This year posed an undeniable test of resilience for those in the environmental space. Facing a shift in the political climate and federal grant terminations, it was more crucial than ever for CleanAIRE NC to remain steadfast to our mission.
Our ‘Why’ has never been clearer: everyone deserves the fundamental right to breathe clean air, no matter where they live. We know this dream does not reflect today’s reality, and these ongoing environmental injustices are precisely what fuel us to keep working harder.
Powered by the incredible support of our community of advocates, we didn’t just adapt – we doubled down on our impact. We achieved remarkable milestones that directly protected public health and uplifted communities across North Carolina.
Our success in 2025 was measured in tangible community impacts. We ensured our mission advanced on multiple fronts: in the courthouse, on the ground throughout North Carolina, and even in other countries.
Here are our favorite moments:
We joined a nationwide coalition to legally challenge the unlawful funding freeze initiated by the Trump administration, defending the vital air quality monitoring grants that protect our most vulnerable communities.
Thanks to your incredible support this year, our community science network expanded with new air monitor hosts across the state. Our Community Science program is on track to reach nearly 60 new AirKeepers by the end of 2025!
The launch of the CleanAIRE Academy engaged nearly 100 new users, and counting! We worked with public health professionals, community engagement specialists, educators, community members, and our expert team of program managers to create original online courses like Air Quality 101 and Advocacy in Action.
Launched in the summer of 2025, our AirKeeper Dashboard stepped in at a critical moment providing a reliable mapping tool to community members. As federal online resources changed and key datasets became harder to find, the AirKeeper Dashboard helped restore direct access to local air quality data, centering on the experiences of impacted residents.
Our 10th Annual NC BREATHE Conference successfully brought together hundreds of health professionals, researchers, students, and advocates to share solutions and foster community resilience. In 2025, we were able to offer something that we have never offered to community members: We partnered with AstraZeneca to provide FREE on-site lung screenings to nearly 100 people by way of the AIRE Mobile Unit.
Summers in North Carolina are HOT! It’s not just uncomfortable, it’s often dangerous. The CleanAIRE NC team partnered with the North Carolina Public Health Association and SolNation to conduct focus groups across the city of Charlotte. The insights we gathered from those focus groups informed the Heat Mitigation Report. This analysis reflects months of dedicated work, translating the realities of first responders, healthcare workers, and community members into a critical roadmap for addressing extreme heat in Charlotte.
Our relationships expanded internationally through the CleanAIRE For All initiative, a new partnership with the Ghana Environmental Protection Agency. Our Director of Programs and Impact, Daisha Wall, and our Director of Development, Madison Fragnito, traveled to Techiman and Kintampo in Ghana to deploy monitors. What they accomplished was much more than that. They spent two weeks working alongside one of our beloved former Mandela Washington summer fellows, Huda Ibrahim, and witnessed firsthand the impact of her time with the CleanAIRE team on her work at the Ghana EPA. Together, the three of them trained officials as part of the Mandela Washington Reciprocal Exchange Program, conducted a day-long teach-in with 100 high school students and 34 health professionals, educating them about air quality. By the end of their time in the region, they helped lay the groundwork for a new working relationship between the Ghana EPA and the Kintampo Health Research Center.
Visit Unpacking: Ghana to see our favorite highlights from the trip and explore what lessons our team brought back home in them.
Each one of these numbers and victories represents a community member armed with the resources and data to advocate for themselves and their neighborhoods. This is the direct impact of your support.
Now, imagine what we can achieve with your continued support.
Your contributions ensure we not only sustain our critical work but also accelerate our progress toward a North Carolina where everyone can breathe better. Join us in making 2026 our most impactful year yet.
