Education and mentoring workshops to help develop and communicate your community project
Do you or your community envision a project that could improve health, climate resilience, and/or economic opportunity? Nonprofits, municipal leaders, and residents in Allegheny or Beaver County are encouraged to get support by attending an Ignite EJ workshop. Participants will be better informed about how Environmental Justice relates to their community project and accessing federal Justice 40 grants, while receiving support to develop and communicate their project plan.
The Environmental Justice designation identifies communities that are considered disadvantaged due to exceeding the burden thresholds established in one or more of the following areas: climate change, energy, health, housing, legacy pollution, transportation, waste & wastewater, and workforce development, and an associated socioeconomic burden.
New Sun Rising and RiverWise invite you to receive support designing and pitching their community project. Participants will be better informed about how Justice 40 and Environmental Justice relates to their community project as well as how to prepare for government funding opportunities. Learn more about our Justice 40 Opportunity Navigator and EJ census tracts in Allegheny and Beaver County here.
SUPPORTED PROJECTS
Over 30 projects received support and three projects who won the pitch competition were given direct admission into the Launch EJ Incubator: Ginger Brooks Takahashi for General Sisters, Mary Alice Gettings for Aliquippa Food Co-op, and Ebony Lunsford Evans for Out of the End Incorporated.
DATES + TIMES
We encourage you and one additional team member to register for the workshop nearest your project location.
Allegheny Valley: Thursday, May 2 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Millvale Food + Energy Hub, 112 E. Sherman Street, Millvale, PA 15209Ohio Valley: Wednesday, May 22 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Whitted Media Content House, 507 Seventh Avenue, Beaver Falls, PA 15010. Deadline to apply is May 20th at 8PM.Monongahela Valley: Thursday, May 30 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Clairton Family Center, 734 Miller Ave, Clairton, PA 15025. Deadline to apply is May 28th at 8PM.
***Projects who attend an Ignite EJ workshop will be given preference for the Launch EJ incubator (details to be announced June 2024)
WHAT TO EXPECT
Workshop participants will benefit through:
- Education: Get knowledgeable about the concepts of environmental justice, resilience, and Justice 40 funding opportunities
- Mentorship: Receive support to develop and communicate your project plan
- Advocacy: Practice pitching your project benefits and needs through an optional pitch competition
The categories of investment that fall under Justice 40 include areas like: climate change, clean energy and energy efficiency, clean transit, affordable and sustainable housing, training and workforce development, remediation and reduction of legacy pollution, and the development of critical clean water and wastewater infrastructure. All participants in the pitch event will be connected with SWPA Municipal Project Hub support for developing community-serving projects.
The Justice 40 Opportunity Navigator is a partnership between New Sun Rising and RiverWise.