The Episcopal Church’s Task Force on Creation Care and Environmental Racism is now accepting applications for its 2021 Grant Cycle.

Created by the 2018 General Convention of The Episcopal Church, the Task Force on Creation Care and Environmental Racism is charged with supporting and expanding The Episcopal Church’s loving, liberating, life-giving relationship with God, with each other and with Creation. That year, the General Convention allocated funds to this task force to support local and regional eco-ministry efforts. This is the second and final granting process for this Task Force during this triennium.

“Through this grant program, we seek to support long-term ministries which focus on the inequitable and systemic impacts of environmental racism, regional and local ecojustice concerns and the pressing issues arising from the climate emergency,” noted the Rev. Stephanie M. Johnson, chair of the Task Force.

Successful applicants will submit projects that respond to these pressing justice matters by engaging in advocacy, civic engagement and developing climate resiliency. It is important that these proposals go beyond secular environmental work to provide resources for faith-based community organizing, theological reflection and response concerning the sin of environmental racism and reconciliation around the concept of environmental reparations. The Task Force is committed to supporting efforts which are supported and led by youth and young adults, communities of color and indigenous peoples.

Grant awards will range from $15,000 to $40,000, ten or fewer projects will be funded. Grant proposals must have an impact beyond the applicant’s organization/parish and include at least one partner in accomplishing the granted project. Proposed programs or efforts should be those that could serve as models for other communities in different contexts. A proposal must also show significant financial or in-kind support provided by the applying entity, partner organizations, diocese, or another supporter.

The following will not be considered for funding: applications not supported by an Episcopal entity and/or do not actively engage The Episcopal Church; capital projects (such as solar panels, updated parish building infrastructure, or materials for church gardens).

“We are called to the gospel work of caring for God’s creation,” said the Rev. Melanie Mullen, director of Reconciliation, Justice, and Creation Care, “Doing climate justice and repairing the harms of environmental racism and degradation is part of our Jesus Movement commitment to the most vulnerable in every community. Creation Care grants are another way to recognize how parishes and dioceses to continue to be sources of innovation and reparative work in the world.”

The grant application, criteria, and additional information is available on The Episcopal Church website in English and Spanish here. The application deadline is April 16th, 2021 at 5 PM EDT.

Please note the following for dioceses of The Episcopal Church: Applicant understands that should its local diocese fail to pay its assessment in full or to apply for and receive a waiver, the diocese and the applicant shall be ineligible to receive grants or loans from the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society unless approved by Executive Council.  See Canon I.4.6, Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church.

Questions about potential projects were raised during an informational webinar. The webinar is also available on-demand here. Additional questions can be directed to Phoebe Chatfield, associate for Creation Care and Justice, 347-712-0679.

Members of the Task Force on Creation Care and Environmental Racism are:

• The Rev. Stephanie Johnson, chair, The Episcopal Church in Connecticut
• The Rt. Rev. David Rice, vice-chair, The Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin
• Mr. Tyler Kerr, Secretary, The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles
• The Rev. Richard Acosta, The Episcopal Diocese of Colombia
• The Rt. Rev. Cathleen C. Bascom, The Episcopal Diocese of Kansas
• Ms. Bernadette Demientieff, The Episcopal Diocese of Alaska
• The Rev. Nathan Empsall, The Episcopal Diocese of Spokane
• The Rt. Rev. Robert Fitzpatrick, The Episcopal Diocese of Hawaii
• The Rev. P. Joshua Griffin, The Episcopal Diocese of California
• Dr. Delia Heck, The Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia
• The Rt. Rev. A. Robert Hirschfeld, The Episcopal Church of New Hampshire
• Ms. Perry Hodgkins Jones, The Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina
• The Rt. Rev. Mark Lattime, The Episcopal Diocese of Alaska
• The Rev. Lester Mackenzie, The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles
• The Rev. Hershey Mallette Stephens, The Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina
• The Rev. Weston Mathews, The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia
• The Rev. Canon Dimas Munoz, The Episcopal Diocese of Puerto Rico
• Ms. Sarah Nolan, The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia
• The Rev. Deacon Lewis Powell, The Episcopal Diocese of Northern California
• The Very Rev. W. Mark Richardson, The Episcopal Diocese of California
• Mr. Brian Sellers-Petersen, The Episcopal Diocese of Olympia
• Dr. Andrew Thompson, The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee
• The Most Rev. Michael Curry, ex officio
• The Rev. Gay Clark Jennings, ex officio
• The Rev. Melanie Mullen, director of Reconciliation, Justice and Creation Care, The Episcopal Church