Communities with Disadvantages Definition and Guidance

Proposed projects that meet the objectives of Opportunities for Action will be identified as meeting LCBP’s definition of communities with disadvantages if any one or more of the following criteria are met: 

1. The project will be implemented in a census block that is identified as a disadvantaged per LCBP’s mapping tool; 

2. The project will benefit groups identified as disadvantaged per the criteria included in LCBP’s definition (regardless of location); 
   
   Examples: A project to develop educational resources or signage in different languages to benefit limited English proficiency populations, a project to assist low-income homeowners with installing best-management practices on their property, a riparian restoration project that takes place at a mobile/manufactured home park, an educational program that targets students at schools with high National School Lunch Program eligibility, a workforce development or training program that targets adults who have not attained a high-school degree 

3. The project will not be implemented in a census block that is identified as disadvantaged, but would benefit a nearby disadvantaged community; 
   
   Examples: A land conservation project that would increase recreational access opportunities to nearby disadvantaged communities, an educational project implemented at a school that serves students from nearby disadvantaged communities 

4. Self-identification 
   
   LCBP recognizes that the datasets used in our definition and related mapping tool may not capture all factors that can contribute to a community being disadvantaged. We encourage grant applicants to include a justification of how their project will benefit communities with disadvantages, including any accompanying data where possible. 

For projects based in Québec, LCBP will be following the Indice de vitalité économique des localités et des MRC du Québec (Economic vitality index of Québec localities and RCMs), published by the Institut de la statistique du Québec. More information about the Economic Vitality Index is available here, and the corresponding mapping tool is available here.

For LCBP-funding purposes, Québec-based projects will be identified as meeting LCBP’s communities with disadvantages definition if one or more of the following criteria are met:

1. The project will be implemented in a locality that is ranked in the 4^th or 5^th quintile of the Economic Vitality Index (the “least economically vitalized”).
2. The project will not be implemented in a locality that is ranked in the 4^th or 5^th quintile of the Economic Vitality Index, but will benefit a nearby least economically vitalized locality.

Examples: A land conservation project that would increase recreational access opportunities to nearby least economically vitalized localities, an educational project implemented at a school that serves students from nearby least economically vitalized communities.

3. Self-identification

LCBP recognizes that this definition and related mapping tool may not capture all factors that can contribute to a community being disadvantaged. We encourage grant applicants to include a justification of how their project will benefit communities with disadvantages, including any accompanying data where possible.

Any project that is determined to meet the criteria outlined in LCBP’s definition of communities with disadvantages will be given additional weight in the proposal evaluation process. LCBP will use a tiered system to evaluate how much additional weight a proposal will be given according to the guidelines below. Projects that demonstrate a direct benefit to populations identified as disadvantaged (not just to a geographic area identified as disadvantaged) and demonstrate meaningful involvement with communities with disadvantages will be more competitive in the proposal evaluation process. 

“Meaningful Involvement” means that: (1) potentially affected community residents have an appropriate opportunity to participate in decisions about a proposed activity that will affect their environment and/or health; (2) the public’s contribution can influence the decision-making process; (3) the concerns of all participants involved will be considered in the decision-making process; and (4) the decision-makers seek out and facilitate the involvement of those potentially affected. 

LCBP staff, in coordination with confidential external peer reviewers selected for each grant category, will evaluate the degree to which a project meets the criteria outlined in LCBP’s definition of disadvantaged community. Please refer to a specific Request For Proposals (RFP) for more information on how communities with disadvantages criteria will be considered in that grant category’s evaluation process.

1. What if my proposed project will not benefit communities with disadvantages? 
   
   Proposed projects are not required to have demonstrable benefits to communities with disadvantages. If your proposed project does not meet the definition, it will not receive additional weight in the proposal evaluation process, but may still be competitive if the project strongly aligns with the criteria identified for that grant program. 

2. What if the location of my proposed project has not yet been determined? 
   
   Projects that do not have an implementation location finalized at the time of proposal submission can still qualify as meeting the criteria in LCBP’s definition of communities with disadvantages if the applicant can provide information on how those communities will be prioritized in the location selection process once the grant work begins. However, proposals that do identify benefits to communities with disadvantages at the proposal stage may be more competitive. 

3. What if my proposed project will take place across multiple census block groups, some of which are identified as disadvantaged but others are not? 
   
   Projects that will occur in multiple locations, some of which are identified as disadvantaged, will receive additional weight in the proposal evaluation process proportional to the degree to which the project will take place in or benefit communities with disadvantages.  

4. What if my proposed project will not take place at a physical location (ex. developing a video, website, or lesson plans)? 
   
   Projects that will not take place at a physical location can still qualify as meeting the criteria outlined in LCBP’s definition of communities with disadvantages if they can demonstrate how the project will benefit a disadvantaged audience (for example, videos will be developed in multiple languages to benefit limited English proficiency populations, lesson plans will be used at schools with high National School Lunch Program eligibility).  

6. Why are you using the term “communities with disadvantages”? 
   
   LCBP is using the term “communities with disadvantages” to remain consistent with federal guidance associated with implementing the Justice40 Initiative. Applicants are welcome to use alternate terms, such as “marginalized”, “underserved”, or “impacted” community if preferable. 

LCBP reviewed relevant federal and state agency definitions of ‘disadvantaged’ or ‘environmental justice’ communities to identify datasets commonly included in these definitions¹. LCBP selected a suite of criteria to be included in our definition, following EPA guidance and consideration of commonly used datasets that align with LCBP’s mission. A public comment period on the proposed criteria was held in November-December 2022. 

Following review of public comments received, the Lake Champlain Steering Committee approved an interim disadvantaged community definition in December 2022. LCBP then developed a mapping tool to assist with identifying the locations of communities with disadvantages per LCBP’s definition.

LCBP held a second public comment period on the definition and mapping tool in May-June, 2023. The Lake Champlain Steering Committee reviewed public comments and approved a finalized definition of “communities with disadvantages” to guide LCBP funding decisions in June 2023. The Lake Champlain Steering Committee intends to review this definition annually.

¹_{Definitions reviewed include: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’s Environmental Justice Indicator, The Center for Disease Control and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’s Social Vulnerability Index, The Council on Environmental Quality’s Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool, EPA’s Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool, The New York State Climate Justice Working Group’s draft Disadvantaged Communities Criteria, Québec Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing Economic Vitality Index, Vermont Act No. 154. An act relating to environmental justice in Vermont} 

LCBP recognizes that communities can be impacted by factors that are not solely related to socioeconomic indicators. In addition to the socioeconomic criteria that are used in LCBP’s definition of communities with disadvantages, proposals should clearly demonstrate how the proposed project will address or improve environmental quality concerns across the intended project area, and how these concerns align with LCBP’s mission and management goals identified within Opportunities for Action. The degree to which a community is impacted by any one or more of these environmental quality indicators will be weighed to help prioritize projects within communities with disadvantages.