Justice Fund, which launched in May, is an initiative investing in Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) organizations in Ohio, working at the intersection of racial justice and climate action. The OCJF was created to provide resources and build the power necessary to influence policy change and help move Ohio toward a just and inclusive clean energy economy.
Efforts to advance a clean energy future have historically excluded diverse voices, and nonprofit organizations led by people of color receive only a fraction of the philanthropic investment that White-led organizations receive. Comprised of an advisory board of Ohio environmental advocates and leaders who advise and guide investments, the OCJF issued nine grants totaling nearly $240,000 for their second round of awards.
The cohort of grant award recipients include:
Community Concerned Citizens – Warren
Global Shapers Cleveland – Cleveland
Greater Dayton Union Cooperative Initiative Inc. (dba Co-op Dayton) – Dayton
Healing Spaces – Cleveland
Journey on Yonder LLC – Cleveland
Mitsui Collective – Cleveland
Pendleton Heritage Center – Cincinnati
Village of Healing – Cleveland
YWCA Dayton – Dayton
“The Ohio Climate Justice Fund’s ability to provide support and funding to BIPOC led organizations is monumental. We are extremely fortunate to have visionary seed funders that understand the importance of moving towards an equitable and just future, by engaging those who are directly affected,” said Jocelyn L. Travis, OCJF advisory board member and Senior Organizing Manager with the Sierra Club. “We urge everyone to engage with the organizations in your communities as they hold listening sessions, to help create the action needed to make a difference throughout our state.”
Launched with seed funding and support from The George Gund Foundation, the U.S. Energy Foundation, and The Cleveland Foundation, all OCJF grantees are BIPOC led organizations that will implement the Listen. Lead. Share. (LLS) Campaign. Partner organizations will prioritize intentional and authentic community listening as the first step in organizing grassroots engagement in support of equitable clean energy policies. OCJF and Growth Opportunity Partners (Growth Opps) work together, to ensure capital reaches these vital community organizations, while advancing environmental justice.
“Actively seeking opportunities to support clean, sustainable projects is critical to becoming leaders in environmental sustainability, which is why we are honored to fund BIPOC led organizations across Ohio that are leading these discussions,” said Marcus Glanton, Chief Operating Officer of Growth Opps. “At Growth Opps, we remain committed to improving the quality of life for all persons with a particular sensitivity to under-represented persons, groups, and communities.”
“The Ohio Climate Justice Fund is a broad stroke of how community-based funding catalyzes and empowers grassroot voices to drive change, one community at a time,” said Bishop Marcia L. Dinkins, OCJF advisory board member and Executive Director of Ohioans for Sustainable Change. “By addressing inequities in funding, the OCJF is interrupting philanthropic divestment by investing in those who need it the most.”
The OCJF’s grant application portal will reopen for another round of funding for a Spring/Summer 2022 cohort on Monday, February 7, 2022, with applications due by 11:59pm on Friday, April 8, 2022. Additional information about the Fund can be found on the Ohio Climate Justice Fund website.
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Want to know more? Stay connected to the Ohio Climate Justice Fund online at:
Facebook: @OhioClimateJusticeFund
Twitter: @OhioCJFund
LinkedIn: Ohio Climate Justice Fund
Website: www.ohioclimatejusticefund.org