Sustain Our Future

We’re honored to be a grantee partner of the Reparative Land Collective, a grant program uplifting under-resourced land stewards committed to ecosystem restoration and land justice. This support will help us deepen our impact in our community and beyond. Stay tuned for updates on our journey! ????

We have another exciting announcement to share before the year ends! Today, Sustain Our Future Foundation launches the Reparative Land Collective Grant Program to advance transformative land stewardship. ???? ?? We are proud to announce our inaugural cohort of grantee partners for the Reparative Land Collective, a grant program created to support under-resourced land stewards, such as Black, Indigenous, Brown, other land stewards of color, and others, dedicated to ecosystem restoration and land justice. This first cohort includes 12 visionary organizations from across the U.S., each awarded for their leadership in land healing and agroecological goals. Alongside capital grants, these organizations will receive critical technical assistance such as legal advising, land assessments, permitting, and infrastructure planning to amplify their impact. The Reparative Land Collective embodies SOFF’s commitment to restoring humanity’s relationship with natural ecosystems through land ReMatriation, centering communities most affected by systemic injustices. As BlackTooEarth, one of our grantees, shares: “It’s time to reclaim land near communities most impacted by food deserts and Atlanta’s efforts to displace Black and Native folks. Through the Reparative Land Collective, we are working on a Southeast Atlanta land acquisition effort to challenge the city's decision to build Cop City, creating a community-centered space that promotes food sovereignty and ecological restoration.” We’re proud to stand in solidarity with these incredible partners, and we thank our community advisory board, composed of BIPOC-led organizations, for co-creating a vision for transformative land stewardship. Check out the full list of our inspiring grantee partners and the impactful work they’re leading: ?? Help For Landowners Organization (SC) ?? National Black Food and Justice Alliance (GA) ?? Savanna Institute (WI) ?? Center for Heirs' Property Preservation (SC) ?? San Diego New Roots (CA) ?? Great Plains Action Society (IA) ?? BlackTooEarth (GA) ?? Sanctuary Farms (MI) ?? The Earthseed Land Collective (NC) ?? Ukwakhwa Foods (Oneida Reservation) ?? Hmong American Farmers Association (MN) ?? Elderberry Wisdom Farm (OR) Let’s celebrate this community of land healers and their journey to rebuild ecosystems and nurture resilient, thriving communities! ?? To learn more, please visit: https://lnkd.in/d9jSDyuk #LandStewardship #EnvironmentalJustice #FoodSovereignty #Agroecology

Hey Community! Applications are now open for our 2025 Sustainable Justice HBCU Fellowship cohort! ? Are you a student who attends a Historically Black College and University passionate about sustainability, environmental justice, and community-driven change? Here's your chance to make an impact through our Sustainable Justice HBCU Fellowship. Fellows are placed in summer internships with community-based environmental justice organizations, and receive weekly professional development seminars throughout the summer from our team. Fellows are compensated a summer internship stipend of $5,000 and are awarded a $10,000 academic scholarship! Why Apply to the Fellowship? ?? Work on real-world issues like climate resilience and equitable energy access for frontline communities. ?? Gain hands-on experience in program development, community outreach, research, communications, and more. ?? Learn from leaders in sustainability and environmental justice. ?? Grow Your Network and join a community of change-makers dedicated to equity and impact. ?? Receive a $5,000 summer internship stipend and a $10,000 academic scholarship. Program Details ?? Duration: 10 weeks (June 4 – August 8, 2025) ?? Location: Remote with an in-person orientation in Washington, D.C. Eligibility ?? Must attend one of the following schools: Clark Atlanta University, Texas Southern University, Morgan State University, Spelman College, North Carolina A&T State University, Bennett College, Dillard University, Tennessee State University, Bowie State University, or Chicago State University. ?? Must be an undergraduate student, 18 years or older, available full-time from June 4 – August 8. ?? Must be passionate about community-driven climate solutions, advocacy, and communications. Application Timeline ??? Applications Open: November 18, 2024 ? Deadline: February 1, 2025 ?? Notifications: Early March 2025 Ready to make a difference? Learn more about this program and submit an application by visiting our website here: https://lnkd.in/g8Zxe95v

On this Election Day, Sustain Our Future is closed to support our team’s full access to the polls and promote a culture of civic action! ???? Building a sustainable and just future relies on the strength of our democracy, and our votes are critical to that. Our team will #GetOutTheVote today, and return tomorrow ready to continue the momentum toward equity and #environmentaljustice. Let’s make our voices count! ????

As I wrap up #ClimateWeekNYC, I feel optimistic about a collective commitment to a sustainable future grounded in partnership, equity, and justice. Creating a #JustTransition requires us to disrupt business as usual. It begins with centering our humanity and building bridges across conventionally disconnected stakeholders. After this incredible week, I am convinced that a better world is truly possible -if we have the courage to make it happen. ????????

Hey #ClimateWeekNYC! We are proud sponsors of this year’s 2024 BIPOC Green Careers Summit hosted by The Green Jobs Board - greenjobsearch.org, Black Girl Environmentalist, and BlackOak Collective ???? Catch our team at The Nest Climate Campus on Thursday, Sept. 26th at 10:15 AM for a discussion on Green Skills & Empowering our communities. Attend the amazing programs and opportunities this week at the Green Jobs Pavilion, and register for free at https://lnkd.in/g8_asR2u

I am super excited to unveil our incredible grantee partners! Over the past few months, our team has worked closely with inspiring organizations in Central California to co-create a grant strategy that centers community-driven solutions. I am so proud of this collaborative process, which began with a community needs assessment and a review of the rich cultural histories in Central California. Together with local community-based organizations, we developed a participatory grantmaking process that ensured the voices of those on the frontlines of the climate crisis are prioritized, and funding is directed to what is needed as defined by community stakeholders. This funding will directly support: - Workforce development training for frontline stakeholders; - Academic scholarships for underrepresented students; - Resources for land reMatriation and ecosystem restoration; - Community-owned and led sustainability infrastructure projects; - General operating grants for local underrepresented sustainability entrepreneurs; - Environmental justice organizing efforts. This is what’s possible when clean energy is made more equitable. Better is possible when we center #environmentaljustice! Huge appreciation to the Sustain Our Future Impact team for intentionally guiding this work Aissa Dearing, Jenny Carney, Shane J. Lee, and Chanel Barnes-Osula! And, deep gratitude to our grantee partners for standing alongside us! Special thanks to The AES Corporation team for trusting in this process and committing to a better way forward for our communities Lara H. and Michael Huynh ????

Grantmaking Announcement! ? Earlier this year, we announced a collaboration with The AES Corporation to resource local community benefits in Central California. Today, we are proud to introduce the 21 grantee partners selected for our latest equitable community benefits grants! These community-based organizations, social enterprises, and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) are leading the charge in creating sustainable, community-driven change across Kern County, CA, and beyond. Our grantmaking programs—the Sustainable Justice Training Institute, Regenerative Economy Program, and Power Shift Grants Program—will support these partners as they work to: 1. Strengthen and diversify the sustainability workforce while promoting economic justice. 2. Reduce or eliminate excessive and unjust carbon emissions through root-cause solutions. 3. Reduce, eliminate, or prevent environmental pollution and the creation of sacrifice zones. 4. Increase community-owned and community-driven models of sustainable infrastructure. 5. Heal and remediate natural ecosystems and restore our relationship to the land. Learn more about our incredible grantee partners here: https://lnkd.in/evskdZ8d

After attending this year’s Renewable Energy Markets Conference, it is clear to me that the renewable energy industry is taking the imperative of equity and justice approaches seriously! I was glad to both share insights and learn from incredible models that address the climate crisis while working to heal the legacy of environmental injustices. Thank you to Center for Resource Solutions for inviting Sustain Our Future to discuss pathways to embed social equity in corporate procurement. Special thanks to my co-panelists for a great discussion, and to Micah Elan and the CRS team for consistently amplifying the work that drives real impact in our communities.

Our team is honored to help bring Aliyah Collins' powerful vision to life by supporting her Afrofuturism and Climate Change Retreat for Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Students! This retreat focuses on envisioning sustainable Black communities while training HBCU students through experiential climate education. This year, Bennett College students will explore urban sustainability in Chicago by learning to grow food, repurpose waste, and design thriving neighborhoods. We are proud to sponsor this amazing program, alongside Tom's of Maine, People's Climate Innovation Center, and Trust for Public Land. Check out the post below and connect with Aliyah to learn more about this great initiative! ???? ???? ? #EnvironmentalJustice #ClimateAction