Lead organization: Richmond Community Foundation (RCF Connects)
Preliminary partners: Tierra, Rebuilding Together East Bay Net, Emerald Cities Collaborative, Lift Up Contra Costa, CoCoKids, 350 Contra Costa, Grid Alternatives, Healthy and Active Before 5
Counties of operation: Contra Costa
Amount awarded: $717,022
Sectors: Construction, Sustainable Environmental Management
This project supports California’s net-zero emissions goals by prioritizing equity and raising the floor for residential trade workers through building electrification. Using a holistic, whole-home direct-install approach, the project addresses housing justice, while enhancing health, safety, asset development, and resilience for households in Pittsburg and Antioch. It will also promote high-road job pathways for local BIPOC residents and bolster the nonprofit and environmental justice efforts in refinery-corridor frontline communities.
Catalyst funding will support completing core tasks necessary to create an implementation blueprint ready for fundraising. The core tasks include
- Finalizing a community-specific retrofit implementation plan;
- Engaging residents to educate, gauge interest, and inform project design;
- Creating a community engagement plan for implementation; and
- Designing a contractor and workforce development plan with a contractor-informed RFQ for project contractors ready for implementation.
This community-led initiative will enable East Contra Costa County to build an environmental justice infrastructure that is currently lacking. It will promote high-road job standards and create workforce pipelines for underrepresented groups. The retrofits will enhance energy efficiency, reduce emissions, and improve climate resilience.
