CEC EJ4Climate Grant Program Awards Nearly C$2 million for 12 North American Community-led Projects
We are thrilled to announce the 12 projects selected to receive up to C$175,000 under the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) EJ4Climate Grant Program to support community-led education programs to increase environmental justice and climate adaptation knowledge.
The EJ4Climate Grant Program, launched in 2021, provides funding directly to community-based organizations in Canada, Mexico and the United States for projects that target underserved and vulnerable communities and Indigenous communities to prepare them for climate-related impacts.
“This year’s EJ4Climate grant recipients are leading the way, bringing community-driven climate solutions to life. We were inspired by the bold and innovative projects from across North America and are honored to support their vital work in communities,” said Violaine Pronovost, Community Grant Programs Lead at the CEC. “The projects will advance work on a number of critical issues, such as wildfire resilience, sustainable energy access, ecosystem restoration and the sharing of Indigenous Knowledge. Youth engagement, capacity building, and the development of new partnerships will play a role across many projects.”
The EJ4Climate selection committee chose the 12 grant recipients from nearly 500 proposals, evaluating them based on specific criteria, including community involvement, partnerships, implementation planning and the incorporation of measurable objectives over the project life cycle.
Building on the strong results of the 2023–2024 cycle, here are the successful 2024–2025 EJ4Climate grant recipients:
Canada
- Organization: Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute
Project name: Indigenous Pathways to Climate Resilience through Geospatial Data
Location: Edmonton, Fort McMurray, and Hinton, Alberta - Organization: Lab22 - Laboratoire d'innovations sociales et environnementales
Project name: Climate Justice in Pessamit: Educational Tools and Involvement for Young Ilnu from École Secondaire Uashkaikan
Location: Pessamit, Quebec - Organization: Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition
Project name: Bioremediation Solutions in the Skeena Watershed
Location: Upper Skeena Watershed-Gitxsan Territory, British Columbia - Organization: Small Change Fund
Project name: Anishnabe-led Moose Research Project - Phase 3
Location: Quebec and Ontario
Mexico
- Organization: Agrupación de Derechos Humanos Xochitépetl, A.C.
Project name: Recovering Traditional Knowledge of Useful and Medicinal Plants in the Náhuatl Mountain Range in the Municipality of Ilamatlán, in the State of Veracruz
Location: Ilamatlán, Veracruz - Organization: Cooperativa AMBIO S.C. de R.L.
Project name: Incorporating an Indigenous Environmental Justice Network in Chiapas, Mexico
Location: San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas - Organization: Fundación Tosepan, A.C.
Project name: Conscious Energy Use and Climate Change Adaptation by Women, Children and Youth in Maseuales Communities
Location: Cuetzalan del Progreso, Puebla - Organization: Magueyal, Sujeto y Comunidad, A.C.
Project name: Adaptation and Climate Change Resilience Program Based on Ecosystems and Milpas in Cardonal, Hidalgo
Location: Cardonal, Hidalgo
United States
- Organization: Nature Nexus Institute
Project name: Ballona Watershed Community Stewardship Climate Connection
Location: Los Angeles, Culver City - Organization: North Carolina Environmental Justice Network
Project name: Increasing Capacity for Environmental Justice Education in North Carolina through Spidey Sens-r
Location: Greensboro, Warrenton, and Clinton, North Carolina - Organization: Red Cloud Renewable
Project name: Solar Warrior Training Program (SWTP)
Location: Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota - Organization: Syatt
Project name: Roots to Resilience
Location: Cleveland, Warrensville Heights, and Appalachian, Ohio
This will be the final year of the grant program and we are deeply grateful for the partnerships developed. Join us in celebrating all our grantees and visit our website to learn about the EJ4Climate Grant Program and their accomplishments.
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About the CEC
The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) was established in 1994 by the governments of Canada, Mexico and the United States through the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation, a parallel environmental agreement to NAFTA. As of 2020, the CEC is recognized and maintained by the Environmental Cooperation Agreement, in parallel with the new Free Trade Agreement of North America. The CEC brings together a wide range of stakeholders, including the general public, Indigenous people, youth, nongovernmental organizations, academia, and the business sector, to seek solutions to protect North America’s shared environment while supporting sustainable development for the benefit of present and future generations
The CEC is governed and funded equally by the Government of Canada through Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Government of the United States of Mexico through the Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, and the Government of the United States of America through the Environmental Protection Agency.