Where’s Climate Commitment Funds Going? LGBTQ, Tribes, Ethnic Groups

According to the WA State Department of Health, there are 41 groups or entities in the state who are "vulnerable" to climate change.

  WA State hands out $14.1 million in Climate Commitment funds to groups

According to DOH, the groups who are receiving grant money are receiving it from the Climate and Health Adaptation Initiative (CHAI) Community Capacity Grant Program and the remainder from the Healthy Environment for All (HEAL) Capacity Grant program.

According to DOH, CHAI helps:

 “communities across Washington state who have climate change-related action plans but may need additional resources or capacity to implement those plans.”

As  reported by The Center Square, DOH says the HEAL program is designed to:

 “reduce environmental and health disparities and improve the health of all people in Washington state” by funding “communities most impacted by environmental hazards with necessary resources needed to collaborate with state agencies on environmental health decisions.”

DOH says some of the groups who qualify for HEAL funds include:

• Native Nations
• Urban natives
• Rural communities
• Homeless
• Disabled
• LGBTQ

The money, which came from the forced purchase of carbon credits by businesses, is going to the 41 groups from DOH, to further their "climate justice initiatives."