As climate disasters escalate at an alarming rate — from devastating hurricanes in North Carolina to historic wildfires in California — building community-centered resilience has never been more critical. 

The Greenlining Institute’s Greenlining the Block Initiative is actively targeting the legacy of environmental racism to ensure that communities of color on the frontlines of the climate crisis – those most impacted by climate change–have the resources, decision-making power, and infrastructure to not just survive climate disasters, but to thrive. Our team does this by partnering with community-based groups to secure the funding, resources, and support needed to bring their visions for community-centered climate resilience to life. Since its launch in 2023 with an initial $6 million commitment, GTB partners have secured over $117 million in additional capital investments funding real, community-led climate solutions across the country. 

In this video, Greenlining the Block Program Director George Lee sits down to discuss the GTB approach to turning neighborhood and capital project ideas into reality. Unlike initiatives that rely solely on federal support, Greenlining the Block cultivates diverse funding sources, building up the capacity of community based organizations to leverage both public and private capital to fund their climate priorities with longevity. This means that, regardless of who is in White House, frontline communities continue to have access to the tools they need to build climate resilience on their own terms.

Learn more about The Greenlining Institute’s work here.