Speaking Out: Reaffirming our values in the face of intolerance
By Patricia Smith, TFN President and CEO, and Tom Woiwode, Chair, TFN Board of Directors
In recent weeks, we have witnessed an escalation of hard-line immigration policies that have resulted in the separation of children from parents, widespread confusion over how these families are to be reunited, and concerns over whether immigrants and asylum-seekers will be afforded due process guaranteed to them under the law.
This so-called “zero-tolerance” approach creates immediate and lasting harm to the thousands of families forcibly separated at our borders, the effects of which cannot be understated. It also presents a clear and present danger to the fundamental values we uphold as a nation that has historically provided safe harbor for those seeking security, freedom, and the opportunity to create a better life for themselves and their children.
As a network of more than 170 foundations across the U.S. and Canada, the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities (TFN) works in support of efforts to create communities that are sustainable, prosperous, resilient — and above all, equitable and inclusive.
The increased vitriol directed at immigrant communities, as well as migrants seeking refuge at our borders, undermines these important efforts. We have heard disturbing reports from across our network of the chilling effect these inhumane actions and attitudes have already had in further isolating a vulnerable population — including a sharp decline in reports of sexual assaults and other serious crimes against immigrants and refugees because victims are distrustful of local authorities; a hesitancy to evacuate to shelters amid natural disasters because of fears of being turned over to immigration officials; and a general reluctance to participate in civic matters because of fears of engaging with government officials. All of these are signs of how pervasive distrust can erode the fabric of a community.
TFN recognizes the important contributions that immigrants have made and continue to make to the social, economic and cultural vibrancy of our communities. And we state unequivocally that for communities to truly thrive, those communities must fully embrace and engage immigrants — as well as other people who have been historically marginalized because of their race, gender, sexual orientation, religion or cultural background.
TFN joins with dozens of other leaders in philanthropy and philanthropy-serving organizations who have co-signed a statement from Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees denouncing unjust family separation and detention policies. Please take a look at the full statement here, as well as this round-up of responses from philanthropy and other resources for funders.
We encourage our members to continue to speak out against intolerance, stand up for the less fortunate, and ensure that we serve our communities in ways that are compassionate and just.
In solidarity,
Patricia L. Smith, President and CEO, Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities
Tom Woiwode, Chair, Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities Board of Directors
How philanthropy is responding to forcible separation of families — and what you can do
By TFN Staff
Update: Read the statement to our members from TFN's Interim President & CEO Maureen Lawless: "Silence is not an Option"
Condemnation of the federal government's forcible separation of children from their parents at the southern border has prompted outrage from all quarters in recent days, with civic, political and religious leaders decrying the zero-tolerance policy as cruel and inhumane.
Leaders in philanthropy have also voiced their disgust and dismay with a situation that has resulted in more than 2,300 children, some as young as infants, being held in makeshift detention facilities and other shelters. Despite an executive order signed Wednesday that ostensibly would end family separations at the border, federal agencies offered competing and contradictory explanations of what will happen with immigrant families detained by immigration officials, and leaving it unclear when — or if — parents would be reunited with their children.
Join Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR) at 1 p.m. ET June 27 for "Where are the Children?" — a webinar that will offer expert insight on this unfolding situation, explore the impact of these policies on families and children, and learn about GCIR’s recommendations on how philanthropy can respond. TFN is proud to sign on as a co-sponsor of this event, along with the Council on Foundations, the Early Childhood Funders Collaborative, Hispanics in Philanthropy, Philanthropy California, Philanthropy New York, United Philanthropy Forum, and others. (Register here.)
Below are additional responses from leaders in philanthropy, including TFN members and other philanthropy-supporting organizations, as well as resources for funders.
Philanthropy Responds:
Ana Marie Argilagos, president and CEO of Hispanics in Philanthropy
Five Ways You Can Stand up for Immigrant Children and Families Today: “Despite President Trump’s executive order ending his administration’s policy of separating immigrant children from their parents, the government will continue to treat all immigrants as criminals and to lock families in cages along the U.S.-Mexico border. Make no mistake: this executive order does not fix the damage inflicted on children or their families. Nor does it prevent future trauma. The Trump administration’s zero-tolerance immigration policy is intended to inflict pain, fear, and suffering on children and their parents.”
Dave Biemesderfer, President & CEO of the United Philanthropy Forum
Stop Separating Families at the Border. Now: I am speaking out against our federal government’s cruel and inhumane actions because, well, what is the alternative? Staying silent is simply not an option. This is not a political issue, as demonstrated by the growing calls to end this despicable policy by people from across the political spectrum. This is not about enforcing laws, which needs to be done. This is about treating people humanely. This is a philanthropic issue. Philanthropy is about loving and caring for all people, particularly those who are less fortunate than ourselves. It’s about treating others as we would want to be treated."
Fred Blackwell, CEO, The San Francisco Foundation
Restore Our Humanity: “We have been profoundly disturbed by these actions. For more than 30 years, we have been an active partner that has supported immigrants and their families. What is happening in our country is not simply an immigrant rights issue. It is a civil rights issue. It is a human rights issue. And while it has been politicized, it should be a nonpartisan issue.”
Maureen Lawless, Interim President & CEO, Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities
Silence is Not an Option: "I’ll repeat what we shared last summer, in the wake of the Charlottesville protests: Hatred is not a point of view, or a difference of opinion. There should not — and can never — be any moral equivocation when it comes to denouncing hateful philosophies and inhumane policies. As an organization that represents a broad diversity of funders from across the U.S. and Canada, and as an organization with a diverse staff — many of whom are immigrants or the children of immigrants — I want to reaffirm once more the values of equity and inclusion that inform the work we do, the work we support and the outcomes we seek to achieve."
Shane Murphy Goldsmith, President/CEO, Liberty Hill Foundation
Liberty Hill Statement on Family Separation: “Like many other people across the nation, I went home every night this last week to hug my children a little tighter, feeling extreme sorrow for those families who were denied the same opportunity by our government.”
Grant Oliphant, President, The Heinz Endowments
We Are What We Do: "Still left in place are the official lies about the nature and magnitude of that threat. The verifiable truth—that most refugees are fleeing violence not agents of it, that even according to ICE almost all report as required for hearings when given their freedom, that immigrants create far more jobs than they fill—is lost in fear-mongering rhetoric crawling with bias and falsehoods. "
Philanthropy California, an alliance of California grantmakers
(Signed by Christine Essel, President & CEO, Southern California Grantmakers; Nancy Jamison, President & CEO, San Diego Grantmakers; Ellen LaPointe, President & CEO, Northern California Grantmakers)
A Statement from Philanthropy California: “Our nation has long been a place of promise of safety and respite from harm. Today, for thousands of children and their families, that promise has been replaced with peril. Separating children from their parents inflicts unnecessary trauma on children that can cause lasting harm. (See the American Academy of Pediatrics’ 2017 policy statement regarding child health impact of separation). The current practices at the border are an affront to the shared values of decency, humanity, and compassion that underpin our work in philanthropy, and that we believe to be fundamental to a civil society.”
Robert K. Ross, M.D., President and CEO, The California Endowment
A Father's Day Outrage: “As a pediatrician, a father, and a human being, I cannot be silent in the face of such cruelty. There is no excuse and there is no justification for this atrocity. It is wrong, it is unnecessary, and it is deeply traumatic to tear innocent children away from their parents. Struggling parents who risked their lives in the belief that the United States was still the only place in this world where some measure of safety and justice could still be gained are devastated. And all of us are forced to endure this abomination in our name.”
Additional Resources:
ACLU Foundation is a national organization that has defended the civil rights of individuals for nearly a century. Its Immigrant Rights Project is a unit within the ACLU that defends the rights of immigrants and is currently litigating family separation issues.
Center for Gender and Refugee Studies (CGRS)* is a national organization that protects the fundamental human rights of refugee women, children, LGBT individuals, and others who flee persecution in their home countries. CGRS is taking the lead in responding to the administration’s attempts to dismantle asylum protections for victims of domestic violence.
Central American Resource Center of Northern California (CARECEN) responds to the needs, rights, and aspirations of immigrant families in the Bay Area through direct services, community development, and advocacy. CARECEN leads efforts to protect and provide services to unaccompanied immigrant children.
Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) is a national organization that engages in policy advocacy. With offices in ten cities, including San Francisco and Washington D.C., KIND trains pro bono lawyers to represent unaccompanied immigrant children in removal proceedings.
Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR): Philanthropic Strategies to Support Refugees and Asylum SeekersHispanics in Philanthropy: Learn about HIP's fund to strengthen a safety net of lasting support and services for the families detained at the border.
Legal Services for Children is a Bay Area nonprofit organization that provides free representation, mental health, and case management services to children and youth to stabilize their lives and realize their full potential. They represent detained children and those in removal proceedings.
Liberty Hill Foundation: Rapid Response Fund for Young Immigrant Children.
Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) is a nonprofit organization that provides free and low-cost legal services to underserved immigrant children, families and refugees in Central and South Texas. They have been raising funds to get parents out of detention so that they can be reunited with their children.
*Slate Magazine also has a growing list of local and national groups that work or are taking action on immigrant issues.
Has your foundation issued a response or call-to-action, or do you have a relevant resource to share? Please contact Tere Figueras Negrete, TFN's communications director, at tere@www.fundersnetwork.org.
'Hey mayors, focus on transportation': A call to action for local leaders
By TFN Staff
Mary Skelton Roberts, co-director of climate at the Barr Foundation and a member of the TFN Board of Directors, recently wrote an opinion piece in Commonwealth Magazine. The piece was timed to coincide with the International Mayors Climate Summit, which took place in Barr's home city of Boston.
"Today, global and national mayors will convene in Boston to advance shared solutions around climate change. By 2030, more than 60 percent of the world’s population will live in cities. Mayors will increasingly have more opportunity – and a deeper responsibility – to lead on climate change," she writes.
"Luckily, transportation is one of the areas in which a mayor can have the greatest influence."
She notes that Boston has made strides in "planning for a future that will most certainly include higher tides, hotter days, and more extreme weather." Her call-to-action to the world's mayors include four lessons gleaned from the work being done in Boston that can help them shape mobility-focused perspectives that can impact climate today:
"Reprioritize city streets. Streets are one of the largest land assets cities own, but many mayors cede this precious space almost entirely to private car use. Car-centric street design sends the message that driving alone to work, school, and appointments is a city’s preferred transportation option for residents. Many cities are seeing major upticks in traffic congestion as a result.
Cities can make simple fixes like adding dedicated bus lanes during peak commuting hours to greatly improve transit reliability and enable more people to choose the bus over their car. Everett, here in Massachusetts, has been a pioneer around street priority, setting up a now-permanent “pop-up” dedicated bus lane on one of their main commuting throughways. Boston followed with a dedicated lane pilot in the Roslindale neighborhood, and the Barr Foundation is proud to be partnering with Everett, Arlington, Cambridge, and Watertown on other projects promoting better buses. The goal is to move the region closer to designing true bus rapid transit routes—the gold standard in moving people efficiently and effectively on local roads.
Create better linkages between open spaces. Parks are a tried-and-true public health tool and will play an important role in resilience by reducing the “heat island effect” and mitigating climate change-induced flooding. Creating better linkages between park spaces takes driving out of the recreation equation. For example, Boston’s Green Links program is a city-wide plan to connect people in every neighborhood to Boston’s greenway network by installing new walking and bike paths, and safer road crossings. Programs like this encourage people to walk and bike more (the original low- and no-carbon modes of transportation). Green spaces are also a key part of making cities more resilient in the face of extreme weather related to climate change.
Promote greater density near transit. People in cities want to live near where they work and play. In Boston, we’ve heard this again and again from the major employers – including GE, Amazon, and Reebok – moving into our urban core. Mayors can attract new talent and new businesses by taking a close look at zoning policy near transit stations. Updating zoning can be a politically tough road, but building denser near transit encourages a city lifestyle that doesn’t require driving
Accelerate regional mobility solutions. As we’ve seen with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative around clean energy, states acting together are a force to be reckoned with. This multi-state effort has generated roughly $4 billion in net benefits to the region over nine years of implementation while reducing harmful emissions from power plants. Currently, 11 Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states (including Massachusetts) and the District of Columbia are working together on the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) — a regional collaboration that seeks to improve transportation, develop the clean energy economy, and reduce carbon emissions from the transportation sector. Mayors in these states can and should show strong support for this effort to move forward — and regions across the country can learn from this collaborative and bi-partisan model."
Read the full piece in Commonwealth Magazine here.
About the Author
Mary Skelton Roberts is co-director for climate at the Barr Foundation, focusing on transportation and land use—two critical levers for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Her portfolio aims to modernize our transit systems and to help communities transform themselves into more walkable, connected places where all residents have attractive alternatives to driving and spend far less time and money traveling by car. Mary is a member of the TFN Board of Directors and an alumni of TFN's PLACES Fellowship, a year-long learning experience focused on embedding equity and inclusion in philanthropic work.
Featured image: Photo credit Boston Magazine
Inside Policy Series: What funders need to know about federal policy
By: TFN StaffKeeping abreast of federal policy can be daunting — especially given the daily churn of a 24/7 news cycle and rapidly shifting Washington landscape. Join us for the second installment of our Inside Policy briefings that explore emerging policy trends and their potential impacts on people and communities. Topics include the state of fair housing, whether tax incentives for low-income neighborhoods can create equitable development, and the increasingly important role states are playing in challenging federal policy. Register today for one or all of our three-part series — and be sure to check out our TFN calendar of events for other learning opportunities. |
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Fair Housing in a Shifting Federal EnvironmentJune 25 | 1-2 p.m. ET |
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As federal policy direction shifts, the federal commitment to fair housing is under intense pressure with high-stakes impact on both people and places. Growing distance between anti-discrimination goals, federal priorities and regulatory guidance worries advocates of equity and inclusion. Join this session to hear from a leading national fair housing voice about the status of fair housing, how communities are responding and how funders can rethink both the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. SpeakersLisa Rice, President and CEO, National Fair Housing Alliance Register for this webinar here. |
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Can Opportunity Zones Create Equitable Impact?July 23 | 3-4 p.m. ET |
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Created as part of the Trump Administration's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Opportunity Zones are a new federal economic development tool aiming to improve the outcomes of distressed communities around the country. But how can advocates and stakeholders harness its power and ensure positive impact on equitable, community-based neighborhood restoration? Join this session to learn more about the Opportunity Zones program, its potential as a development tool and the roles funders can play in emerging local implementation. SpeakersKatie Kramer, Vice President, Council of Development Finance Agencies Register for this webinar here. |
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Balance of Power: How Courts and States are Impacting PolicySept. 24 | 1-2 p.m. ET |
States and the courts have emerged as high-profile players amid swiftly changing federal policy, stepping in with key actions related to immigration, climate change, civil liberties and other areas. Whether they question or affirm, impede or support proposed federal policy decisions, State’s Attorneys General are a significant element. Join this session to hear from James E. Tierney, the former attorney general of Maine, learn more about the role of states and the courts in the current federal agenda, and explore the consequent impact on inclusive growth, sustainability, and equitable government systems. SpeakersJames E. Tierney, Director, StateAG.org, and Lecturer, Harvard Law School Register for this webinar here. |
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The Inside Policy series is intended for a funder-only audience. Registrants will receive a link to the webinar via email in advance of the briefing session. |
New grant opportunity for sustainability efforts : Partners for Places' latest RFP released!
By Ann Fowler Wallace, TFN Director of ProgramsIn partnership with the Urban Sustainability Directors Network, the Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities (TFN) is pleased to announce the opening of Round 13 of the Partners for Places grant program. Partners for Places is a successful matching grant program that improves U.S. and Canadian communities by building partnerships between local government sustainability leaders and place-based foundations. National funders invest in local projects developed through these partnerships to promote a healthy environment, a strong economy and well-being for all residents. Through these investments, Partners for Places fosters long-term relationships that make our communities more prosperous, livable and vibrant. In addition to the general grant program, Round 13 also includes dedicated funding to support green stormwater infrastructure projects that advance water-related sustainability goals. The grant program provides partnership investments between $25,000 and $75,000 for one year projects, or $50,000 and $150,000 for two year projects, with a 1:1 match required by one or more local foundations. To date, Partners for Places has awarded nearly $6 million across North America in this successful matching grant program, leading to nearly $12 million in investments. |
Creating a Successful ProposalPartners for Places now accepts proposals for the creation of a community-focused sustainability, climate action, adaptation/resilience, or comprehensive plan that specifically addresses sustainability or addresses an area identified for performance improvement or implementation for Certified STAR Communities. If your proposal requests funding for the creation of one of these plans, please closely review our Planning Process Guide linked here before preparing your proposal. In addition, all proposals are scored on the extent to which projects include meaningful involvement of priority audiences/stakeholders in program development and implementation. To review our guidance document on meaningful engagement, click here. The application deadline for Round 13 is July 31, 2018 (by 11:59 p.m., any time zone). Please visit the Partners for Places webpage for more information. Here you can view our promotional video, download the Request for Proposals (RFP), and access our Proposal Form and Budget Form. You may also consult our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for Round 13 document. |
Additional ResourcesInfo WebinarsTFN and USDN will host a series of Partners for Places Round 13 Info Webinars. (Partners for Places will also be featured in our June TFN Learning Network Webinar.) Please visit here for the full schedule of upcoming learning opportunities. In the NewsPartners for Places was the subject of a recent feature by Inside Philanthropy: The Latest Push for Cities That Are Both More Sustainable and Equitable. |
Funder InvestorsPartners for Places general grant program is supported by The JPB Foundation, Kendeda Fund, New York Community Trust, The Summit Foundation, and Surdna Foundation. Support for the dedicated stormwater matching grant funding is provided by The JPB Foundation,The Kresge Foundation and the Pisces Foundation. Selection ProcessA selection committee comprised of foundation representatives and urban sustainability directors makes grant selection decisions on behalf of Partners for Places. Awards will be announced on Nov. 8, 2018. Any Questions?If the RFP and FAQ documents don’t answer all your questions, please contact Ashley Quintana at ashley@www.fundersnetwork.orgor Ann Wallace at ann@www.fundersnetwork.org for more information. |
What can this once-thriving mill town teach us about sustainability? Join our deep-dive on Biddeford, Maine, at NEFN's annual meeting
By: TFN Staff
Are you a funder working in the Northeast — and looking to build relationships with other foundations, local partners and others working in the same area?
TFN’s Northeast Funders’ Network will hold its annual meeting, in partnership with the Orton Family Foundation, during a two-day event that will span two Maine cities June 18-19: Biddeford and Kennebunkport.
Join us as we delve into a range of topics of keen interest to Northeast funders, deepen learning from place and share best practices and strategies with peers. The meeting will focus on innovation and key trends affecting small towns, rural communities and older legacy cities.
The meeting kicks off Monday, June 18, at the Pepperell Mill Complex in Biddeford, where we’ll hear a powerful story of how civic leaders, residents, business interests and local institutions are coming together to pursue a more sustainable and vibrant future for this once-thriving mill town. Biddeford is making a transition from dependence on a single waste-to-energy incinerator toward a future built on diverse and robust smaller ventures.
In 2012, the Biddeford’s leaders decided to buy the waste facility for $ 6.5 million and close it, losing 80 jobs as well as the largest contributor to the city’s tax base. Since then, more than 90 new businesses have moved into the redeveloped Pepperell Mill complex creating 500 jobs, with the space is only half built out. Today, Biddeford has a growing economy and stable, stronger tax base. But revitalization has brought new worries about gentrification and other issues.
During a deep-dive session moderated by Gabrielle Smith, senior associate for strategic partnerships at the Orton Family Foundation, we’ll hear from Biddeford Mayor Alan Casavant and others about how Biddeford is taking steps to address these challenges.
Our first day will also include a walking tour of Downtown Biddeford with Delilah Poupore, executive director of Heart of Biddeford, and Pete Lamontagne, head tour guide at the Biddeford Mills Museum.
Our second day of the NEFN meeting will take us to nearby Kennebunkport, where we’ll explore clean energy opportunities in the region, innovations in rural development and the potential of investing in local media.
Take a look at our agenda highlights below, or view full agenda and list of speakers here. For registration information on the NEFN Annual Meeting visit us here.
Agenda OverviewMonday, June 18 2:00-4:00 p.m. | NEFN Meeting at Pepperell Mill Campus Speakers: · Gabrielle Smith, Senior Associate for Strategic Partnerships, Orton Family Foundation (Moderator) · Alan Casavant, Mayor, Biddeford · Tammy Ackerman, Executive Director, Engine & Program Director, Maine FabLab · Delilah Poupore, Executive Director, Heart of Biddeford · James Bennett, City Manager · Doug Sanford, Developer · Mathew Eddy, Economic Development Director 4:00-5:30 p.m. | Walking Tour of Downtown Biddeford Joining us on the tour: · Pete Lamontagne , Head Tour Guide, Biddeford Mills Museum · Delilah Poupore, Executive Director, Heart of Biddeford 6:30 p.m. | Networking Reception and Dinner Tuesday, June 19 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. | NEFN Meeting at Colony Hotel, Kennebunkport • Advancing Clean Energy Opportunities in the Region Speakers: · Meredith Hatfield, Climate Program Officer, Barr Foundation (Moderator) · Christine Donovan, Vermont Energy Investment Corp, Brooks Winner, Island Institute, Maine · Jared Duval, Energy Action Network (EAN), Vermont • Rural Development Innovations in the Northeast and Beyond Speaker: · Rob Riley, President, Northern Forest Center • The Potential of Investing in Local Media Speakers: · Gaye Symington, High Meadows Fund (Moderator) · Daniel Dinsmore, Executive Director, Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting · Anne Galloway, founder and Editor of Vermont Digger · Mark Simpson, News Director, Maine Public Radio |
A "gas tax" repeal effort threatens funding for sustainable transportation in California
By Kerry Gallagher and Marta Lindsey, Smart Growth California
More than 800,000 signatures have been gathered to place a repeal of SB 1 – also known as the “gas tax” – on California’s November ballot this year.
Given the repeal efforts, we want to lift up this major transportation infrastructure bill and what it means for California’s communities.
Last October, Smart Growth California hosted a webinar for funders to learn about SB 1, which passed in April 2017. SB 1 raises $5.4 billion per year for the state’s transportation construction and repair budget through increases in the gas tax and vehicle fees. A 12 cent-per-gallon hike in the gasoline tax went into effect on November 1; other taxes on diesel fuel and vehicles are yet to be implemented.
On our webinar, advocates from ClimatePlan, the California Bicycle Coalition, and PolicyLink discussed their joint efforts to shape SB 1 to meet transportation justice and sustainable transportation goals. The coalition ultimately succeeded in several significant and hard-fought wins within SB 1:
- A tripling of the state’s investment in public transportation;
- A near doubling of monies for the Active Transportation Program; and
- Support for planning for sustainable communities as well as workforce development.
SB 1 is hardly perfect; the coalition raised concerns about the bill, such as the “dirty-diesel” amendment added last-minute to allow diesel truck pollution to continue. Other concerns included the disproportionate focus of funding on automobile transportation and the lack of targeted investment in California’s most vulnerable communities. But even in its imperfect state, SB 1 raises a groundbreaking $8.5 billion for sustainable transportation.
Read more about SB 1 and the impact of its potential repeal on the Smart Growth California blog.
(Photo credit: Getty Images)
What makes a successful Partners for Places proposal? Register for our Partners for Places Info Webinars
By TFN StaffWe recently announced the latest round of grantees for the Partners for Places matching grant program. (You can read more about the six cities chosen on our blog, or in this great write-up recently featured in Inside Philanthropy.) More good news for cities and funders looking hoping to support sustainability projects that promote a healthy environment, a strong economy and well-being for all residents: the Request for Proposals for the next round of Partners for Places grants will go live June 5, 2018. (The deadline to apply is July 31, 2018.) Want to learn more about how you can propose a local sustainability project that builds on vital partnerships and improves communities across the U.S. and Canada? Be sure to register for our upcoming Partners for Places Info Webinars below. |
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Round 13 Info WebinarIn Partnership with the Canadian Environmental Grantmakers' Network and the Community Foundations of CanadaMay 23, 2018 Hear from a Community Foundations of Canada representative and new grantees in Edmonton, Alberta, who recently received a Partners for Places grant for an effort to work with low-income, immigrant and indigenous communities to ensure they are meaningfully engaged in energy transition programs focused on a low-carbon, sustainable energy future. Speakers |
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Round 13 Info WebinarJune 14, 2018 Join us to learn more about submitting a successful proposal for Round 13 of the Partners for Places matching grant program. This webinar will give potential applicants an opportunity to hear more about the new Request for Proposal, to be released June 5. We'll have staff from TFN and USDN on hand to offer insight and field your questions. |
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Round 13 Info WebinarWith Green Infrastructure Leadership ExchangeJune 15, 2018 In addition to the existing sustainability priority areas, Round 13 includes dedicated funding to support green stormwater infrastructure projects that advance water-related sustainability goals. This webinar will focus on how to submit proposals for green stormwater infrastructure projects, highlighting the importance of collaboration between sustainability directors and water utility/water department personnel. The Green Infrastructure Leadership Exchange, a new practitioner network supporting green infrastructure communities, is a new partner to USDN and TFN for the green stormwater infrastructure projects. |
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About Partners for PlacesA joint project of TFN and the Urban Sustainability Directors Network, Partners for Places is a successful matching grant program that improves U.S. and Canadian communities by building partnerships between local government sustainability leaders and place-based foundations. National funders invest in local projects developed through these partnerships to promote a healthy environment, a strong economy and well-being for all residents. Through these investments, Partners for Places fosters long-term relationships that make our communities more prosperous, livable and vibrant. The general grant program is supported by five investor foundations: The JPB Foundation, The Kendeda Fund, The New York Community Trust, The Summit Foundation, and Surdna Foundation. To date, Partners for Places has awarded nearly $6 million across North America in this successful matching grant program, leading to nearly $12 million in investments. For more information on Partners for Places, visit us here, or reach out to Ann Fowler Wallace or Ashley Quintana. |
What do these six cities have in common? They're the newest Partners for Places grantees!
By Ann Fowler Wallace, TFN Director of ProgramsNow, more than ever, communities are coming together to confront climate change and build resilience at the local level. That's why we're excited to announce the newest round of Partners for Places grantees: six cities across the United States and Canada that will receive nearly $900,000 dollars for sustainability efforts. These local sustainability efforts focus largely on empowering and engaging low-income neighborhoods — communities that are disproportionately affected by climate change and extreme weather. They will take place in cities both large and small, from a project in Indianapolis, Ind., that will recruit neighborhood “resilience ambassadors” to a solar-power effort in Oak Park, Ill., where local teens will research and produce a climate-themed radio show. Three of the communities occupy especially vulnerable waterfront geographies: Honolulu, Los Angeles and Miami are embarking on efforts to either craft or refine resiliency plans and strategies. And in Edmonton, Canada, Partners for Places will help fund efforts to include low-income, immigrant and indigenous communities in plans to move to a low-carbon future. |
Vision and Vital Partnerships |
Partners for Places, led by TFN in partnership with the Urban Sustainability Directors Network, pairs city governments with philanthropy to support sustainability projects that promote a healthy environment, a strong economy and well-being for all residents. “Communities across this country are already tackling the threat of climate change with passion and purpose,” said Arturo Garcia-Costas, environmental program officer for the New York Community Trust. “These projects showcase their ingenuity and vision, and exemplify how philanthropy can support the vital partnerships we need to create safer, stronger and more resilient communities.” Partners for Places will provide $443,344 in funding to these six cities through its general grant program, which will be matched by local funders. That means a total of $899,977 will be leveraged to fund sustainability projects in these selected cities. The program is supported by five investor foundations: The JPB Foundation, The Kendeda Fund, The New York Community Trust, The Summit Foundation, and Surdna Foundation. To date, Partners for Places has awarded nearly $6 million across North America in this successful matching grant program, leading to nearly $12 million in investments. |
Meet the New Grantees |
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The latest Partners for Places grant recipients and their matching funders are: • Edmonton, Canada ($59,883): To work with low-income, immigrant and indigenous communities to ensure they are consulted and included in energy transition programs focused on a low-carbon, energy sustainable future. (Matching funder: Edmonton Community Foundation.) |
• Honolulu, Hawaii ($75,000): To create a clear, ambitious, achievable climate action and adaptation plan that addresses unique cost of living and climate impact vulnerabilities of Oahu — the island that is home to the state’s capital city of Honolulu — and serves as a model for climate planning throughout the Hawaiian Islands. (Matching funder: Hawaii Community Foundation.) • Indianapolis, Ind. ($146,711): To create a comprehensive, equitable, and socially just sustainability, climate action, and resilience plan for Indianapolis, with actions initially implemented within revitalization-focused neighborhoods. (Matching funders: McKinney Green Initiatives, a Central Indiana Community Foundation fund, and Indianapolis Power & Light.) • Los Angeles County, Calif. ($87,500): To actively include community voices in a countywide sustainability plan by employing innovative engagement strategies and building meaningful community partnerships — including working with low-income communities and communities of color that are often the most vulnerable to climate change, urban heat island impacts, and poor air quality. (Matching funders: Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and LA n Sync at the California Community Foundation.) |
• Miami, Fla.($25,000): To develop a resilience strategy that is integrated with the city’s strategic plan and land-use policies, with a strong focus on engaging low-income and underserved communities. This includes a community engagement consultant that will assist in workshops to uncover the best and most innovative ideas for increasing resilience in these communities — and the city as a whole. (Matching funder: The Miami Foundation.) • Oak Park, Ill. ($49,250): To drive continued action, education and outreach on solar development and procurement in Oak Park, River Forest and surrounding communities, including a local radio show produced by teens, and influencing and inspiring similar efforts in other Chicago metro area counties and communities. (Matching funder: The Community_works_ Fund of the Oak Park River Forest Community Foundation.) |
New RFP Coming Soon!Partners for Places will open a new round of funding for the general grant program in early summer. The Round 13 RFP will be released on June 5, 2018, and proposals will be due on July 31, 2018. For more information about the Partners for Places program, please feel free to reach out to TFN's Director of Programs Ann Fowler Wallace. |
15 Years of Disaster Recovery: A Community Foundation’s Journey
By Louise Knauer, Chief Operating Officer for the Community Foundation of the Ozarks
This week, TFN's Philanthropic Preparedness, Resiliency and Emergency Partnership (PPREP) convened in Springfield, Mo., to explore the intersections of land-use decisions, community resilience and equitable disaster preparation and recovery. Our meeting was hosted by the amazing team at the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, a member of our PPREP cohort. Here, CFO's Chief Operating Officer Louise Knauer offers her insights on a post originally shared via the Center for Disaster Philanthropy.
Fifteen years ago, the Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) started its first disaster response when a high-end F3 tornado killed three and destroyed much of downtown Stockton, Mo., a county seat with a lovely sailing lake. It’s an easy date to remember – 05/04/03.
At the time, the Stockton Community Foundation was a year-old member of the CFO’s affiliate network. Its president, Brian Hammons, third-generation leader of his family’s black-walnut business, wasn’t sure exactly how the CFO could help, but he was sure he needed to muster all the help he could find.
Neither I nor current CFO President, Brian Fogle, worked at the Foundation in 2003. I was the spokesperson for the City of Springfield, Mo., where the CFO is based. Brian was a community development banker for Great Southern Bank, which had a couple of walls and two vaults left standing at its Stockton branch. Then-CFO President Dr. Gary Funk tapped us, among others, to figure out how the CFO could support Stockton’s recovery.
My city colleagues found our niche helping the community focus on recovery priorities through engagement activities. Gary and Brian worked with the Hammons family to establish a charitable fund to encourage an intentional planning process and also a community development corporation to offer gap financing to help businesses rebuild.
Our methods seem so quaint today – we tacked up flyers and hauled flip charts and paper surveys to community meetings – no social media, no Survey Monkey, maybe a PowerPoint. Gary, Brian, and Brian and Dwain Hammons sketched out the CDC’s framework on paper napkins.
The contrast seems especially striking this week, 15 years and multiple natural disasters later. Today, the CFO is part of the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities' Philanthropic Preparedness Resiliency and Emergency Partnership (PPREP), a cohort of Midwestern community foundations and regional grantmaking associations. The Center for Disaster Philanthropy serves as the curriculum development and technical assistance partner for the program. The cohort met in Springfield this week for topical learning about mission-related investing, adaptive land use, mitigation strategies and civic architectural design within the context of natural disaster recovery.
Our training marries very real experience and insight from natural disasters within our cohort’s 18 regions with knowledge from experts in planning, nonprofit, government, natural resource and related fields.
Last year, the CFO experienced another disaster first – massive spring flooding on the national scenic rivers in south-central Missouri that washed out towns and the river-related economic base that sustains one of the nation’s poorest regions. It was a classic low-attention disaster in a sparsely populated area; we opened traditional recovery funds, but knew we needed to do more.
Read the full post on the Center for Disaster Philanthropy blog here.
About The Author
Louise Knauer is the Chief Operating Officer for the Community Foundation of the Ozarks. She can be reached at lknauer@cfozarks.org.