Building a Green Future: Inside Joyce Foundation’s Environment Program

Deep in the Midwest is a pressing environmental imperative. Across the Great Lakes are people dealing with aging pipes, polluted waterways, and a pressing need for a transition within a cleaner energy economy, all while reckoning with decades-old injustices.

For over two decades, the Joyce Foundation, based in Chicago, has focused its philanthropic power on advancing policy change and promoting environmental equity across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Through its Environment Program, Joyce leverages strategic grantmaking to help shape a carbon-free, resilient, and just future for the region’s next generation.

Environmental Concerns That Inspire Joyce’s Cause

Climate Fixers: The Joyce Foundation's Climate Solutions mission is straightforward: push Great Lakes states onto a path towards an equitable 100% carbon-free electric power sector by 2040. Key areas of concentration are:

• To make state-level long-term carbon-free electricity commitments
• Achieving full implementation of near-term clean energy and energy efficiency policies
• Seeking policy innovation for looking beyond today's cuts, a genuine deep decarbonization agenda
• With an emphasis on state policy advocacy, particularly in Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, and with less in-depth materials for Ohio and Wisconsin

Great Lakes & Drinking Water: The Environment Program also tackles two main water health and equity risks:

Great Lakes Protection

• Reducing polluted runoff in urban and rural settings
• Investing in water infrastructure, especially for communities of color
• Preventing invasive species introductions, groundwater extraction, and hazardous crude oil shipping (e.g., Enbridge Line 5)

Safe & Affordable Drinking Water

• Advocating for just water policy for safe, affordable access
• Reducing lead exposure in drinking water supplies
• Enhancing funding and utility administration

The foundation funds a great amount of activity, all the way from policy creation and evaluation to building coalitions, communications, and enforcement of advocacy, that is typically focused in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Only federal priorities such as the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative extend beyond those states.

Centering Equity and Communities in Environmental Policy

Environmental and climate emergencies in the Great Lakes fall most heavily on communities historically disinvested. The Joyce Foundation responds by:

• Prioritizing projects initiated by or responsible to BIPOC communities
• Complementary policy responses for increased utility affordability, job creation, or otherwise for increased protection for historically exposed communities to toxic risks
• Advocating inclusive formulation processes for policies grounded in community voices

These equity considerations aren't secondary, they're at the core of how the program thinks about investment and impact.

Understanding What Will Not Be Funded

Eligibility is essential for focused grantmaking. Joyce’s Environment Program doesn't grant intentionally:

• Anti-fossil fuel campaigning unless it fits within broader 100% clean energy frameworks
• Activities involving forest management, PFAS, mining, fluctuating lake levels, conservation, cleanup of land, or educational programming
• Environmental education, conferences, clean-ups or conservation efforts, research in basic sciences, establishment of infrastructures, or piloting demonstrations of technologies

This ensures resources are invested in system-wide, policy-informed interventions, particularly where they intersect around issues of equity.

Who May Apply – Geography, Organizations, and Scope

Grants are awarded to nonprofit organizations and national organizations whose missions align with its environmental emphasis within its Great Lakes region: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. (Certain programs involve additional geographic refinements.)

They are particularly open to organizations founded upon environmental justice as long as the project is directed towards addressing the outlined climate or water problems in their region.

From Ideation to Impact: Joyce Application Process

Applying at Joyce is streamlined yet detailed, taking often 4–6 months on average from exploration of research topics to grant award.

Invited applicants are to submit a full application which should comprise:

• Itemized budget and narrative describing requested funds, use, and timeframe
• Staff members and directors information including roles played and affiliation
• Financial disclosures: audited financial statements, Form 990 from the IRS, 501(c)(3) determination letter or public charity verification

Joyce tells you to first download the Word-version application tool then complete it online, and they even offer submission and formatting reference guides.

An internal review is performed for full proposals. Recommended proposals are either rejected or sent by program officers to Joyce’s Board of Directors. Decisions made by the Board are what final approval is based upon. Grant contracts are awarded by email to successful applicants. Disbursements are made at the final end-of-the-month after Board approval.

Why Joyce Foundation’s Environment Program is a Leader

Policy-Focused Impact: Joyce invests not in infrastructure or in project-specific investments but in policy, in its creation, promotion, implementation, and enforcement.

Equity as a Strategic Frame: Policies ought not only to produce environmental outcomes but also lift communities historically marginalized in environmental decision-making processes.

Depth, rather than Breadth: By adopting a locally-focused and thematic approach, Joyce attains depth in the Great Lakes while evading resource dilution.

Structured Guidance: With detailed guidelines, deadlines, and citation support applicants can proceed with confidence and precision.

A Greener, Fairer Future for the Great Lakes Region

The Joyce Foundation's Environment Program is not only about protection, it dreams about transformation. Through its support for climate justice, shared access to clean water, and inclusive policymaking, Joyce drives a regional transformation towards ecological and societal sustainability.

If what you're doing connects policy, equity, and environmental protection in or around the Great Lakes basin, this program can be an essential partner. With a compelling idea, and a timely Letter of Intent, you may next be outlining the future of one of America's most strategic regions.

Looking to apply? Check out the Joyce Foundation’s application page.