Grantee Spotlight: ELLA and Na’ah Illahee Fund
Empowering Latina Leadership and Action (ELLA)
ELLA works in the heart of some of the most overburdened communities in the Lower Yakima Valley, where air pollution and water contamination are constant public health concerns. This Chicana/Latina-led social justice organization is an advocacy, communications, and training vehicle for low-income Spanish-speaking Latin@ populations. ELLA will educate and engage our communities on the principles of environmental justice, and the HEAL and Climate Commitment Acts, to build awareness and cultivate advocates that are well-informed and prepared to address the harmful environmental issues impacting them. ELLA’s goal is to build a broader environmental justice movement with community members at the helm influencing public leaders and policymakers to take corrective action towards healthier, safer, more sustainable communities.
Na’ah Illahee Fund
The Na’ah Illahee (Mother Earth) Fund is committed to the collective intent and implementation of the HEAL Act, by addressing some of the most vulnerable communities that face environmental and health disparities across the state- Indigenous urban and rural Natives. We believe that a strong network of Indigenous leaders, in solidarity with our BIPOC and white allies, will help lead to the return of living in balance with the natural world and one another, as our people have done since time immemorial. This HEAL passthrough funding is a meaningful step towards realizing that vision.
HEAL Community Capacity Grants
We are excited to announce the 27 community-based organizations and tribal organizations selected by our community advisory committee to receive HEAL Act Community Capacity Grants. Grantees are expected to receive a total of $11.3 million.
Check out the full list of funded organizations along with their project descriptions (PDF).
The Healthy Environment or All (HEAL) Act was passed in 2021 to reduce environmental and health disparities and improve the health of all people in Washington state. This HEAL community capacity grant program focuses on building climate resilience and enhancing community-led decision making to advance environmental justice (EJ). This funding equips communities most impacted by environmental hazards with necessary resources needed to collaborate with state agencies on environmental health decisions. Those communities include (but are not limited to):
- Native Nations
- Urban natives
- Black and BIPOC communities
- Rural communities
- Youth
- Low income
- Unhoused
- Disabled
- LGBTQ+
Other communities most vulnerable to climate impacts
The Legislature required the state Department of Health (DOH) to set this grant program based on the Environmental Justice Council (EJC) Climate Commitment Act (CCA) funding recommendations and budget priorities. This grant program is funded by the CCA, which creates a cap-and-invest program to limit carbon emissions.
Grantees were selected for two funding opportunities to support building capacity to engage in HEAL activities:
- Pass-through funding: Six Community-based organizations will sub-grant funds to other community-based organizations working with overburdened communities and vulnerable populations across Washington state to support equitable community engagement and participation in HEAL activities. These organizations will work closely with each other and DOH staff to ensure accountability, transparency, and equity throughout the funding period and grant process. This work builds off the EJ Community Participation Fund developed in 2022.
- Project funding: Twenty-two organizations will complete projects that build organizational and community capacity to provide guidance and input to:
- the Environmental Justice Council on implementation of the HEAL Act
- the Department of Health on updates to the Environmental Health Disparities Map
- state agencies on implementation of the HEAL Act (including environmental justice assessments, budgeting and funding, community, and Tribal engagement)
This grant program is meant to reach overburdened communities across the state of Washington. The map below shows the distribution of resources across the state.
Questions?
Interested organizations are invited to register for the information sessions held on April 15, April 22, and April 24 to ask clarifying questions about this funding opportunity and application process. A recording and Q&A from the information sessions will be provided. Contact the Environmental Justice Grants team to discuss a project and address any questions or concerns.
Organizations may also connect with EPA funded environmental justice technical assistance centers serving our region: Northwest Environmental Justice Center and the University of Washington Center for Environmental Health Equity. These organizations are not affiliated with the Department of Health but may provide independent technical assistance.
Related Links
The HEAL Act Community Capacity Grants is supported with funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act. The CCA supports Washington’s climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. Information about the CCA is available at www.climate.wa.gov.
