Philadelphia's commitment to environmental justice takes another step forward with the City’s Office of Sustainability, in partnership with the Philadelphia City Fund, opening applications for the Community Resilience and Environmental Justice (CREJ) Fund. Grounded in the need to back grassroots activism, this funding initiative aims to empower organizations that shoulder the heavy load of living at the intersection of environmental injustice. The City announced that the CREJ Fund will grant $15,000 each to 20 selected organizations that are charting the course toward a fair and durable Philadelphia.
Harkening to the CREJ Fund’s principles, up to $1,500 of these grants can be dedicated to fostering the wellness of the teams and leaders behind these pivotal projects. These funds are designed to touch on various aspects of environmental justice work, including building collaborations, organizing communities, and structuring organizational capacities. They reach as far as fortifying youth leadership and paving the way for EJ-centric community projects. Keeping the spirit of collective work and resilience alive, last year’s beneficiaries were instrumental in pushing forward causes like food sovereignty and urban greening, as cited by Elizabeth Lankenau, Interim Director of the Office of Sustainability, which runs parallel with the heart of this year's prospective projects.
Criteria for eligibility are straightforward: organizations must base themselves in Philadelphia, be spearheaded by those most directly affected by environmental disparities, and be engaged with a long-term environmental justice strategy. This inclusiveness extends to a variety of community-based groups, including 501(c)3 charitable organizations or similar entities with a fitting fiscal sponsor. The City’s transparency in the process is admirable, promising regular blog updates on the progress and details of the CREJ Fund application whirlwind.
The Office of Sustainability isn’t standing alone in this green charge. It draws support from the Philadelphia City Fund, a charitable force dedicated to nurturing public-private ties in service of the Philadelphia populace. And there’s also the storied William Penn Foundation, a staple in the city since Otto and Phoebe Haas set its roots down in 1945.
