This $20,000,000 Project Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program (CFDA 66.616) will fund a multi-faceted initiative in Benton Harbor, Michigan led by the Southwestern Michigan Commission. The key activities include:
Transforming the Bobo Brazil Community Center and Garden House into community resilience hubs with energy efficiency upgrades, alternative energy sources, and community programming. 2) Deploying a pilot microgrid project centered at the Bobo Brazil Community Center to provide clean, resilient, community-owned energy. 3) Providing grants for home energy audits, weatherization, electrification, and indoor air quality improvements. 4) Offering workforce development training in green construction and clean energy careers. 5) Establishing a mobile recycling program with an educational campaign to reduce waste and illegal dumping.
The Southwestern Michigan Commission will partner with the Benton Harbor Community Development Corporation as a subrecipient to implement components of the project. The grant will run from Feb 2025 to Jan 2028, aiming to enhance environmental and climate resilience in the Benton Harbor community.