“Federal administrations come and go. Policies change. But the needs in these communities don’t.”

What happens when nearly a billion dollars in climate justice funding is delayed by politics and litigation? If you're Amir Kirkwood, you stay focused on the mission—and double down on the work.

As the Founding CEO of the Justice Climate Fund, Amir was tapped to lead one of the most ambitious public-private climate finance efforts in U.S. history. But even as the federal process has hit delay after delay, Amir hasn’t wavered. In this conversation, he shares how he’s adapting in real-time, grounding himself in purpose, and rallying new partners around the work that still needs doing.

Interview:

Eric: How have recent federal policy changes affected your work on the ground?

Amir: The experience has been twofold. One is the disappointment in not being able to execute on a mandate that was clearly popularly designed. The other is anxiousness — because even throughout this, the demand for clean energy projects remains extremely high, especially at the community level. What’s happening now is that some projects will move forward but with less effectiveness, and others that need more support may stall.

Eric: So what are you doing to bridge the gap?

Amir: We're going back to investors and saying: if you believed in this work before, it’s time to activate. We’re also working directly with local and state actors to keep their programs alive. And we’re telling philanthropic and institutional investors — there are creative ways to do this. Maybe not at the same scale, but we can still move forward.

Eric: Has this shifted your sense of your sphere of influence?

Amir: Absolutely. The federal program was never meant to be standalone. The most important word in our grant — the Clean Communities Investment Accelerator — was “accelerator.” It was meant to catalyze and leverage private funding. That momentum and market demand doesn’t just disappear.

Eric: What’s your outlook on the long-term viability of this work?

Amir: I think we’re positioned well to lead. The train has left the station. There are businesses already doing the work, state mandates in place, even banks that accept this as part of what they need to do. You might not hear “climate justice” everywhere, but terms like “climate adaptation” are gaining traction. It’s about finding language that brings people in.

Eric: Is infrastructure the biggest barrier?

Amir: The biggest challenge is that federal and local policy don’t plan well together. Our infrastructure model is built around municipal finance — which assumes local understanding and federal backing. Without alignment, things stall. And we lost a lot of technical assistance funding, which was going to be key for educating lenders, communities, and individuals.

Eric: How do you explain the stakes to people who aren’t in this work?

Amir: It’s not hard to explain to a homeowner with a HELOC why solar makes economic sense. But in working-class, renter, rural, or Indigenous communities — the technical assistance is vital. They get the climate risk. What’s missing is someone to help connect the dots and unlock the resources. That’s what JCF does.

Eric: What’s been the hardest moment for you personally?

Amir: Watching the local lenders and community orgs stall — they were counting on this. They built plans around federal support. Now we have to keep them focused on the local need, because policies change, but the conditions in these communities don’t.

Eric: Any advice for other leaders navigating uncertainty?

Amir: Go back to your why. Stress can create opportunity. It forces you to rethink who your partners are, how your product works, what kind of funders you need. Don’t just blame the conditions. Ask: what does this mean for me and for my organization? Then adapt, move forward, and double down on your mission because your purpose doesn’t change just because the road gets harder.”