The recently-launched EJ TCTAC website, a project of ISC and partner organization Atma Connect, aims to further fulfill the initiative’s mission to connect disinvested communities to technical assistance resources.
For communities searching for technical assistance, such as guidance navigating federal grant systems or supporting clean energy workforce development, finding the resources they need can be a daunting task. A good website—easily searchable, accessible, and informative—can make the system easier to access and host critical technical assistance resources.
What is an EJ TCTAC?
EJ TCTAC is an initiative of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) launched in 2023. EJ TCTAC is part of the Justice40 Initiative, which is a federal government goal to ensure that 40 percent of the benefits of certain climate, clean energy, affordable and sustainable housing, and other investments will flow to disadvantaged communities. These communities are often communities of color who disproportionately experience the effects of climate change but often don’t receive the benefits of federal environmental justice funding.
The EJ TCTAC initiative created 13 regional and 3 national centers that provide technical assistance and capacity-building resources to disinvested communities throughout the country in order to address climate injustices. ISC was selected as one of three national EJ TCTACs, and designed the website as one of several outreach methods to promote access to resources and collaboration across the program.
Why Do We Need the EJ TCTAC Initiative?
EJ TCTACs share a common goal: to support the communities already doing important environmental justice work.
The initiative recognizes that communities of color bear the brunt of climate change and environmental damage, but often don’t have access to the opportunities or investments to make those solutions possible.
The EJ TCTACs aim to change that by sharing knowledge, providing training, and supporting local leaders with tailored technical assistance. EJ TCTACs connect disinvested communities with federal resources and build partnerships with philanthropic and private sector entities to expand the reach and impact of federal funds.
“We believe that communities know what they need, but, due to racial inequity and divestment, have had limited access to the technical support and resources to implement the solutions. The EJ TCTAC website will connect communities most impacted by environmental and climate justice with the direct lines of support and resources to meet their needs,” said Sonia Joshi, senior director of U.S. programs at ISC.
How Does the EJ TCTAC Website Solve Problems?
As one of the national EJ TCTACs, ISC knew that having such a resource searchable by all would aid the initiative’s mission of connecting communities that are facing environmental injustice with the funding they need. Divested communities have long struggled to access federal grant funding because of complicated qualification and compliance processes, and application processes that are complicated and difficult to navigate with limited organizational capacity.
Environmental justice projects, as such, are often overlooked for federal funding. A 2023 Yale University study found that before 2022, environmental health, environmental justice, and toxics were among the least funded issue areas for environmental grants. Ecosystems, land, water, and species preservation, by contrast, were among the most funded.
In order to address these inequities, ISC teamed up with Atma Connect, award-winning global nonprofit technology organization, to develop the official EJ TCTAC website, www.ejtctac.org.
About the Website
The website features information about the EJ TCTAC program, so that community groups searching for technical assistance are more likely to come across the site. Once they’re there, they’ll find links to the technical assistance centers selected for different regions, and a searchable grants database for environmental justice organizations.
The EJ TCTAC website also features:
- An events page, where visitors can discover national and regional environmental justice events on the website’s calendar
- A media page, which showcases reporting on TCTAC initiatives
- An about page, which breaks down the structure of the TCTAC program with a handy infographic
The website will help grassroots environmental justice organizations find federal grants that they are qualified to apply for, and also connect to their regional TCTACs that can support them in successfully applying.
Who is Our Partner in Developing the Website?
"This new website empowers grassroots organizations with essential resources for environmental and climate justice. At Atma Connect we are honored to help local organizations lead the change in their communities, and amplify local brilliance.”
Atma Connect has a long record of creating platforms and engagement strategies to connect people so they can report problems, share solutions, and improve their communities. Atma’s mobile app, AtmaGo, has reached over 12 million people, and they have won international recognition. Their numerous awards include the Zurich Innovation Award, Tech for Good’s Startup Weekend, the IDEO/Amplify Urban Resilience Challenge, and the Global Resilience Partnership Innovation Challenge.
