Call for Applications: Environmental Justice Microgrant Initiative for Community Organizations

Overview 

We are pleased to announce a new microgrant initiative to support community-led projects focusing on environmental justice in Utah. This regrant initiative is made possible through a major grant awarded by the Mellon Foundation to the Environmental Humanities Program. This grant supports research and teaching in environmental justice, with a focus on amplifying Indigenous lands, lives, and knowledges, and fostering meaningful community engagement in Utah and beyond. This microgrant initiative is in line with the purpose of this grant and the academic priorities of our program. The selection committee will include faculty, staff, and students from the Environmental Humanities program. Applicants will be notified by October 15, 2026, whether their applications have been fully funded, partially funded, or not funded. Microgrant awardees will be required to submit a 6-month progress report.They will also be invited to attend the Environmental Humanities Community Engagement Celebration either virtually or in-person in Salt Lake City, Utah in April 2027. 

Eligibility 

Community organizations with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status or a qualified fiscal sponsor are eligible to apply for grants of up to $2,500. Community organizations do not have to focus solely on environmental issues to apply for this grant as long as the proposed project focuses on environmental justice in Utah. 

How to Apply 

Applications open Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. MST and close Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. MST. Begin an application here.  If you have any questions, please reach out to eliana.massey@utah.edu. 

What is Environmental Justice? 

Research in the field of environmental justice recognizes that environmental harms and benefits are not distributed equally. Environmental injustice can include disproportionate exposure to environmental harm, inequal access to environmental benefits or resources, and the loss of land and associated human rights. In Utah, environmental justice issues include, but are not limited to, disproportionate exposure to poor air quality, extreme heat, toxic waste, or other environmental hazards, inequal access to affordable clean energy, healthy, culturally relevant food, urban green spaces, outdoor recreation, and drinking water, and threats to Native Nations’ lands and sovereignty. This microgrant initiative exists because environmental humanities research reveals that those who are closest to the impacts of local environmental injustice often carry unique insights into effective solutions. We invite grant applications for community-led, research-informed projects that address or mitigate disproportionate exposure to environmental harm, address or mitigate inequal access to environmental benefits or resources, or address or mitigate loss of land and associated human rights.