The Office of Sustainability, in partnership with the Philadelphia Water Department and the William Penn Foundation, has revealed the latest cohort of grantees for the Community Resilience & Environmental Justice (CREJ) Fund. According to a report from the City of Philadelphia's government website, the Fund will support 20 community groups, each receiving a $15,000 grant to support their environmental justice projects.
Aside from the monetary support, these organizations, chosen for their pioneering environmental sustainability and justice efforts, get access to various auxiliary services aimed at bolstering their organizational capacities. Included in the package are strategic planning services, community engagement facilitation, and conflict mediation, among others. The CREJ grants, stewarded by the Philadelphia Environmental Justice Advisory Commission and fiscally managed by the Philadelphia City Fund, aim to empower communities at the frontlines of environmental injustices and help them achieve a more resilient future.
Among the organizations receiving funds, the Center in the Park is notable for its commitment to expanding its air quality monitoring in Northwest Philadelphia with the installation of additional PurpleAir monitors. Similarly, Cloud 9 Community Farms plans to develop an orchard and a larger garden site, continuing their community-led efforts to address local food accessibility and environmental education. The Cobbs Creek Community Environmental Education Center will use the funds to replicate and expand its West Philadelphia Youth Environmental Justice Council program across other schools.
Other notable recipients include the Empowered Community Development Corporation, which will enhance its Park Ambassador Program, and the Elmwood Eastwick Empowerment's Black Farmer's Co-Op, which fosters knowledge and participation in local food systems through hydroponic workshops. By funding grassroots initiatives such as Fair Amount Food Forest's community gardening and farmers market, and Germantown Residents for Economic Alternatives Together's community resilience planning, the CREJ Fund taps into the local wisdom and energy for sustainable and equitable change.
Your inquiries about the CREJ Fund can be headed to Justina Thompson at [email protected], with "CREJ Fund" marked in the subject line, as detailed by the City of Philadelphia. For those looking to apply for the next funding opportunity, the application is expected to reopen in Fall 2025 on the Philadelphia City Fund’s website.
