What EJ4Climate does

EJ4Climate is a trilateral North American grant program established in 2021 by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), an intergovernmental organization created by Canada, Mexico, and the United States under the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC). The program provided direct funding to community-based organizations, NGOs, tribal nations, Indigenous governments, and universities to support environmental justice and climate resilience projects targeting underserved, vulnerable, and Indigenous communities across all three signatory countries.

The program operated through competitive funding cycles via an online application portal (grantinterface.ca), with forms available in English, French, and Spanish. Over its four-year lifespan (2021–2025), EJ4Climate supported 54 projects, with the fourth and final cycle in October 2025 awarding nearly C$2 million across 12 community-led projects spanning themes such as ecosystem-based adaptation, Indigenous environmental justice networks, bioremediation, solar workforce training, and food network resilience. Distribution was supported by 18+ partner organizations including UNEP, Canadian Wildlife Federation, University of Waterloo, and Monarch Joint Venture, and the program was promoted through CEC website content, email newsletters, public consultations, and webinars.

EJ4Climate is not a commercial entity and does not generate revenue; it functions as a funding disbursement mechanism backed by governmental contributions from Canada, Mexico, and the United States routed through the CEC Secretariat in Montreal. Pricing is non-applicable since the program awards grants rather than charges for products or services. The program has concluded its planned four-cycle run with no successor mechanism announced in the source data.

Name

EJ4Climate

Legal name

Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC)

Website

https://cec.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

EJ4Climate is a trilateral North American grant program, operated by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, that funded community-based environmental justice and climate resilience projects for underserved and Indigenous communities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States from 2021 to 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Grants and Climate Resilience Funding

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

akta.pro primary industry

Climate Adaptation & Resilience Programs (BPADALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF), Climate, Environment & Natural Resource Management Aid Programs (BPADABAI)

Keywords

• Environmental justice funding
• Climate resilience grants
• Community grants program
• Indigenous community grants
• Trilateral environmental cooperation

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Environmental Justice Grant Funding: EJ4Climate is a grant program that provides funding to community-based organizations. The program was established in 2021 and concluded in 2025 after four funding cycles, supporting 54 projects total across North America. The program does not generate revenue but distributes funding to qualifying organizations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

EJ4Climate is a trilateral North American grant program administered by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) that provides direct funding to community-based organizations, NGOs, tribal nations, Indigenous governments, and universities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The program funds projects that prepare underserved, vulnerable, and Indigenous communities for climate-related impacts including extreme weather events, flooding, food insecurity, and environmental hazards. The program ran from 2021 through 2025, completing four funding cycles and supporting 54 community-led environmental justice and climate resilience projects.

Product overview

EJ4Climate is a grant funding program, not a technology product or platform. It is a single, unified grant initiative that awards funding directly to community-based organizations. The program operates through periodic funding cycles (four cycles were completed between 2021-2025), with each cycle selecting grant recipients representing diverse communities across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The program does not involve a software platform, digital tools, or modules—it is exclusively a financial grant mechanism for environmental justice and climate resilience projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EJ4Climate Grant Program A grant funding initiative that provides direct financial support to community-based organizations, NGOs, tribal nations, Indigenous governments, councils, organizations, and universities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States for projects that prepare underserved, vulnerable, and Indigenous communities for climate-related impacts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 54 community-based environmental justice projects funded across four years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• United Nations Environment Programme – North American Region (UNEP)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023In 2023, the CEC signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with UNEP North America to contribute to the protection of human health and the environment, address the triple planetary crisis, and support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in North America. UNEP has also been a key partner to support NAMPAN activities and grow its recognition across North America and within the global marine conservation community.
• University of WaterloocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022In 2022, the CEC signed a Memorandum of Understanding to formalize the long-standing relationship and collaboration on sustainable solutions for complex environmental challenges. Waterloo has been a key partner in particular to strengthen CEC's youth engagement program.
• Canadian Wildlife FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a partner organization, the Canadian Wildlife Federation helps co-organize and promote the International Monarch Monitoring Blitz each year through iNaturalist Canada. The Blitz initiative has been ongoing for almost 9 years and their collaboration has been key to making it happen each year.
• Central Grasslands RoadmapcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a partner organization, the Central Grasslands Roadmap Initiative supports CEC Grasslands Conservation and Migratory Birds project's comprehensive approach to grasslands conservation, fostering collaboration and addressing the needs of various communities within the Central Grasslands.
• Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a partner organization, CCAC supports CEC's work on 'super pollutants': black carbon and methane.
• Convention on Biological DiversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a collaborator, the Convention on Biological Diversity helps to implement CEC's Strategic Plan with key topics of alignment. The CEC and the CBD have held a close relationship and support each other to promote and strengthen their work.
• Global Ghost Gear InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a partner organization, the Global Ghost Gear Initiative supports the implementation of all aspects of the CEC Addressing Ghost Gear in North America project (under agreement with the CEC). They are essential to the success of the initiative as they are the lead organization driving solutions to the problem of ghost gear.
• Insectarium de Montréal | Espace pour la viecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a partner organization, Insectarium de Montréal | Espace pour la vie helps co-organize and promote the International Monarch Monitoring Blitz each year through its Mission Monarch program. The Blitz initiative has been ongoing for almost 10 years.
• Journey NorthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a partner organization, Journey North helps co-organize and promote the International Monarch Monitoring Blitz each year. The Blitz initiative has been ongoing for almost 10 years.
• Monarch Joint VenturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a partner organization, MJV helps co-organize and promote the International Monarch Monitoring Blitz each year through the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project. The Blitz initiative has been ongoing for almost 10 years.
• National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (Conanp)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a partner institution, Conanp helps co-organize and promote the International Monarch Monitoring Blitz each year through Naturalista. The Blitz initiative has been ongoing for almost 10 years.
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a partner organization, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service helps co-organize and promote the International Monarch Monitoring Blitz each year through the Western Monarch and Milkweed Mapper. The Blitz initiative has been ongoing for almost 10 years.
• Xerces Society for Invertebrate ConservationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a partner organization, the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation helps co-organize and promote the International Monarch Monitoring Blitz each year through the Western Monarch and Milkweed Mapper. The Blitz initiative has been ongoing for almost 10 years.
• University of Toronto Trash TeamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a partner organization, the U of T Trash Team conducted community science activities to raise awareness on the type and flow of marine litter downstream to the ocean. The team also implemented the CEC Last Stop: The Ocean campaign by displaying posters in 100 locations throughout the Toronto Transit system.
• Ciclomanias – Rethinking WasteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a partner organization, Ciclomanias is a key actor in Mexico, and has been a key ally in the promotion of the CEC Food Matters Action Kit for Educators and other materials.
• Food Waste Prevention WeekminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a partner organization, Food Waste Prevention Week has been a key ally in the promotion of the CEC Food Matters Action Kit and other materials.
• Red BAMX – Bancos de Alimentos de MéxicominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a partner organization, Red BAMX is a key actor in Mexico, and has been a key ally in the promotion of the CEC Food Matters Action Kit and other materials.
• Profauna, A.C.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a partner organization, Profauna, A.C. helps co-organize and promote the International Monarch Monitoring Blitz each year through its Correo Real program. The Blitz initiative has been ongoing for almost 10 years.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Bezos Earth Fund: Large-scale climate grantmaking vehicle funding nature-based solutions, climate justice, and resilience projects. Comparable as a high-capacity climate grant program with similar outcome frameworks to EJ4Climate.
• ClimateWorks Foundation: Major philanthropic grantmaker that funds climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives globally. Highly comparable to EJ4Climate in that both operate as climate-focused grant programs distributing capital to downstream implementers across multiple geographies.
• NAACP Environmental & Climate Justice Program: Funds community-based environmental justice initiatives targeting underserved communities, paralleling EJ4Climate's core mandate. Both are grantmaking vehicles channeling funds to grassroots, equity-centered climate projects and share a focus on vulnerable populations.
• Open Society Foundations – Climate Program: Funds climate and environmental justice initiatives globally with an emphasis on marginalized communities. Comparable grantmaking approach targeting underserved populations preparing for climate impacts, much like EJ4Climate's community-focused model.
• The Solutions Project: Grantmaker focused on climate justice and 100% renewable energy, with explicit focus on frontline and Indigenous communities. Mirrors EJ4Climate's mission of funding community-led climate solutions in underserved geographies.
• North American Partnership for Environmental Community Action (NAPECA): Sister CEC grant program providing funding to community-based environmental projects in North America. Most directly comparable peer as it operates under the same institutional framework (CEC/NAAEC) with a parallel grantmaking model for community environmental action.

Broad incumbents

• Bloomberg Philanthropies – Environment: Major philanthropic funder supporting climate and environmental initiatives globally. Parallel to EJ4Climate in providing capital for environmental outcomes but as one initiative within a much larger philanthropic portfolio.
• Bullitt Foundation: Foundation funding climate, environmental justice, and resilience initiatives primarily in the Pacific Northwest but with national reach. Comparable as a private-foundation grantmaker oriented toward environmental justice outcomes.
• The Rockefeller Foundation – Climate Initiative: Large foundation funding climate resilience and equity initiatives at scale across geographies. Comparable mission orientation around community climate resilience, though operates at much larger scale and broader thematic scope than EJ4Climate.

Regional players

• Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature (FMCN): Mexican grantmaking foundation funding conservation, climate adaptation, and community-led environmental projects. Closely comparable mission and target geography (Mexico) to EJ4Climate's Mexican grantees.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CECweb
• Facebookfacebook.com/CECconnect
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/commission-for-environmental-cooperation-of-north-america

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments16 records

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

Frequently asked questions about EJ4Climate