Overview
Community Ownership of Solutions
Greenlining the Block works to strengthen community-based organizations to advance climate justice neighborhood projects. To reverse decades of disinvestment and racist policies, we are doubling-down on community ownership of solutions. In September 2023, The Greenlining Institute welcomed the second cohort to join Greenlining the Block.

Introduction
A Community of Practice Grows and Flourishes
For the second round of the Greenlining the Block initiative, Greenlining is providing direct capacity building annual grants, supporting tailored capacity building and other technical assistance, and facilitating peer-to-peer learning through a Community of Practice.
We are proud to welcome 16 organizations across four states: Michigan, North Carolina, California, and Colorado to the Greenlining The Block initiative. Our partners are advancing a unique slate of climate justice projects. Read more about their projects below:

Partners
Community Partners Opening Doors to Opportunity

GES Coalition
The Globeville, Elyria-Swansea Coalition Organizing for Health and Housing Justice (GES Coalition) is a group of neighborhood leaders and community organizations working to align community health and the well-being of their neighbors through advocacy campaigns to prevent displacement of their neighbors, activate resident-driven leadership, protect historically marginalized neighborhoods, preserve affordability in housing, and promote a culture that welcomes neighbors who value their long-standing culture, interconnectedness, and commitment to equity. For their project, GES Coalition plans to gather neighborhood leaders to prevent displacement of neighbors in the GES communities through their Tierra Collective and Tierra Verdes projects. The GES Coalition aims to establish a sustainable and resilient neighborhood model that can be replicated and scaled with a focus on prioritizing land stewardship, incorporating community vision, and ensuring the well-being of residents.
Learn More
CleanAIRE NC
The CleanAire NC organization focuses on three determinants of public health in North Carolina: climate change, air quality, and environmental justice. Through advocacy, education, and community-driven research, they are working to protect North Carolina’s air quality and ensure that people have clean air to live healthier, happier lives. For their project, CleanAire NC plans to replicate and scale their existing Green District Model- one that works to enhance community education and advocacy efforts, secure funding for green infrastructure, and build the capacity of frontline leaders and organizations by advancing this approach in two communities: an urban redlined community in Durham and a rural community in Avalance.
Learn More
Community Collaboration on Climate Change
The Community Collaboration on Climate Change (C4) is an organization that was created to develop and enhance partnerships within education, climate justice, and community. C4 provides space for stakeholders and community members to come together to advance equitable environmental work. For their project, C4 aims to combat mobility challenges and lack of safe and reliable transportation in their neighborhood by launching an electric vehicle ridesharing pilot program. This will allow them to locally purchase EVs to provide ridesharing options in lower income communities and enable drivers to educate participants on the importance of EVs and impacts of climate change.
Learn More
United Taxi Workers of San Diego
The United Taxi Workers of San Diego work to unify taxicab workers, to improve working conditions through direct advocacy and empowerment to increase education and civic participation by taxi drivers and their families, and to improve professional transportation services for the San Diego community and visitors. For their project, they have developed a digital app that they want to integrate into taxis. This will allow them to develop a partnership with MTS and hopefully be the preferred option when riders seek first/last mile transportation. They would also like to explore a pilot that identifies how to best subsidize taxi usage in low-income communities and explore what it would take to transition drivers from hybrids to EVs.
Learn More
Project New Village
Project New Village works to improve the quality of life and access to food for residents in Southeastern San Diego by advancing programs that activate the community and contribute to the health, wealth and well-being of community members. For their project, they are looking to grow the community garden they currently operate by erecting a building that will include office and community space, as well as commercial kitchen and retail space for local vendors to sell fresh produce to the community. The community space will be an area to have events and gatherings and serve as a green space for the neighborhood.
Learn More
Mid City CAN
Mid-City CAN (MCC) is composed of residents of the Mid-City neighborhood in San Diego who care about making a lasting impact in this community. They gather around the top issues residents care about, forming teams of volunteers. Mid-City CAN helps organize these teams to accomplish their goals. Their mission is to create a safe, productive, and healthy community through collaboration, advocacy, and organizing. Through Greenlining the Block, MCC is looking to advance two projects: one to upgrade the local park to meet the needs of the community, the other to further develop their strategy and make Youth Opportunity Passes a permanent program and expand youth support from ages 18 to 25.
Learn More
City Heights CDC
City Heights CDC partners with community members to improve the quality of life of residents from City Heights, San Diego. They accomplish this work by engaging the community to determine priorities and then engaging on policy, program implementation and specific campaigns that will improve economic and environmental conditions for the community. For their project, City Heights CDC is looking to advance several ongoing projects, including: advancing their campaign to activate the community and engage with Caltrans and other agencies to prevent the expansion of the SR15, a highly used freeway, which runs through City Heights CDC. Additionally, they would like to engage the community on a recently acquired piece of land to determine what type of housing development residents would like. They would also like to use funds to help tell the story of their work and the impact it has had on the community.
Learn More
Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy
The Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy is a Tongva-led organization created to steward lands in Tovaangar, the traditional Tongva region, encompassing the greater LA basin. The Conservancy has received land back, is creating community for and housing Native people, practicing traditional ceremony, creating a Native archive, and rematriating the land. Through Greenlining the Block, they are looking to move forward two projects: development of the sustainable and inclusive affordable Tongva Apartment Village in partnership with LA Metro and the transformation of a 1-acre site into a community space for tending to the local environment and plants, growing and preparing food, sharing knowledge and practicing culture.
Learn More
Community Partners 4 Innovation
Community Partners 4 Innovation’s (CP4I) mission is to create a sustainable and equitable future by providing access to locally grown food, promoting education and community engagement, and creating green spaces that are accessible to all. For their project, CP4I aims to build capacity and double their production through increased efficiency on their 3 acre farm and through activation of an unused ½ acre of land in partnership with Just Us for Youth. To sustain and expand their operations, they seek funding to acquire additional land to accommodate their growing initiatives; hire and fairly compensate a farmer who will oversee food production and manage farm operations; develop an outdoor harvest kitchen station and on-site community center to provide a welcoming and inclusive space for educational programs and community events.
Learn More
Restore the Delta
Restore the Delta is a grassroots campaign of residents and organizations committed to restoring the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta so that fisheries, communities, and family farming can thrive there together again; so that water quality is protected for all communities, and so that Delta environmental justice communities are protected from flood and drought impacts resulting from climate change while gaining improved public access to clean waterways. For their project, Restore the Delta is convening local, state and national partners to support, develop, and fund a proposal for restoring Mormon Slough for multi-benefit use. A 6 or 7 mile restoration project that would include native plant landscaping, fish restoration, and levee construction, as well as a plan for creating affordable housing and entrepreneurial opportunities.
Learn More
Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision
The Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision is a coalition of residents, community organizations, local & government agencies, schools, business, and industry working together to improve the environment and strengthen the economy of Southwest Detroit. For their project, they plan to acquire a vacant parcel of land and develop it as a multi-purpose cooperative green space for a variety of community uses.
Learn More
Black Urban Farmers Association
Black Urban Farmers Association (BUFA) was established in 2015 by a group of 12 people who desired to grow and make available healthy all natural food to the local community with a focus on the African American Community. For their project, BUFA aims to acquire land to establish a wellness center in Stockton. It will include an organic farm equipped with a composting system and solar powered processing site, an equine therapy site, and community building with cafe, exercise class studio, and spa.
Learn More
East Oakland Neighborhoods Initiative
The East Oakland Neighborhoods Initiative is a coalition of twelve community-based organizations and resident leaders focused on equity-based planning for Deep East Oakland to advance five goals: reduce greenhouse gasses, prevent displacement, improve public health, build economic empowerment and plan by and with the community. Through Greenlining the Block, EONI is looking to advance three key projects: formalize their organization as a Community Development Corporation (CDC) to serve as an intermediary between community and agencies, re-establish their resident leadership program, and begin project implementation of priority projects from their Better Neighborhoods Same Neighbors community plan. They also plan to develop a community resilience hub and neighborhood office space through the process.
Learn More
Homies Empowerment
Homies Empowerment is an independent, grassroots community-based organization out of East Oakland started as a youth empowerment organization but with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic expanded their programing to respond quickly to the communities food and basic needs through their food justice programs. Today they run a Freedom store and farm that provides food and household necessities for over 1500 people a week. Additionally, they have a care team that provides financial, housing and other services through their Community Care Center. For their project, they hope to better connect all their programming, scale it and sustain it through the creation of a multi use, climate resilient food hub that includes clean air and tech space.
Learn More
Mycelium Youth Network
Mycelium Youth Network is a pioneering Bay Area youth-centered organization founded in 2017, dedicated to bridging the gap between increasing climate-related disasters and the abilities of young people to proactively respond. For their project, they plan to advance a remediation project at their current MetWest High School’s Youth Leadership Council (YLC) site to create a safe community space.This project would also leverage MYN’s existing Climate Resilient Schools and Youth Leadership Council work, as well as their local policy work to create a youth-led planning process in schools that connects with, supports and informs the City’s larger climate goals.
Learn MoreNinth Root
Ninth Root’s mission is to connect people to marshes and shorelines through culturally relevant, naturally restored, climate adaptive, spiritual and mental wellness oriented sanctuaries, specifically along the MLK Jr. Shoreline in Deep East Oakland. For their project, they plan to make their Sacred Spaces – A Damon Marsh Trail Project developed from the Oakland Shoreline Leadership Academy, a mental wellness and spiritual sanctuary space for gathering and reflection that benefits deep East Oakland communities.
Learn MoreStay Informed!
Sign up to receive update about Greenlining The Block and other community-led initiatives.