about us
The WE ACT TCTAC draws on our grassroots background to assist urban, rural, remote, tribal communities, and Indian Nations across New Jersey and New York in addressing environmental injustices by helping them build capacity.
Founded in
1988
Headquartered in
Harlem, New York
1,100-plus
WE ACT Members
WE ACT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
WE ACT for Environmental Justice is a community-based organization that has been fighting for environmental justice since it was founded in 1988. WE ACT has grown to become one of the most recognized and respected voices in the environmental justice movement. We organize people of color and low-income constituents to build healthy, thriving communities by advocating for just policies, programs, and practices at the city, state, and federal levels. To help achieve this, we have a Federal Policy Office in Washington, DC and facilitate the Environmental Justice Leadership Forum, a coalition of grassroots organizations working to advance environmental and climate justice across the country.
The WE ACT TCTAC
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded WE ACT for Environmental Justice as one of it’s 18 Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (TCTAC) in the nationwide EPA TCTAC Program.
If you are not in New Jersey, New York, or one of these eight federally recognized tribal nations, find your regional TCTAC here.
Who We Serve
The WE ACT TCTAC serves the states of New Jersey and New York, including eight federally recognized tribal nations, assisting individuals and organizations across:
- Nonprofit organizations
- Community-based and grassroots organizations
- Philanthropic and civic organizations
- Underserved communities and organizations
- Rural and remote communities and organizations
- Faith-based organizations and churches
- Educational institutions
- Individuals of underserved communities
- Disadvantaged businesses
- Local, tribal, and state governmental units
- US Territories
- Utility providers
- Health care providers and clinics
Our Partners
The WE ACT TCTAC includes seven partner organizations that can provide expertise in areas such as energy justice, clean energy citing and project development, organizational capacity building and grassroots leadership strategies, and environmental justice policy and regulatory analysis.
Environmental Protection Network (EPN)
Environmental Protection Network (EPN) is a national network of over 650 Environmental Protection Agency alum volunteers who provide pro bono technical assistance to disadvantaged communities, community-serving NGOs, and under-resourced state/local/Tribal agencies. EPN can help you:
- Understand government programs, data, and processes
- Gain access to partners, allies, and decision-makers
- Successfully apply for funding
- Gain expertise and support in petrochemicals, air quality monitoring, safe drinking water, brownfield redevelopment, superfund cleanups, climate resilience, and more.
Policy Integrity
The Policy Integrity at the NYU School of Law is a non-partisan think tank dedicated to improving the quality of governmental decision-making, with a focus on climate and energy policy. Policy Integrity provides guidance in:
- Economics, law, environmental justice, and regulatory policy areas
- Assisting in advocacy for reform before courts, legislatures, and executive agencies
Columbia Climate School
The Columbia Climate School supports innovative research in climate change’s science, consequences, and human dimensions to achieve a more sustainable and just world. Members of Columbia faculty provide technical assistance and counsel in areas including:
- Climate law and environmental justice
- Data science
- Geographic information science
- Urban planning for climate adaptation
South Ward Environmental Alliance (SWEA)
The South Ward Environmental Alliance (SWEA) is an environmental justice grassroots organization of residents and community-based organizations that focuses on improving the quality of life for residents in the South Ward of Newark, New Jersey. SWEA’s mission is to cultivate healthy and vibrant neighborhoods, serving as a New Jersey hub for community engagement in underserved communities in the greater Newark area by facilitating training and technical assistance on:
- Hyper-local air quality monitoring
- Green infrastructure, workforce, and leadership development
- Ensuring residents’ voices are heard and considered in policy decision-making that impacts their neighborhood
New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance (NJEJA)
The New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance (NJEJA) is a statewide environmental justice nonprofit with over 20 years of experience in community education, training, organizing, and political advocacy. NJEJA provides assistance in areas including:
- Organizational development for emerging environmental justice and climate justice organizations
- Coalition building
- Funder engagement
- Engaging in state and federal policy work as a local organization
Clean Energy Group (CEG)
Clean Energy Group (CEG), a national nonprofit organization, works at the forefront of clean energy innovation to enable a just energy transition to address the urgency of the climate crisis. CEG supports communities, advocates, and leaders with technical expertise and independent analysis on climate change and clean energy, offering assistance and resources on:
- Solar and battery storage
- Fossil fuel transition
- Hydrogen opposition
- Other clean energy technologies
Interamerican University of Puerto Rico
The Interamerican University of Puerto Rico hosts the EPA Region 2 TCTAC for the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, called EAGLE. EAGLE TCTACs mission is to engage and assist grassroots organizations in developing leadership capacities for environmental and energy justice. They offer services and support to train individuals, entities, and grassroots communities interested in implementing environmental/energy proposals to transform their surroundings.
