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Bay Area Air District previews multi-level grants available to Martinez community
Summary
A Bay Area Air District representative gave Martinez an early look at a Local Community Benefits Fund grant program—seed grants ($100k–$200k) for nonprofits and larger opportunity grants ($500k–$5M) for multi-stakeholder projects—with applications expected to open pending district board approval.
Emmy Wang of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District told the Martinez City Council on Jan. 21 that a Local Community Benefits Fund grant opportunity is expected to launch next week pending board approval and would include several grant types for communities affected by refinery-related penalties.
Wang described two grant pools relevant to Martinez: a seed-grant category for 501(c)(3) nonprofits (award range roughly $100,000–$200,000 with up to two-year terms) and an opportunity-grant category for multi-stakeholder partnerships (award range roughly $500,000–$5,000,000 with up to three-year terms). She said the seed grants are intended for smaller-scale, community-led projects, while the opportunity grants could fund multi-partner programs and allow re-granting to smaller entities in some proposals.
The funding stems from penalties and mitigation settlements the Air District has collected; Wang said the Air District has generated over $124 million to date in penalty and mitigation funds for reinvestment and that the Valero settlement established a dedicated pool for the Benicia and surrounding communities. For Martinez, Wang said the city would be eligible for the smaller seed and opportunity-grant types and that future rounds could include additional funding if penalties are later assessed.
Applications would be posted on the Air District website, she said, with the grant open for roughly three months if the board adopts guidelines at its meeting next Wednesday; award decisions are expected in the summer–fall timeframe. Council members asked clarifying questions about eligibility (geographic boundaries tied to the Valero settlement), timing, and whether recent announcements about the refinery’s operations affect fund availability; Wang reiterated that the fund is based on prior violations and remains separate from current operational decisions.
Staff and council members encouraged local nonprofits, agencies and multi-stakeholder partnerships to track the district’s notices and plan for virtual information sessions the Air District will host in February.
