Focus Area Overview

Low-income communities often are located in areas with higher exposure to environmental hazards due to the condition and proximity of their homes, schools and workplaces to polluting industries and aging urban centers. These multiple exposures range from air pollution and chemical contaminants to the toxins associated with substandard housing and unhealthy foods.

Through strategic partnerships, we support efforts to improve the homes, surroundings and quality of life for children and their families living in low-income communities through three initiatives:

• Cleaner freight transport addresses the health effects of diesel exhaust particulate matter on low-income communities and workers employed at truck, rail, air and shipping facilities. These toxic emissions have been scientifically linked to asthma, coronary disease and cancer. We aim to reduce the incidence and severity of childhood asthma and other respiratory illnesses.
   
• Environmental health and justice funds both community engagement efforts and effective partnerships among scientific, legal and government organizations to address imminent environmental health hazards affecting vulnerable populations and communities.
   
• Advancing safe and healthy homes builds on our Getting the Lead Out initiative by broadening our childhood lead-abatement effort into a comprehensive healthy-housing approach that addresses the range of toxins and unhealthful conditions that harm children and families. Among these are lead, mold, radon, carbon monoxide, asthma triggers, pests, safety hazards and lack of proper weatherization.

Eligibility

Nonprofit 501(C)(3) organizations and public agencies based in the United States and not classified as private foundations are eligible to apply for a grant or respond to a request for proposals.

Individuals are not eligible to apply.

Application Process

Healthy environments provides ongoing support to regional and statewide efforts to improve the health of vulnerable populations.

We accept preliminary applications on an ongoing basis for two of our initiatives – Cleaner freight transport and Environmental health and justice. We seek requests that:

• are evidence-based and can display significant progress and benchmarks in one to three years;
• require limited, well-defined levels of funding;
• can demonstrate and document how environmental hazards are reduced or prevented;
• engage community leadership; and
• have the potential to achieve broad-based change by shifting current practices.

In addition, we periodically request proposals for place-based grants to support high-capacity local or regional efforts that advance practice and policy. Watch the Apply for Funding page for announcements.

In every instance, we welcome collaborative, integrative expertise that reflects the diversity of the communities affected.

An application has two parts:

1. Part 1, the preliminary application, contains a data-entry component and several attachments, including a narrative.
2. If a program officer determines your request has potential for funding from Kresge, he or she will ask you to provide additional information. This will constitute Part 2 of the application process. 

The size and duration of awards vary based upon the nature and scope of proposed projects. Grantseekers may request funds ranging from $100,000 to $750,000 for project periods of up to three years. Organizations also may choose to apply for one-year planning grants.

We do not accept unsolicited applications for the Advancing safe and healthy homes initiative. All requests are by invitation only.

Request Review Process

Final grant decisions are made after review of the two-part application.