#United States #PG&E #Oakland #climate action #Resilience Hubs

PG&E Invests in Community Resilience

In a significant move to tackle the pressing challenges posed by climate change, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has announced a total grant of $400,000 distributed among seven community organizations. This funding is part of PG&E’s Resilience Hubs Grant program, aimed at enhancing climate resilience efforts in Northern and Central California.

Since the program commenced, PG&E has awarded a cumulative amount of $2 million to support 35 grantees, encompassing local governments as well as educational and nonprofit organizations. Climate resilience is more crucial than ever, particularly in California where communities are increasingly threatened by extreme weather events such as floods, heatwaves, wildfires, and powerful storms. The grants are designed to help establish resilience hubs that can offer vital resources, shelter, information, and power to residents, especially during environmental crises.

One notable recipient, the city of Richmond, utilized its grant to build a community space entirely powered by renewable energy. This hub serves not only as a refuge but also as a vital resource for at-risk residents during extreme weather occurrences. "We are proud that our Resilience Hubs grant program has facilitated organizations dedicated to fostering community-based climate resilience," stated Carla Peterman, PG&E's Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Chief Sustainability Officer.

For this year's grant cycle, PG&E distributed four $25,000 grants and three $100,000 grants. The total amount awarded under this initiative underscores PG&E's commitment to invest in wildfire resilience and response, as mandated by the California Public Utilities Commission. Over the past five years, various projects have emerged focusing on different aspects of community resilience, with priority given to those benefiting disadvantaged and vulnerable populations.

Among the 2025 grant recipients is Little Manila Rising, based in Stockton. The organization’s grant will aid in setting up a resilience center in a region with limited resources. Irene Calimlim, the community development director, highlighted the importance of this funding: "This opportunity will enable us to develop strategies for extreme weather scenarios and collaborate with other community-based organizations to prepare residents for emergencies."

Additionally, other grant recipients have received funds for feasibility studies and design-and-build projects aimed at establishing resilience hubs. Specifically, a $25,000 award will support feasibility assessments for several proposals, including transforming centers into climate resilience hubs and planning for community facility upgrades. Recipients include the Women’s Building in San Francisco, which is exploring how to adapt its center into a resource hub for the Mission District community, and Contra Costa County, which aims to enhance the Ambrose Community Center’s resilience.

Meanwhile, the larger grants will facilitate the actual design and construction of resilience hubs that may involve retrofitting existing infrastructures or creating new resources tailored to community needs. Awardees include the Shoong Family Chinese Cultural Center in Alameda County, which plans to install heating and air filtration systems to serve as a health-conscious gym space, and Corazón Healdsburg in Sonoma County, which intends to fortify its capacity to support low-income Latino families.

As the program approaches its culmination, PG&E is eager to see the results from these resilience projects evolve into sustainable solutions that can be shared with other communities across the state. The strategies and findings will be made public to amplify their effectiveness and encourage collaboration among local and regional partners.

PG&E Corporation is a combined natural gas and electric utility that serves over 16 million people spread across a vast area of Northern and Central California, demonstrating not only its commitment to energy sustainability but also to supporting communities in the face of climate change challenges.

For further information regarding the Resilience Hubs Grant program and other initiatives by PG&E, please visit PG&E's official site.