WE ACT for Environmental Justice

What WE ACT for Environmental Justice does

WE ACT for Environmental Justice is a 501(c)(3) community-based nonprofit organization founded in 1988 in Harlem, New York City, that fights environmental racism and builds healthy communities by ensuring that people of color and low-income residents participate meaningfully in environmental policy decisions. The organization serves Northern Manhattan communities including Harlem, Washington Heights, and Inwood, with a base of more than 1,100 dues-paying members, while also coordinating a national coalition of 42 environmental justice organizations across 24 states and the District of Columbia through the Environmental Justice Leadership Forum. WE ACT operates dual headquarters in New York City and a Federal Policy Office in Washington, DC (established 2012) and is led by co-founder and Executive Director Peggy Shepard with a staff of approximately 50.

The organization delivers a portfolio of interconnected programs including the EPA Region 2 Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center (TCTAC), the Green Institute workforce development program (1,000+ community members trained with industry certifications), the Cecil Corbin-Mark Fellowship for emerging leaders, the award-winning Environmental Health and Justice Leadership Training (EHJLT) program, and the Manhattan Clean Energy Hub virtual resource. WE ACT also produces the Uptown Chats podcast, New York City's first community-based environmental justice podcast, and is constructing a five-story WE ACT Environmental Justice Center in Harlem's Hamilton Heights Historic District with a $7.3 million capital campaign. Advocacy campaigns span beauty justice (PFAS and toxic chemicals in personal care), clean air, energy justice (NY HEAT Act, 100-foot rule repeal), climate justice (extreme heat, cooling centers, electric school buses), and toxics policy.

The business model is a multi-stream nonprofit revenue structure: individual donations, $25/year membership dues on a pay-what-you-can basis, government grants (notably the $10M EPA TCTAC award), foundation grants (Kresge, West Harlem Development Corporation), stock and securities donations, and gala sponsorships ranging from $7,500 to $100,000. WE ACT is rated as a 4-star charity by Charity Navigator. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. Pricing for services to community members is free or low-cost across all programs. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors whose members include senior leaders from the Environmental Defense Fund, NRDC, Environmental Grantmakers Association, Columbia University Medical Center, Citi, Deloitte, Deutsche Bank, and NYU Stern.

Name

WE ACT for Environmental Justice

Legal name

West Harlem Environmental Action Inc.

Website

https://weact.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WE ACT for Environmental Justice is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1988 in Harlem, NYC, that fights environmental racism through community organizing, policy advocacy, and workforce development, serving Northern Manhattan residents while coordinating a national coalition of 42 environmental justice organizations across 24 states and DC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Justice Advocacy Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Policy, Advocacy & Litigation (BPAGAGAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Justice & Community Environmental Health (BPAGAGAL), Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH), Environmental Compliance & Enforcement Agencies (BPAIAOAM), Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO)

Keywords

• Environmental justice advocacy
• Community organizing services
• Environmental policy advocacy
• Climate justice programs
• Workforce development training

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: WE ACT accepts individual donations through its website and at events. The organization is ranked as a 4-star charity by Charity Navigator, indicating strong donor support and financial transparency.
2. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues are $25 per year, with members able to pay what they can afford. Members participate in working groups, monthly membership meetings, educational trips, events, and advocacy campaigns.
3. Government and Foundation Grants: WE ACT receives funding from government sources including NYS Department of Labor, and foundation support such as from West Harlem Development Corporation for worker training programs. The organization also benefited from federal funding through the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
4. Stock and Securities Donations: WE ACT accepts donations of appreciated securities, stocks, and mutual funds, which provide donors with non-refundable tax credits while supporting the organization.
5. Gala Sponsorships and Journal Ads: The annual gala features sponsorship levels from Environmental Justice Presenting Sponsor ($100,000) to Climate Resilience Ally ($7,500), plus opportunities to purchase ads in the Gala Journal, providing revenue and corporate partnerships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

WE ACT for Environmental Justice is a community-based nonprofit organization that advances environmental justice through community organizing, advocacy, research, and policy work at the city, state, and federal levels. It runs a portfolio of programs including a national coalition of 42 environmental justice organizations (Environmental Justice Leadership Forum), an EPA-funded technical assistance center for federal funding access, workforce development and leadership training programs, and advocacy campaigns focused on clean air, climate justice, energy justice, toxic-free products, and healthy homes.

Product overview

WE ACT for Environmental Justice operates as a nonprofit advocacy organization with a portfolio of interconnected programs and campaigns rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include the Environmental Justice Leadership Forum (national coalition of 42 organizations), the WE ACT TCTAC technical assistance center, and the Environmental Health and Justice Leadership Training program. Supporting programs include the Green Institute workforce development, the Cecil Corbin-Mark Fellowship for emerging leaders, and the Manhattan Clean Energy Hub virtual resource. The organization also maintains the WE ACT Environmental Justice Center (under construction in Harlem) and produces the Uptown Chats podcast. Advocacy campaigns focus on the Beauty Justice Coalition, NY HEAT Act, cumulative impacts legislation, and PFAS bans. These programs collectively serve the organization's mission of building healthy communities through environmental justice advocacy, community organizing, education, and policy work at the city, state, and federal levels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WE ACT TCTAC: Technical Assistance Center serving New Jersey and New York, providing guidance to organizations accessing federal environmental justice funding.
• WE ACT's Green Institute
• Uptown Chats
• Environmental Justice Leadership Forum

Products and services

• Environmental Justice Leadership Forum
• WE ACT TCTAC
• WE ACT's Green Institute
• Environmental Health and Justice Leadership Training (EHJLT)
• Cecil Corbin-Mark Fellowship for Environmental Justice Leadership
• Manhattan Clean Energy Hub
• Uptown Chats Podcast
• WE ACT Environmental Justice Center
• WE ACT Membership Program
• Beauty Justice Coalition
• NY HEAT Act Campaign

Quantifiable outcome

• 35% reduction in daily nitrogen dioxide concentrations in homes with induction stoves vs. gas stoves
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Toxic-Free FuturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 March 2026Collaborated on analysis of 577 textured hair products sold by Sally Beauty, finding 17% contained chemicals linked to cancer. Jointly calling on Sally Beauty to adopt comprehensive safer chemicals policies and stop selling products with formaldehyde-releasing agents and siloxanes. Both organizations advocate for chemical safety regulations at state and federal levels.
• Deep South Center for Environmental JusticeflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 November 2022Partnered with the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice to co-host the first-ever Climate Justice Pavilion inside the Blue Zone at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt (November 6-18, 2022). The pavilion brought together representatives from the Global South, the U.S. Environmental Justice Movement, and Indigenous peoples to spotlight voices of communities disproportionately impacted by climate change.
• Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice at Texas Southern UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 November 2022Co-hosted the Climate Justice Pavilion at COP27 with the Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice, providing a platform for frontline community voices in UN climate negotiations.
• JustGreen PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWE ACT co-chairs the JustGreen Partnership, a coalition that successfully advocated for legislation banning PFAS and other toxic chemicals in menstrual products in New York State (signed December 2025), banning mercury from cosmetics (signed December 2022), and other toxics policy campaigns. The partnership also helped pass the Lead Pipe Right to Know Act (2024) and works on cumulative impacts legislation and enforcement.
• Environmental Justice Leadership ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWE ACT facilitates the Environmental Justice Leadership Forum (EJ Forum), a national coalition of 42 environmental justice organizations across 24 states and DC. Founded in 2008 to address climate and energy policy impacts on communities of color, the forum coordinates federal policy advocacy, publishes reports like the Green Jobs Report, and has launched campaigns including Wrong Direction and Dare To Breathe.
• Columbia Law School Sabin Center for Climate Change LawcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered to launch Dismantling Injustice: M.O.D.E.L., a suite of model environmental justice bills for local and state legislators to advance environmental justice legislation.
• EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWE ACT was awarded an EPA Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center (TCTAC) for EPA Region 2, serving New Jersey and New York. The TCTAC helps environmental justice organizations access billions in federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
• Clean Air For The Long Haul CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWE ACT convenes this nationwide coalition of environmental justice groups working to win major federal emissions reductions in power and transportation sectors. The coalition launched the Wrong Direction and Dare To Breathe campaigns, leading to Biden administration pausing LNG project permitting.
• Extreme Heat CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition coordinated by WE ACT and partners that helped pass Local Law 23 of 2026 establishing maximum indoor air temperature requirements and Local Law 128 of 2025 codifying the Cooling Center Program in New York City.
• NYC Clean School Bus CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition that successfully campaigned for legislation mandating all-electric school buses serving NYC public schools by September 1, 2035, protecting children's health and communities from diesel pollution.
• Renewable Heat Now CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition that helped pass legislation repealing the 100-foot rule in New York State (signed December 2025), eliminating a requirement that utilities build gas pipelines at ratepayer expense for buildings within 100 feet of gas mains.
• NY HEAT Act Campaign PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition working to make energy more affordable while advancing New York's transition to renewable energy, ensuring Public Service Law aligns with the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Deep South Center for Environmental Justice: Gulf Coast-based EJ organization focused on climate justice, workforce development, and frontline community health. Comparable because it partners with WE ACT on major initiatives (e.g., co-hosting the Climate Justice Pavilion at COP27) and pursues the same community-led environmental justice strategy.
• GreenLatinos: Latino-led national EJ advocacy organization mobilizing communities of color around environmental and climate issues. Comparable because it targets overlapping demographic constituencies, runs similar policy and coalition campaigns, and operates as a national EJ advocacy network.
• Toxic-Free Future: Northwest-based organization working to reduce toxic chemical exposure, with strong focus on consumer products and communities of color. Comparable because it partners directly with WE ACT on toxics advocacy (e.g., Sally Beauty analysis, PFAS/mercury campaigns) and shares overlapping campaign infrastructure.
• Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice at Texas Southern University: University-based EJ center advancing climate justice policy, research, and community engagement. Comparable because it co-hosted the COP27 Climate Justice Pavilion with WE ACT and operates at the intersection of EJ scholarship, policy, and movement-building.
• Indigenous Environmental Network: National EJ organization led by Indigenous communities focused on climate, energy, and environmental justice. Comparable because it co-organizes major EJ convenings (e.g., COP27 Climate Justice Pavilion) and pursues the same federal policy and frontline community agenda.

Broad incumbents

• Center for Biological Diversity: National nonprofit using legal, scientific, and grassroots advocacy to protect endangered species and address climate/environmental harms to frontline communities. Comparable because it participates in overlapping federal EJ coalitions and pursues adjacent regulatory and policy outcomes.
• Earthjustice: National environmental law organization that litigates to advance environmental justice, clean air, and climate goals. Comparable because Earthjustice drives many of the same policy and litigation outcomes WE ACT pursues through community organizing and advocacy.
• Sierra Club: One of the oldest and largest U.S. grassroots environmental organizations with active environmental justice programming. Comparable because it pursues overlapping clean air, climate, and energy justice campaigns and operates a membership-based advocacy model similar to WE ACT's.
• Environmental Defense Fund (EDF): Major U.S. environmental nonprofit with significant climate, energy, and equity programming. Comparable because EDF's Justice & Equity portfolio addresses overlapping climate justice and frontline community issues, and a senior EDF leader sits on WE ACT's board.
• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): One of the largest U.S. environmental advocacy organizations with deep federal policy, legal, and scientific capacity. Comparable because it pursues overlapping environmental justice policy goals, sits on the same coalitions, and shares board interlocks with WE ACT (e.g., NRDC senior staff on WE ACT's board).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/weact4ej.bsky.social
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/WEACT4EJ
• Facebookfacebook.com/weactforej
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/weact4ej
• Instagraminstagram.com/weact4ej

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WE ACT for Environmental Justice