Chicago climate infrastructure grants boost resilience

• In Woodlawn, the Narrow Bridge Arts Club will add a 72-kilowatt solar installation as part of its adaptive reuse of a former synagogue that will bring a woodshop, dance and fibre studios and co-working spaces to the community.

 Electric vehicle related projects include:

• ChiFresh Kitchen, a worker cooperative owned and determined by formerly incarcerated Chicagoans, will begin decarbonising its fleet with the purchase of two e-transit vans and the installation of two charging stations at its South Shore facility
• Imani Village in Pullman will purchase electric vehicles and two charging stations to help the mixed-use campus expand its ongoing resiliency efforts, while showcasing the benefits of fleet electrification to the organisation’s advocates, tenants, and community members.

Green infrastructure projects include:

• A community “peace garden” planned by the Historic Pullman Empowerment Organisation in Pullman will provide natural landscaping for passive recreation, among other benefits
• A rooftop garden planned by the Insect Asylum in Avondale will provide native landscaping for outdoor education, among other benefits.

“Nearly 70 per cent of Chicago’s greenhouse gas emissions are from buildings,” said Department of Environment commissioner and chief sustainability officer Angela Tovar.

“The Climate Infrastructure Fund provides essential funding for small businesses and nonprofit organisations to adopt clean energy strategies that will result in lowering emissions across Chicago while reducing operating costs, improving indoor air quality, and increasing comfort for building occupants.”

“By supporting these innovative projects, we are not just addressing climate change but fostering a healthier and more sustainable future for our communities”

Finalists were selected from 88 proposals submitted during a six-month application period last year. Proposals were reviewed by an advisory committee consisting of climate and nonprofit professionals and City staff, and evaluations were based on a variety of factors including neighbourhood equity, climate impact, readiness and community benefits, among others.

A previous funding round announced in May 2023 awarded Climate Infrastructure Fund grants valued at $6.2m for 32 businesses and nonprofits.

In addition to Climate infrastructure grants, Johnson has announced more than 50 additional awardees for grants involving equitable transit-oriented construction, community development and historic preservation.