Cool the City
In July 2024, the City of Richmond (COR) and four community-based organizations (CBOs) were awarded a $6 million dollar grant funded by the Inflation Reduction Act and the USDA Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry Program. Over the five years of the grant, this collaborative project will invest in greening projects, workforce development, and institutional capacity building to increase equitable access to greenspace in Black and Brown communities across the city.
Project Overview
Climate change disproportionately impacts Black and Brown communities due to existing social inequities and historic and institutional racism, both across the country and in the City of Richmond. Here in RVA, the city’s East End, Southside, and Northside are the most affected by disinvestment, underlying health conditions, lack of transportation access, and adverse climate impacts such as extreme heat and flooding.
The City of Richmond held its Richmond Federal Climate Funding Summit in 2023 with the goal of identifying ways to collaborate with the community on issues of climate justice. Out of this convening emerged Cool the City, a coalition focused on investing funds received through a US Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry grant into urban greening efforts taking place in disadvantaged communities.
Cool the City is a five-year collaboration between four Black- and Brown-led CBOs and three COR offices. This project is rooted in the goals established by the community and the four CBOs and aligns with the City’s RVAgreen 2050 Plan, 10-year Urban and Community Forestry Action Plan, as well as the Virginia Department of Forestry’s Strategic Goals and the Justice40 Initiative. Through this intentional collaboration that leverages the strengths of each organization, the anticipated outcomes of this project include strengthened climate resilience, improved health outcomes, and increased community wealth across 40 census tracts throughout Richmond.
Community Objectives
While over 40% of Richmond is covered by tree canopy, access to green space and the benefits of adequate tree canopy are unevenly distributed. Through public engagement, workforce development, urban forestry planning, organizational capacity building, and greening project implementation, Cool the City invests in disadvantaged communities and seeks to bridge this climate equity gap.
Over the five years of the project, Cool the City will plant and maintain thousands of trees, engage over 1000 youth and adults in workforce development and community engagement opportunities, involve 25 faith-based organizations in greening projects, certify 150 urban agriculture professionals, and remove invasive species from acres of land in Justice40 communities across Richmond.
Meet the Partners
Community-Based Organizations
Leading the Cool the City project are Black- and Brown-led community-based organizations that have an established history of investing in environmental justice initiatives throughout Richmond. Each organization brings a unique set of skills and connections to the team, building off of each other’s strengths to transform the communities in which they work.
Southside ReLeaf
Southside ReLeaf is a community-based organization committed to environmental justice in South Richmond. Their goal is to improve the life expectancy and quality of life for Southside residents by increasing green spaces, reducing pollution and improving infrastructure. The organization believes in uplifting voices that are often unheard and people-powered advocacy to build climate resilient neighborhoods.
Virginia Interfaith Power & Light
Virginia Interfaith Power & Light (VAIPL) is the state affiliate of a national organization, Interfaith Power & Light, which is dedicated to bringing together all faith communities to mobilize a religious response to climate change through energy conservation, energy efficiency, and renewable energy.
City Stakeholders
Three City of Richmond departments coordinate on this project: the Office of Sustainability, the Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Department of Public Works - Urban Forestry. Together with the four CBOs, these departments are working to increase capacity, improve standards of practice, implement greening projects, and create a Richmond Tree Plan in order to increase urban green equity across the city.
Workforce Development
The project will increase capacity within Black and Brown communities through training programs for both youth and adults. The project plans to certify 150 urban agricultural and forestry professionals.
Richmond Office of Sustainability
The Richmond Office of Sustainability (OOS) is a team of dynamic, cross-functional specialists who accelerate the advancement of climate justice in the City of Richmond through the implementation of RVAgreen 2050.
Richmond Department of Parks & Recreation
The Richmond Department of Parks & Recreation is home to more than 170 parks, open spaces, athletic fields, playgrounds and tot lots. The department maintains 21 community centers which provide a full spectrum of recreational services and leisure programs for all of Richmond's citizens. Included in the park system is the James River Parks System as well as an inventory of more than 90 monuments/statues/memorials, nine decorative fountains, Dogwood Dell, and seven cemeteries, three of which are active.
Richmond Department of Public Works - Urban Forestry
The Urban Forestry Division (UFD) is responsible for planting approximately 2,000 new and replacement trees during the planting season, November 1st and April 15th. UFD maintains approximately 120,200 city-owned trees of more than 80 species.
Plans and Policies
Happily Natural
Happily Natural was founded as an annual celebration of Black culture in 2003 with a mission to raise consciousness in the African American community. In its 20+ years, Happily Natural has become one of the foremost leaders in the Black urban agriculture, land acquisition, and food justice spaces.
Groundwork RVA
Groundwork RVA works with Richmond youth to facilitate environmental, economic, and social well-being in neighborhoods through the transformation of blighted and neglected open spaces into public assets. GroundworkRVA was founded by a broad-based group of community visionaries dedicated to making Richmond greener, more sustainable and more equitable.
Funding for this project was provided by the Inflation Reduction Act and the USDA Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry Program. USDA and the City of Richmond are equal opportunity providers and employers.
Urban Greening
Urban greening efforts will focus on planting and maintenance of trees and greenspace in Justice40 neighborhoods.
As of January 2025, Cool the City has planted 139 trees!
Community Engagement
Youth and adults, residents of Justice40 neighborhoods, community members, and faith-based organizations will be involved in the project through workshops, campaigns, learning opportunities, and events. The project plans to engage 100 youth, 100 adults, and 5 faith-based organizations annually.
Organizational Capacity Building
The direct community work outlined above will be supported and enhanced by organizational capacity building. The City of Richmond will develop an Urban Forest Comprehensive Plan; author improved city processes and standard operating procedures; and hire staff that together will set the groundwork for improved health outcomes and climate resilience in Justice40 neighborhoods well into the future.
Increased Internal Capacity
By creating new green jobs, the City of Richmond and its partner CBOs will not only work towards the goals of Cool the City but also enhance internal capacity more broadly. New roles include an urban forestry technician, tree nursery staff, and an outreach coordinator.
Richmond Tree Plan
An urban forest comprehensive plan establishes a blueprint creating and managing greenspace across an urban community. The Richmond Tree Plan will focus on increasing equitable access to greenspace in Justice40 tracts through tree assessments, inventory, and strategic planning.
Improved City Processes
Through this project, the City of Richmond will develop new standard operating procedures for tree wells and will increase capacity at its Northside Tree Nursery.
Get Involved
Cool the City depends on community involvement and support! Whether you want to grab a shovel and plant some trees or simply want to learn more about what’s happening, we’d love for you to get involved.
Volunteer
Check out our calendar of upcoming events and volunteer opportunities to find ways to get involved!
Learn More
Look through our resource library to learn more about urban greening and how it impacts your community.
Webinars and Videos
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