• Green Together, Northeast San Fernando Valley

    A monthly food swap enables community members to learn about TCC goals, priorities, and projects

  • Ontario Together

    TCC funds expand bus service and provide free transit passes

  • Pomona ACTS

    Using community-based strategies to transform the city into an advanced energy community of the future

  • South Los Angeles

    Community members identify priority streets to implement the Cool Pavement project that will mitigate heat

  • Stockton Rising

    TCC provides opportunities for youth to learn about organic growing practices and nutritious cooking

  • Transform Fresno

    TCC funds a community garden that serves as a classroom, business incubator, and nonprofit farm

  • Watts Rising

    Community members establish TCC goals, priorities, and actionable projects

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Transformative Climate Communities

Tracking groundbreaking community-led climate action

The California Transformative Climate Communities grant program (TCC) is one of the most innovative, comprehensive, and equitable experiments in community-scale climate action. Administered by the California Strategic Growth Council, TCC implementation grants empower communities most impacted by legacy pollution to design and implement projects to advance clean transportation, affordable housing, renewable energy, energy efficiency, urban greening, and more.

By providing grants to historically disinvested communities, TCC empowers communities to choose and implement their vision, strategies, and projects – all with data-driven milestones and measurable outcomes.

UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation researchers developed an evaluation framework to track TCC progress and assess outcomes. We are now documenting groundbreaking progress in seven communities: Fresno, Ontario, Pomona, Stockton, and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Northeast San Fernando Valley, South LA, and Watts.

Lessons learned are relevant for community-driven climate action in myriad other communities.

With a $23 million award, Green Together works with residents to build a resilient community by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the local economy and improving public health in Pacoima & Sun Valley.

Progress reports: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021

Click here to read about people who have shaped — or been shaped by — the implementation of Green Together.

With a $33.25 million award, Ontario Together is a community-driven movement to achieve measurable and sustainable neighborhood transformation through innovative implementation of greenhouse gas reduction projects. #OntarioTogether

Progress reports: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020

Click here to read about people who have shaped — or been shaped by — the implementation of Ontario Together.

With a $22 million award, Pomona ACTS aims to position Pomona as a model of a sustainable, resilient, vibrant, and equitable city, addressing climate challenges while enhancing public health, shared prosperity, and community identity.

We recently partnered with Pomona ACTS, and accomplishments will be coming soon…

With a $35 million award, South LA Eco-Lab aims to transform South Los Angeles into a healthy, thriving neighborhood – one with lush green spaces, clean air, renewable energy infrastructure, and dynamic mobility options for pedestrians, bikers, and public transit.

With an $11 million award, Stockton Rising, a City-led program, aims to improve the environment and climate resilience of neighborhoods most impacted by climate change and poor environmental conditions. #StocktonRising

Progress reports: 2024, 2023, 2022

Click here to read about people who have shaped — or been shaped by — the implementation of Stockton Rising.

Transform Fresno received $66.5 million to identify and implement investments that will catalyze economic and environmental transformation in Downtown, Chinatown, and Southwest Fresno. #TransformFresno

Progress reports: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020

Click here to read about people who have shaped — or been shaped by — the implementation of Transform Fresno.

With a $33.25 million award, the Watts Rising Collaborative is implementing infrastructure projects to expand urban agriculture; access to healthy organic produce; provide more affordable and sustainable housing; increase low- and no-carbon transportation options; increase community green space; expand their tree canopy; and make their streets safer for walking and biking.

Progress reports: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020

Click here to read about people who have shaped — or been shaped by — the implementation of Watts Rising.

To learn more about our work in Fresno, Ontario, and Watts, check out this video: 

Vea este video con subtítulos en español

To replicate or verify our findings and methods, see UCLA’s TCC Evaluation GitHub Repository for access to all the code developed for this evaluation.

Photo credits: Green Together, UCLA; Ontario Together, Omnitrans; Pomona ACTS, The Energy Coalition; South LA Eco-Lab, Felipe Escobar, Community Partners; Stockton Rising, Erin Scott; Transform Fresno, Chris De León, Fresno Metro Ministry; Watts Rising, California Climate Investments

Stories from the Community
UCLA Evaluation Team

Progress Reports

Green Together – Coming soon…

South LA Eco-Lab – Coming soon…

Stockton Rising – Coming soon…

News & Media Mentions

Stockton Rising: A $35 million project for a greener city (Stocktonia 12/17/24)

Report: Transformative Climate Communities Program Is Transforming People’s Lives (Streetsblog Cal 7/31/24)

Community-driven climate action spurs economic benefits (UCLA 7/22/24)

This State Program In Underserved Communities Is Becoming A Nationwide Model For Climate Action (LAist, NPR affiliate 5/31/23)

Funding Acknowledgments

TCC is funded through California’s cap-and-trade program and administered by the California Strategic Growth Council.