About Justice40

Justice40: A Time for Righteous Investment is an initiative led by the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice and the Bullard Center, designed to build the capacity of communities eligible for Justice40 funding. Through this effort, partners worked to equip local leaders, organizations, and coalitions with the tools, knowledge, and support needed to access and deploy federal resources effectively.

Originally grounded in Executive Order 14008, the Justice40 Initiative aimed to direct 40% of the benefits from certain federal investments to communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution. While the executive order has since been rescinded, Rural Beacon Initiative (RBI) remains committed to the spirit and intent of this work.

RBI has made the decision to continue advancing this effort by supporting our Justice40 Hub members, ensuring they remain equipped to pursue funding opportunities, strengthen local capacity, and drive community-led solutions for environmental and economic resilience.

21 Regional Hub leaders serve as support for Hub Members for their respective communities. 

Education and research skills training is provided to each Hub Leader by the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice (DSCEJ), led by Dr. Beverly Wright and the Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice at Texas Southern University, led by Dr. Robert D. Bullard.  Both Dr. Wright and Dr. Bullard serve on the White House Environmental Justice Council.

The Regional Hub Leader recruits, trains, and supports community-based organizations dedicated to environmental and climate justice in their designated geographic region.

Rural Beacon Initiative is proud to have 7 North Carolina-based Hub Members:

• Southern Environmental Law Center
• 7 Directions of Service
• CleanAIRE NC
• Partners for Environmental Justice
• Lucas Tax and Energy
• North Carolina Sustainable Business Council
• Coco Eco Initiative