“Gonzaga University Receives $19.9 Million Grant for Climate Resilience Project in Spokane”
Gonzaga University’s Institute for Climate, Water and the Environment has received a groundbreaking $19.9 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, announced President Thayne McCulloh in an email on Thursday. This grant marks the largest federal funding in GU’s history and is a significant investment in climate resilience for the Spokane community.
The grant will support the “Spokane Climate Resilience Project,” a collaborative effort between the Climate Institute, the Carl Maxey Center, Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners (SNAP), and the City of Spokane. The project aims to address pollution reduction, increase community climate resilience, and tackle environmental and climate justice challenges in Spokane.
Director of the Climate Institute, Brian G. Henning, emphasized the urgency of the project, stating, “As deadly heat waves and poisonous wildfire smoke increase in frequency and duration, we are living in a changed climate that affects those who are least responsible first and worst. In collaboration with our partners, this grant will be a much-needed catalyst that will set Spokane on the path to being a more environmentally just and climate-resilient community.”
The grant will fund various initiatives, including the creation of a Community Climate Action Fund to support local organizations working on climate resilience, scholarships for Spokane residents to participate in GU’s climate action planning course, and specific projects by SNAP, the City of Spokane, and the Carl Maxey Center.
SNAP will use its $8 million allocation to install electric heat pumps in 300 low-income homes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide cooling solutions. The City of Spokane will invest $8 million in solar arrays and backup batteries at community centers to offer refuge during extreme weather events. The Carl Maxey Center, a Black-led nonprofit, will upgrade its building with a solar array and battery backup using its $900,000 grant.
The funding for the grant was made possible through the EPA’s Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act. This grant comes at a critical time as the Inland Northwest faces record summer temperatures and challenges for low-income families without access to cooling centers or air conditioning.
Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown praised the initiative, stating, “The Spokane Climate Resilience Project will help our most vulnerable families and neighborhoods be more healthy and resilient. I applaud our partners, especially Gonzaga University, for leading in securing this award.”
Overall, this grant represents a significant step towards building a more environmentally just and climate-resilient community in Spokane, with tangible benefits for its residents and the environment.