Keep Me Informed

Finding Work, Finding Hope: Guide to Getting Stimulus Dollars

Promote Healthier Communities

The Recovery Act supports several programs that directly improve healthcare services and promote preventative measures through improvements in environment, neighborhoods, and homes. Both access and prevention are important in resolving the health disparities in disadvantaged communities.  

Energy Efficiency

In Atlanta, Georgia, nearly $125 million in ARRA funds went to boost the state's existing Weatherization Assistance Program. Southface Energy Institute -- which has directly trained more than 1,000 contractors and utility personnel in green jobs during the past five years -- organized local residents to ensure the ARRA dollar create green, sustainable jobs and improve the energy efficiency of local homes.

For more information, please contact Judy Knight at the Southface Energy Institute, (404) 604-3591 or jknight@southface.org.


  • Support preventative measures like improving access to healthy food and creating safe places for physical activity. The Centers for Disease Control is administering the $373 million Communities Putting Prevention to Work competitive fund to support projects and state policies that reduce obesity rates, increase physical activity, and improve nutrition.

    Contact your local or state health department to see if they have submitted an application.

    Check the CDC’s website for a list of awardees: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/recovery and work to steer their project to include your community.

  • Save money and create healthier neighborhoods through energy efficiency.  Organize seniors and low-income residents to apply for weatherization assistance. Low-income families tend to spend disproportionate amounts on heating and cooling their homes. Weatherization can not only help reduce costs, but improve air quality and reduce toxic materials found in homes. The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) is intended to help low-income people save money on their utility bills through energy-efficiency upgrades to their homes. This 32-year- old program has helped millions of people nationwide. Recovery dollars have been appropriated to states who have in turn distributed it to local weatherization agencies in their state.

    For more information, visit the Department of Energy’s list of state weatherization agencies. Each state website should list all local organizations and instructions on how to apply.

  • Promote energy efficiency. The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) is a program to promote states’, local governments’, and native tribes’ plans to lower energy use, reduce carbon pollution, and create local green jobs. The Department of Energy (DOE) is continuing to award grants and has already awarded over $1.4 billion. There remains $454 million in competitive grants for which local governments, states, and tribes can submit application through December14.

    Check the DOE website for where the funds have been granted in your community.  Contact the listed local agencies to find job training opportunities, contracting opportunities, and how to get public buildings or residential energy improvements in your neighborhood.


Finding Work, Finding Hope

Chapters:

  1. Bring Green Jobs Homes
  2. Build a Strong Economic Foundation
  3. Improve Housing and Community Infrastructure
  4. Promote Healthier Communities
  5. Upgrade School Facilities and Programs