Application acceptance for the Green Economy Fund (GEF) is currently closed.
Letters of intent can be submitted at any time by organizations interested in participating in future funding opportunities by clicking here.
Sign-up here to join the GEF mailing list and receive ongoing announcements related to the Fund.
GEF is a $40 million, 20-year fund that is a part of the Champlain Hudson Power Express®. The Fund is designed to support disadvantaged communities, low-income individuals, and transitioning fossil fuel workers (the “target population”) in accessing and building careers in New York State’s green economy. GEF will support organizations or projects that provide training and/or wrap-around services to better prepare the target population for, and/or connect the target population to, good jobs.
Examples of eligible programs include, but are not limited to:
- Workforce development training programs that link disadvantaged and low-income New Yorkers to good jobs in the green economy with sustainable wages. Programs may apply for direct training costs, wrap-around services, and general operating expenses.
- Organizations providing wrap-around services to workers from the target communities that enable them to connect to and/or sustain themselves in good jobs and training programs. Some examples of eligible wrap-around services include transportation, technology, participant stipends, mentorship, and childcare.
- Organizations building employer partnerships to create pipelines for participants in trainings or job readiness programming.
- Community colleges or other educational institutions providing adult basic education and the qualifications needed to become eligible for union apprenticeships and jobs training programs with employer partnerships in the green economy for graduates.
The Green Economy Fund is guided by an Advisory Board. Members were selected in close consultation with local workforce development experts, labor unions, community-based organizations, and environmental justice leaders.
They include:
- Anthony Rogers-Wright, Environmental Justice Director, New York Lawyers for Public Interest
- Jose Almanzar, Co-Chair of the Environmental Justice Committee for the Environmental & Energy Law Section of the NYS Bar Association
- Keith Kinch, Co-founder, Blocpower
- Garry Douglas, President, North Country Chamber of Commerce:
- Bob Din , Community Activist in Queens, formerly at Urban Upbound
- Dan Cullen, Director of Field Services, Workforce Development Institute (WDI)
- Jeff Vockrodt, Executive Director, Climate Infrastructure Pension Project
- Lourdes Zapata, President and CEO, South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation
- Benita Law-Diao, Environmental Justice Advocate
- Tarik Greene, OWDS CEO and Founder, The Re-entry Institute of America Inc.
- Mike Lyons, President, Greater Capital Region Building Trades
We welcome creative solutions that accomplish the goal of preparing and connecting GEF’s priority populations to good jobs in New York’s green economy. If you have a question about the viability and alignment of your proposal or project, please feel free to reach out to GEF@rockpa.org.