Climate Communities Network Member Application Additional Review Process Details

The Climate Communities Network (CCN) Member Application review process will prioritize applicants whose organizations serve communities that are disproportionately impacted by climate change and climate-related health inequities, guided by preliminary findings from a regional assessment of U.S. areas.

Please note this qualification is among multiple factors being considered in the review process for CCN Members. Complete information about the review process can be found here.

Preliminary Findings from a Regional Assessment of U.S. Areas

The NAM requested and supported the University of Maryland’s Center for Community Engagement, Environmental Justice, and Health to conduct a regional assessment of the U.S., examining where, how, and to what degree climate change is impacting the health of communities. Among other deliverables, the research team created the Composite Environmental Justice (CEJ) score to assess the impacts of climate change and related health inequities in the U.S. at multiple geographic levels.

The CEJ score combined data on climate change, health, socioeconomic factors, environmental exposures, and environmental pollution and leveraged indicators from existing, reputable mapping tools (e.g., ATSDR CDC Environmental Justice Index, EPA EJScreen, White House CEQ Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool). The research team then created maps visually representing the CEJ scores of contiguous U.S. (CONUS) regions, states, and census tracts, as well as tables listing the corresponding CEJ scores at each geographic level. Presented here is a map showing the CEJ score of each CONUS census tract and a table listing the CEJ score of each CONUS state.

This preliminary information is provided to offer insight into the CCN Member review process. Additional findings, as well as a more comprehensive report, may be published in the coming months, and the NAM will update this page accordingly.

How to Use the Preliminary Map and Table

Identify where the community your organization serves is geographically located by reviewing the map and table below. The higher the score of the area in which the community is located, the more likely it is that the community would be considered disproportionately impacted. Please note that the community location will be identified by the applicant’s organization address.

If you are an applicant from Alaska, Hawaii, or a U.S. territory: Due to data constraints, the map does not include Alaska, Hawaii, or U.S. territories. However, applicants applying from Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Northern Marianas Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and U.S. Virgin Islands are still encouraged to apply.