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Boulder County approves first-round recommendations for $2.5 million Climate Equity Fund pilot
Summary
Board approved staff recommendations for the inaugural Climate Equity Fund pilot, which received 56 applications requesting about $12.6 million; awards will proceed with pre-award assessments, contract milestones, and reporting requirements under consultant JSI and OSCAR oversight.
Boulder County commissioners on Nov. 13 approved the first-round funding recommendations for the Climate Equity Fund, a participatory, community‑centered pilot designed to fund frontline, disproportionately impacted communities' climate solutions.
Bridal Fleischman, senior strategist at the Office of Sustainability, Climate Action, and Resilience (OSCAR), told the board the pilot received 56 applications requesting roughly $12.6 million in total funding against a $2.5 million funding ceiling for the round. With consultant JSI, staff set a grant-management capacity that identifies up to 10 tier‑1 awards (up to $50,000 each) and up to five tier‑2 awards. Staff emphasized the multi-step implementation pathway: board final authorization, a pre-award assessment to review feasibility and contract mechanisms, a cost assessment with grantees, and grant agreements with milestones and reporting.
Bernice Elgaramti, a member of the Community Evaluation Committee (CEC), described the committee’s effort to center frontline communities — immigrant, low‑income, and historically excluded residents — and acknowledged the process had "growing pains" given the compressed timeline. Commissioners asked how the county could ensure awards prioritized frontline leadership while complying with legal constraints. County Attorney Trina Ruhlin advised the board it cannot legally make decisions solely on the basis of race and noted the county used the state's legal definition of "disproportionately impacted communities" (the state EnviroScreen map) as an eligibility tool.
Commissioners praised the community involvement, noted the competitive nature of the round, and moved to approve the recommendations. The board approved the item by voice vote.
Staff said unsuccessful applicants would be invited to feedback sessions and that the next funding cycle will expand community engagement and technical assistance. Final award amounts and grantee reporting requirements will be established in pre-award assessments and grant agreements managed with JSI.
