We’re excited to announce the third round of recipients of the Community-Driven Planning Fund, a program of the National Association of Climate Resilience Planners (NACRP), managed by People’s Climate Innovation Center. This round of awards totals $100,000 in flexible funding to four organizations and two individuals across California, New York, Georgia and Guam, supporting frontline leaders advancing community-led resilience planning.
The recipients presented strong community-driven planning projects and demonstrated a powerful commitment to organizing, facilitation and advancing community-led planning efforts. We are proud to be a part of their transformative journey.
Spring 2025 Awardees
Canal Alliance, Marin County, California
Funding supports the 20-member Consejo and expands the NCNF Leadership Academy, doubling trained ambassadors to over 140. This initiative empowers Latino immigrant residents with skills for civic leadership, influencing planning, and creating a neighborhood plan for city adoption, teaching them local government processes and effective advocacy.
Food for the Spirit, Buffalo, New York
Funding will establish a Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) to lead a community-driven organizational planning process. The SPC will develop a collective governance model, define the organization's vision, mission, goals, and governance structures. It will include staff and representatives from place-based networks and policy-advocacy partners, aiming for a more integrated and community-driven organizational strategy.
Local Clean Energy Alliance, Oakland, California
Funding will increase LCEA’s capacity to lead a community-driven planning process, provide language translation services, and launch media and storytelling strategies that amplify the voices of community leaders on the frontlines. The goal: to encourage AVA’s Community Energy to embrace its critical role in advancing climate and environmental justice. Clean Power to the People!
West Atlanta Watershed Alliance, Atlanta, Georgia
Funding will support WAWA's collaborative Strategic and Resilience Planning process, aligning community intentions with a collective, culturally rooted, climate-resilient future. Based at the Outdoor Activity Center, WAWA manages the Utoy, Proctor, and Sandy Creek watersheds. NACRP Community-Driven Planning Fund support will provide stipends for focus group participants and planning session attendees, furthering WAWA’s community science and hyperlocal advocacy efforts.
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Christian Daniel Asahan San Nicolas (He/him), Guåhan (Guam)
Christian, based in Guam, focuses on disaster preparedness and resilience in the Mariana Islands and Micronesia. He collaborates with local community organizations that activate during crises. Christian is developing Community Resiliency Hubs and the "Ready-Set-Prep" project, distributing disaster recovery kits.
NACRP Fund support will help Christian continue his work and personal well-being, including cooking classes for healthier family meals. We champion his leadership and commitment to climate resilience in Micronesia.
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NJ Mvondo (She/her), Patwin Wintun Land (Davis), California
NJ, a grassroots organizer, youth, and community leader, champions justice-driven work in Yolo County, leading three community projects and advocating for the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. This year, NJ will finalize a partnership framework for CAPECA and create two exhibits at Sacramento City Hall featuring essential worker stories. The NACRP Fund will cover NJ's living expenses during a personal crisis, enabling the launch of a podcast and Substack to amplify their work in climate justice, mutual aid, and healing-centered organizing.
About the Fund:
In response to member needs, the NACRP launched the Community-Driven Planning Fund in March 2024 to support community-driven planning processes governed by community-driven planners, organizers, and facilitators. NACRP members can submit proposals for up to $30,000 to resource communities and/or facilitators accountable to frontline communities and advance a community-driven planning process.
Climate Innovation coordinates and administers the Fund and 5 NACRP members, in their role as Fund Advisors, govern the Fund grantee selection process.
About the NACRP:
The National Association of Climate Resilience Planners (NACRP), a core program of People’s Climate Innovation Center (Climate Innovation), is a national network of community-driven planning facilitators, grassroots organizers, and multi-sector partners that fosters effective community-driven racial and climate justice solutions through training, peer learning, referrals, and capacity-building.
For more information about the Community-Driven Planning Fund and how to become a NACRP member, visit our website here.
