Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OEJECR-2023-0023 (Public Comment – Request for Information on the Environmental and Climate Justice Block Program)

The African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs (the Alliance) is pleased to submit comments in response to the Request for Information (RFI) on the Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grant Program (ECJ Program), created by the Inflation Reduction Act. (IRA). The Alliance is a membership-driven intermediary organization that aims to: build the capacity of member organizations; build bridges to economic stability, well- being, and wealth for Black individuals, families, and communities; and build power in Black communities by challenging and influencing financial sectors to operate more equitably. Since launching in 2018, the Alliance has established a network of 70 CEOs of Black-led Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), which includes loan funds, credit unions, and venture capital funds. Alliance members reach historically underserved communities in all 50 states by providing financial services in the small business, affordable housing, and commercial real estate development sectors.