FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 14, 2024
CONTACT:
Elevate
Alejandra Flores, Director of Strategic Communications
Greenlink Analytics
Robynne Boyd, Communications Manager
phone (415) 516-7625.
Nonprofits Unite to Enable Five Chicago Communities to Tackle Climate Challenges
Cook County, IL – In a significant step toward environmental justice, five disinvested communities in Chicago’s Cook County – Markham, Calumet City, Harvey, Hazel Crest, and South Holland – now have access to vital data and analysis specific to their communities that will help local leaders seeking federal funding to address climate resilience and pollution reduction. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of Greenlink Analytics, Elevate, EcoHealth Strategies, and funding provided by the New Venture Fund, this initiative helps unlock access to the $2 billion available through the Inflation Reduction Act’s Community Change Grant.
To access these funds, communities are required to develop a detailed plan for achieving their pollution and emissions reductions goals. To support this process, Greenlink Analytics conducted a comprehensive data analysis, published in the Clean Energy Potential in Southland Cook County report, which focused on energy burdens and the benefits of transitioning to renewable energy sources. The findings show that these shifts can improve environmental conditions while generating clean energy resources to reinvest back into the community. In addition, this work highlights the potential for job creation and economic opportunities through cleaner energy choices.
“Our analysis demonstrates that advancing energy efficiency and expanding rooftop solar will significantly cut energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, while enhancing energy reliability and overall resilience in these five communities,” said Etan Gumerman, Director of Analytics at Greenlink Analytics. “These resources will not only form the backbone of the local energy infrastructure but also contribute to better air quality and public health.”
“We believe everyone deserve to have access to the research, tools, and support they need to create healthier environments for their families to live in,” Elevate’s CEO Dr. Anne Evens said. “People who live in disinvested communities understand how to make their neighborhoods safer and they know how to protect each other from the increasingly urgent, severe impacts of the climate crisis. But it can be challenging to access funding for these projects, creating barriers we simply don’t have the resources for. We hope that we can support these neighborhood’s efforts by sharing our techniques for securing government funding and by equipping people with data they can use to advocate for themselves.”
Launched in January 2024, Elevate’s project aimed to provide communities with climate data for immediate use but also leverages this information to secure federal resources for tackling these challenges. These funds would drive workforce development, stimulate economic growth, and address the local impacts of climate change by improving air quality, lowering energy costs, and creating more resilient communities.
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About Greenlink Analytics: Greenlink Analytics (“Greenlink”) is an Atlanta-based clean energy and equity research non-profit organization equipped with sophisticated analytical technologies and deep industry knowledge in the clean energy space, receiving accolades from MIT, Georgia Tech, Yale, and the National Science Foundation, among others. It uses these
technologies to help create a smarter, cleaner, and more equitable future.
About Elevate: Elevate is a nonprofit organization that works nationally and is headquartered in Chicago. Elevate designs and implements programs to ensure that everyone has clean and affordable heat, cooling, power, and water in their homes and communities —no matter who they are or where they live. For more information, visit our website at elevatenp.org.