The Michigan Justice40 Accelerator, a program that supports community-based organizations in climate and environmental justice, has completed its first year. The event in Lansing, Michigan, included remarks from Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II. He noted the program’s progress and announced its new name: the MI Healthy Climate Community Accelerator. The new name reflects a focus on the Michigan Healthy Climate Plan, which aims for statewide carbon neutrality by 2050 and seeks to distribute climate funding equitably.
The accelerator began in October 2024. It supported 25 organizations from communities in Michigan that are often most affected by climate change. The program offered funding, technical help, training, and partnership opportunities to help these groups build capacity for long-term climate action.
In its first year, participants worked on projects such as electric vehicle ride share infrastructure, energy-efficient housing, and youth engagement. They submitted more than 35 public funding applications and received targeted support to strengthen their organizations. Eligible applicants included Michigan-based nonprofits, cooperatives, tribal-serving organizations, and fiscally sponsored projects in qualifying communities…