Technical assistance program supports more than 200 communities nationwide
Washington, DC – November 26, 2013 – The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has selected the Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) to lead Phase II of their Capacity Building for Sustainable Communities Program, awarding $4.625 million over 18 months.
The cooperative agreement is a continuation of ISC’s work over the past two years to support the efforts of more than 200 communities across America to develop and implement collaborative, inclusive, equitable community and regional sustainable development plans and initiatives. ISC put together a strong consortium for its Phase II proposal, bringing together a team of leading national organizations, most of which were actively engaged in providing grantee services during Phase I of the program from 2011 through September 2013.
“We are delighted to partner with HUD on this important and successful sustainable community development initiative,” noted Steve Nicholas, ISC’s Vice President for US Programs. “We welcome the opportunity to continue supporting US communities working to make themselves more prosperous, environmentally sustainable, equitable, and resilient.”
ISC’s programs are designed to facilitate peer learning and engagement among community leaders charged with making their communities more sustainable – including everything from transportation to energy to housing and downtown development. ISC began its work with the Sustainable Communities Initiative, a joint project of HUD, US EPA, and US DOT, in 2011, creating the National Sustainable Communities Learning Network in partnership with Smart Growth America and creating an in-depth series of peer-learning workshops for Network members.
“The work of this consortium to support the effective implementation of our grantees’ planning initiatives across the country over the past two years was an essential element of the early success we are seeing in the program,” noted Salin Geevarghese, Acting Director of HUD’s Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities. “Their contribution has sharpened the impact of this important federal investment in our economic recovery. We are delighted that these talented partners have come together to coordinate their efforts even more effectively in the months to come.”
ISC’s primary partners in implementing Phase II include Smart Growth America, PolicyLink, PlaceMatters, and the National Association of Development Organizations Research Foundation. Additional implementing partners include Minnesota Housing Partnership, Envision Utah, and the University of Louisville as the Environmental Finance Center Network coordinator.
ISC’s consortium will provide technical assistance, training, and an online learning network for HUD and EPA grantees. A wide range of resources is available at the members-only website sclearningnetwork.org and ISC’s Sustainable Communities Leadership Academy site, which features a wealth of searchable resources targeted at communities investing in sustainability.