00I40400

**Description:** This agreement provides funding under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to Commun Denver Inc.

Specifically, the project will renovate a 40,000 square foot building into a community-designed resilience hub and resource center for communities who have been disproportionately impacted by climate change.

The Loretto Heights Resiliency Hub will function as a public-serving space for community members that provides shelter and essential services during extreme weather, natural hazards, or other events causing an emergency or disaster such as dangerous wildfire woodsmoke, toxic releases, industrial fires, or similar hazardous chemical incidents.

The resilience hub will also serve as a community-convening space that provides educational activities and related emergency and disaster preparedness resources to community residents year-round.

**Activities:** The activities to be performed include upgrading community facilities to remain operable during emergencies; implementing structural and non-structural retrofits for improved heating and cooling systems and insulation; installing a highly efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system with a wildfire setting for severe air pollution; implementing an air quality readiness plan; monitoring indoor and outdoor air quality; communicating with the public on air quality data; installing emergency communications devices; implementing emergency operation plans; and providing trainings and workshops for advocacy and organizing work.

**Subrecipient:** City of Denver staff time ($420,147 total): Funds one new City of Denver's Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resilience Department (CASR) staff member to coordinate and support the project as a statutory partner.

The cost is $117,000 per year plus 33% fringe benefit, with the position starting in April/May 2025.

Climate Promotores ($142,410 total): Five subawards to community members who are part of a leadership team disproportionately impacted by climate change, to educate and bring resources to disadvantaged community members around climate impacts and resilience.

Community Leaders ($42,726 total): Six subawards to disproportionately impacted community members contracted by Commun to engage specifically disadvantaged communities in the design and purpose of the resilience hub.

This team will continue to ensure a sense of belonging and ownership of disadvantaged community members so that funds maximize benefit for disadvantaged community members, including those who typically do not experience belonging within institutions.

**Outcomes:** The anticipated deliverables include a fully renovated community resiliency hub with a zero carbon building sustainability certification through the International Living Futures Institute.

There will be 35 community organizations using community gathering spaces.

Twelve disaster preparedness trainings and 30 resilience workshops will be delivered.

The community will be provided with 25 sustainability resources.

Community engagement activities will reach 1,500 community members.

There will be 75 jobs created, and 50 small businesses having received development support.

It is anticipated that 85% of residents will report Commun as a factor for avoiding displacement, reporting increased economic vitality or sense of belonging.

At least five different types of trainings requested by the community will be implemented.

Community spaces with enhanced filtration and protective wildfire settings for 36,540 square feet of program space.

Seventy percent of residents who are disproportionately impacted by climate change will be served.

There will be twenty air quality conditions shared via social media posts.

There will be 30 leadership and community organizing classes.

The expected outcomes include improved community capacity and strength; improved climate resilience; improved environmental justice through reduced greenhouse gases; increased awareness of emergency preparedness; increased co.

Commun Denver

2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.1 - PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS AT THE FEDERAL, TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.1 - PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS AT THE FEDERAL, TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.1 - PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS AT THE FEDERAL, TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.1 - PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS AT THE FEDERAL, TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS 1 - CORE MISSION 1.3 - REVITALIZE LAND AND PREVENT CONTAMINATION 3 - RULE OF LAW AND PROCESS 3.3 - PRIORITIZE ROBUST SCIENCE 3 - GREATER CERTAINTY, COMPLIANCE, AND EFFECTIVENESS 3.3 - PRIORITIZE ROBUST SCIENCE 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.1 - PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS AT THE FEDERAL, TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.1 - PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS AT THE FEDERAL, TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.1 - PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS AT THE FEDERAL, TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.1 - PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS AT THE FEDERAL, TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.1 - PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS AT THE FEDERAL, TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS S - C

66.616 - Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grant Program

EPA Region 8: Denver [EPA - RO]

Denver, Colorado 80236 United States

Single Zip Code

Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program (EPA-R-OEJECR-OCS-23-04)

Termination This project grant was reported as terminated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in July 2025. See All
Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been shortened from 12/31/27 to 05/01/25.