Awards Announcement: Environmental Justice Microgrant Initiative for Community Organizations

We are pleased to announce the recipients of the Environmental Justice Microgrant Initiative for Community Organizations. After reviewing many strong applications, our selection committee chose eight community-led, research-informed projects that address disproportionate exposure to environmental harm, unequal access to environmental benefits and resources, or the loss of land and associated human rights. 

This regrant initiative is made possible by a major grant from the Mellon Foundation to the Environmental Humanities Program. The grant supports environmental justice research and teaching, with an emphasis on amplifying Indigenous lands, lives, and knowledges while fostering meaningful community engagement in Utah and beyond. 

The selected community organizations and the projects supported through this funding include: 

• The Somali Community Self-Management Agency (SCSMA) received a microgrant to support the Somali Food Bank, which expands access to fresh fruits and vegetables for members of Utah’s Somali refugee and immigrant community. 

• HEAL Utah received a microgrant to host DIY Corsi-Rosenthal air-filter workshops for families at Parkview Elementary in Glendale, Utah. As part of HEAL Utah’s Clean Air Initiative, this project helps families understand air quality risks and reduce exposure to dangerous air quality. 

• Utah Youth for Environmental Solutions (UYES) received a microgrant to support a cohort of 20 Salt Lake City students participating in its Environmental Justice Training Program during summer 2027. Students will explore climate solutions, build practical skills for creating change, and connect with local environmental organizations. Our alum Maria Archibald helped create the Environmental Justice Training program.  

• The Swaner Preserve & EcoCenter received a microgrant to support its Wellbeing and Ecological Belonging (WEB) program, which provides an ongoing series of outdoor recreation experiences for justice-involved youth in Utah. The program is delivered in partnership with Utah’s Division of Juvenile Justice and Youth Services. 

• JayHawks House received a microgrant to engage Westside youth and families in educational workshops centered on the Jordan River. Participants will take part in river cleanups, learn about pollution prevention and water quality, and explore native habitat restoration. 

• Camping in Color received a microgrant to support its summer 2027 overnight camping program. The program introduces families from diverse backgrounds to camping and outdoor recreation while fostering appreciation for the natural world. Our alum Sydney Murray helped found Camping in Color. 

• White Mesa Concerned Community received a microgrant to support its ongoing work to raise awareness and protect their community from the impacts of the only fully licensed uranium processing facility in the United States. Our alum Matty Sudweeks worked with White Mesa Concerned Community to amplify the concerns of the community. 

• Samoana Integrated Learning Initiative (SAILI) received a microgrant to support its Healthy Roots program, which provides Pacific Islander families along the Wasatch Front with gardening tools, materials, seedlings, educational instruction, in-home consultations, and hands-on growing, cooking, and environmental education workshops.