About Justice Climate Fund
Driving Equitable Climate Solutions
across America with Innovative
Clean Energy Financing
Find out moreThe Justice Climate Fund (JCF) submitted an innovative plan to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) to affordably finance clean energy projects that promise to deliver healthier air, greener transportation, cleaner water and better-paying jobs to communities across the country. In April, the EPA awarded JCF nearly $1B to execute on this plan. Click here to learn more.
For far too long, we have seen how climate change disproportionately affects the most vulnerable.
Equity in Disaster Response
Several recent studies show that the federal response to natural disasters is inequitable.
Pollution and Minority Health
Racial and ethnic minorities and low-income groups in the United States are exposed to higher levels of air pollution.
Energy Affordability Gap
Low-income households spend over 300 percent more on energy, as a proportion of their income, compared to non-low-income households.
More about
JCF
JCF is a purpose-built nonprofit financial institution that is building the field and deploying capital through CDFIs, credit unions, and Minority Development Financial Institutions (MDIs) to enable families, communities and businesses to save money while investing in a greener and safer future for all.
Founded by the Community Builders of Color Coalition, JCF is comprised of a growing national and diverse network of financial institutions and advocacy organizations that have been working for many decades with, for and in communities that have been historically left behind.
About the
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund
and the JCF Application
On august 16, 2022
President Joe Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act, which authorized the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement the $27B GGRF to mobilize financing and private capital to combat the climate crisis and revitalize communities, particularly those that have historically been left behind.
The GGRF will be implemented through three grant competitions:
$14B
National Clean Investment Fund (NCIF)
$6B
Clean Communities Investment Accelerator (CCIA)
$7B
Solar for All competition
On October 12, 2023
JCF submitted its application for two of the GGRF programs:
On April 4, 2024
The EPA announced that JCF was selected to receive approximately $1 billion in funding.
Applied for
$12.21B from the NCIF
which it will use to distribute capital to low-income and disadvantaged communities at a percentage well above the federal government’s 40% threshold. Via its unprecedented coalition and expertise, JCF will make green lending accessible and affordable to disadvantaged households, businesses and communities, enabling Americans to realize U.S. climate, welfare and equity goals.
Applied for
$4.4B from the CCIA
which JCF will enable every Community Lender in its nationwide network to apply for funding to gain the necessary skills, tools and relationships to successfully deploy affordable, responsible green lending for low-income and disadvantaged households, businesses and communities. The ultimate vision is to accelerate Community Lender capacity to finance Priority Qualified Projects that meet community needs, based on the objective merits and spectrum of benefits of such projects to disadvantaged communities nationwide.
On august 16, 2024
Justice Climate Fund (JCF) finalized its agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the Clean Communities Investment Accelerator (CCIA) program.
Funding
$940M from the CCIA
which will empower community lenders to finance clean energy projects in low-income and disadvantaged communities. The initiative aims to create a clean and just energy transition through a Community-Based Green Lender Certification Program, ensuring that lenders are properly assessed, trained, and certified before receiving funds.
Who We
Fight For?
Over 109M
Americans living in low-income and disadvantaged communities (as defined by the White House).
64%
of the people in disadvantaged communities are either Hispanic/Latino, Black or American Indian/Alaska Native.
Half of All
Hispanic/Latino, Black and American Indian/Alaska Natives in the country reside in disadvantaged census tracts.
43M
Americans who are unable to pay an energy bill the last 12 months.
Tens of Millions
of Americans impacted and soon to be impacted by the increased number and intensity of climate-related events (e.g., droughts, storms, floods) that are exacerbating already inadequate housing and infrastructure systems.
Thousands
of communities facing negative health impacts from pollution and environmental hazards.
