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CASE STUDY

Shaping Regional Climate Action Plans through Multilingual Grassroots Outreach

Conducted an intensive demographic analysis of 1,561 community tracts to target and execute multilingual environmental outreach, directly unlocking access to hundreds of millions in EPA climate grants.

01. Challenge

Connecting Complex Federal Climate Policy to High-Burden Neighborhoods

Under the federal government's landmark environmental mandates, the NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and the Mayor's Office of Climate and Environmental Justice (MOCEJ) were required to guarantee that at least 40% of future climate investment benefits flow directly to Low-Income and Disadvantaged Communities (LIDACs). To achieve this, the New York-New Jersey Metropolitan Statistical Area (NY-NJ MSA) urgently needed an analytical outreach framework to transform dense federal policies into a clear dialogue that captured the real, lived experiences of high-burden residents.

02. Solution

Geospatial Cluster Targeting and Multi-Language Field Engagement

Our team began by conducting a thorough data review of 1,561 local LIDAC tracts, evaluating air pollutant variables, socioeconomic metrics, and cumulative burden scores to identify six high-priority geographic zones. We then deployed a tailored field campaign in four languages, including English, Spanish, Russian, and Mandarin. This grassroots effort addressed immediate investment concerns by coordinating town halls within public housing complexes and by managing a large-scale community needs survey.

03. Impact

Unlocking Hundreds of Millions in Federal Sustainability Funding

Our specialized approach successfully educated over 8,000 residents on urban climate pathways, ensuring historical neighborhood priorities directly shape how the region allocates federal funds. By feeding these community inputs straight into the area's first official Priority and Comprehensive Climate Action Plans, our work satisfied strict EPA funding requirements and positioned the tri-state region to access hundreds of millions of dollars from the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program.

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Active Languages Used in Field Outreach

500+

Detailed Investment Surveys Collected

1561

Federal LIDAC Tracts Scientifically Analyzed

8K+

Local Residents Educated on Climate Policy

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