Strengthening Transit Through Community PartnershipsSTELLAR is an initiative that promotes equitable transportation electrification and decarbonization by engaging environmental justice communities, providing technical assistance, and offering workforce training.
STELLAR is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) under the Office of Vehicle Technologies Award Number DE-EE0010614. Through 2024 - 2025, STELLAR will fund 13 Chicago-based community-based organizations (CBOs) in two phases to
- receive training and technical assistance around electric vehicles and transportation decarbonization transition and
- work with a consultant to produce community-driven strategic plans for transportation decarbonization.
The goal of STELLAR is to approach the electrification transition from the community level and ensure community expertise on the path forward to vehicle electrification is prioritized, particularly in historically disinvested neighborhoods.
We’re working with the American Lung Association on this project.
CNT’s role is to help convene the CBOs and maintain regular communication with their representatives to understand their current needs surrounding the transportation electrification conversation, and how their communities can best benefit from the STELLAR training curriculum and future strategic planning.
This initiative funds 13 Chicago community-based organizations to effectively engage and represent their communities to expand access to clean transportation.
- Access Living
- Austin Coming Together
- Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community
- Emerald South Economic Development Collaborative
- Endeleo Institute
- Equiticity
- Far South Community Development Corporation
- Foundation for Homan Square
- Greater Auburn-Gresham Development Corporation
- Greater Southwest Development Corporation
- Jitney EV
- Northwest Center
- OAI, Inc