This toolkit was developed to provide a starting point for applying for federal grants and opportunities. It gives action steps as well as provides links for more information. While much of the information is not specific to the Midwest, there are resources that highlight Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs) in EPA Region 5 (Great Lakes - Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, and 35 Tribes) and Region 7 (Midwest - Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and nine Tribal Nations).

Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future's (SAHF)'s case study explores learnings from Preservation of Affordable Housing's (POAH's) Salem Heights development, which electrified the HVAC system and improved the building envelope. The report shares details about the funding used and other strategies employed to make the project come together.

This report examines how budget-constrained households balance spending on air conditioning versus other essentials like food and clothing during hot weather. Using banking data from Houston, Los Angeles, and Chicago, it finds that low-income households often cope with high electricity bills by reducing air conditioning use and enduring more heat. The findings aim to help policymakers identify strategies to better support these households and improve their welfare amid rising temperatures.

Compiling national outdoor air pollution data from across the government and other expert sources, this report shows the extent of the harm caused to people and the environment from fossil fuel burning equipment in homes and buildings, the disproportionate impact this pollution has on environmental justice communities and other vulnerable demographic groups, and how the use of methane gas in buildings is connected to the broader system of methane gas extraction and distribution.

The Massachusetts Decarbonization Hub helps owners of affordable multifamily housing interested in reducing carbon emissions from their Massachusetts properties navigate the complicated landscape of decarbonization. Created in partnership with LISC Boston and RMI, this site provides quick access to guides, resources, and funding opportunities currently available to support these projects. The Hub outlines some key steps to decarbonization, connects owners with technical providers, directs owners to the available incentive and grant funding programs, and showcases case studies of recent deep energy retrofit projects for inspiration.

State energy offices have expertise in energy and building science that can inform the technical specifications for a project, while state housing finance agencies have deep relationships with affordable housing developers and know the process required to update affordable buildings. State energy offices and state housing finance agencies can leverage their unique expertise and collaborate to meet energy efficiency and beneficial electrification goals.

National Housing Trust is offering this toolkit as an information source for HFAs and owners and developers seeking resources through the Inflation Reduction Act. The funding opportunities, case studies and reports, resident engagement tools and other resources listed here will enable you to invest in the affordable housing facilities that you develop and manage.

This case study provides information to states, building owners, developers, and other stakeholders who are considering combining IRA Home Efficiency Rebates Program funds and LIHTC equity.

To better understand the barriers limiting the decarbonization of affordable housing beyond what energy and cost analyses could provide, NRDC commissioned an Arup-authored study of energy retrofits of affordable multi-family housing buildings within the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The study examined five real-world examples to expose obstacles, inefficiencies, and opportunities encountered during retrofit processes. Six key challenge areas emerged that must be addressed to enable decarbonization of affordable housing at scale: carbon reduction strategies, financing, implementation, policy, technical expertise, and tenant impact.

WE ACT's Out of Gas, In with Justice pilot studied the feasibility and benefits of electrification in New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) by comparing improvements to air quality and participant satisfaction between 10 apartments with induction stoves and 10 with their existing gas stoves. It is the first study of its kind to focus on the effects of residential cooking electrification with tenants in-place in an urban public housing setting with low-income residents and residents of color. This pilot offers lessons for policymakers, public housing agencies, and affordable housing providers on cooking electrification and its impact on indoor air quality, social acceptance of electrification measures, and infrastructure challenges for existing housing in environmental justice communities.