03D26224

Description: This agreement provides funding in the amount of $19,357,757 under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to Southwest Florida Community Foundation, dba Collaboratory.

This project will focus on advancing environmental justice, economic resilience, and climate adaptation in underserved communities through nature-based solutions.

The green infrastructure includes initiatives such as installing a filter marsh, stormwater infrastructure enhancements, and tree canopy installation.

Activities: Activities to be performed include reducing pollution, improving water storage, and lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

These strategies support public health and climate resilience.

Community resilience hubs: Four hubs will provide services, emergency preparedness, cooling centers, and serve as a part of a broader resilience network.

These hubs will also enhance local capacities for disaster response.

Workforce development is a focus on training in construction and energy sectors which will equip residents, especially from underserved areas, with skills for good jobs that reduce pollution and increase regional resilience.

Pollution reduction involves addressing both indoor and outdoor pollutions such as mold, asbestos-free housing, cleaning waterways, and increasing green space.

Community engagement involves walking audits, disaster planning education, and advisory panels which will ensure community members are involved in decision-making and implementation.

Subrecipient: Subaward activities include, and are not limited to establishing the resilience hub network, personnel, and operating systems, including compatible software and telecommunications, and furnishing of necessary supplies to the four resilience hub spaces.

Outcomes: The anticipated deliverables include the installation of a filter marsh and tree plantings along Ten Mile Canal, stormwater infrastructure enhancements, installation of community gardens at resilience hubs, addition of amenities (i.e. benches, educational signage, trail heads) to the already existing walk bike path to include an extension of the walk bike path.

Connection of the four resilience hubs via the multi-use path, increased number of access points to Collaboratory's resilience hub building that are accessible to all users, demolition and horizontal construction of the new Pine Manor Community Center resilience hub, upgrades to resilience hubs, including but not limited to, creation of space for child care services during emergencies and for children of first responders, addition of solar panels, and installation of an updated air conditioning system.

The expected outcomes include increased tree canopy cover and shade, decreased heat island effect, more efficient draining during and after heavy precipitation and or flooding events, increased accessibility for all users, including those who may be disabled, increased mobility and transportation in the Ten Mile Canal area, increased community member involvement in the development of infrastructure and programming for the full Lee County resilience hub network, increased energy efficiency and air quality of resilience hubs, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, increased emergency preparedness of the Lee County community, increased resiliency and safe space for the local communities during emergency and disaster events, as well as under operations as usual.

The intended beneficiaries are the underserved communities identified in the work plan, which include economically disadvantaged communities in the Ft. Myers area, including Tice and Dunbar neighborhoods, and particularly along the industrially polluted Ten Mile Canal and adjacent area.

Southwest Florida Community Foundation

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

66.616 - Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grant Program

EPA Region 4: Atlanta [EPA - RO]

Fort Myers, Florida United States

City-Wide

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 11/30/27 to 05/01/25.