The City of Austin’s Office of Sustainability has awarded $150,000 in funding to 50 community-led projects through the Food and Climate Equity (FACE) Grants program. This initiative provides up to $3,000 in grant funding to local organizations working on innovative solutions to food justice, climate equity, and community resilience.
The FACE Grants program builds on previous grant opportunities held separately by the Offices of Sustainability and Resilience, awarding a total of $150,000 to 51 projects in 2023. Recognizing the interconnected nature of food justice, climate equity, and resilience, the offices collaborated in 2024 to combine grant programs, simplifying the application process for community leaders seeking support for their initiatives.
“We are thrilled to see such a strong response from the community and to support these impactful projects,” said Zach Baumer, the City of Austin’s Chief Sustainability Officer. “The FACE Grants program showcases our commitment to fostering grassroots solutions that address climate change and increase equity in our community.”
The 50 projects span a diverse range of initiatives, from urban farming and sustainable food systems to climate resilience planning and educational programs. These projects are a testament to the creativity and dedication of Austin’s community leaders in addressing the city’s most pressing challenges.
The FACE Grants program was designed to support projects that address systemic and structural inequities, with a focus on empowering communities that have been historically marginalized. By funding these innovative projects, the City of Austin aims to create a more just, equitable, and resilient future for all Austinites.
"In past years, we've hosted our annual event to feed 300-500 families in need. Thanks to the FACE grant, we are now able to feed 1,000 families for our annual event,” said Ebonie D. Trice, CEO and Founder of Mission Accomplished.
“This grant will allow us to add additional air purifiers to the library and increase our ability to respond to demand for larger community events, expand organizational capacity, meet community requests for face masks, and assist with transporting air purifiers to events,” said KD Drackert, Founder of Clear the Air ATX. “Beyond the material elements, this will allow us to continue working to build community connectedness and address gaps in our public health infrastructure.”
Organizations will begin work on their projects and have until June 1, 2025,to complete them. For more information on the FACE Grants program visit austintexas.gov/FACE.
About The City Of Austin's Offices Of Sustainability And Resilience
Austin's Office of Sustainability works ensures a thriving equitable ecologically resilient community by providing leadership influencing positive action through engagement creating measurable benefits for Austin The office works achieve net-zero community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by2040 healthy just local food system resource-efficient strategies municipal operations tangible projects demonstrate sustainability resilient adaptive city Find out more at austintexas.gov/sustainability
Austin’s Office Resilience works across departments external partners address complexities bring together wide array stakeholders build support individual initiatives lead support resilience strategy development process implement actions monitor progress resilience efforts Find out more at austintexas.gov/resilience