FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 13, 2015
American Society of Adaptation Professionals Incorporated as Nonprofit
Institute for Sustainable Communities launches adaptation organization at National Adaptation Forum
St. Louis, Mo. – May 13, 2015 – The Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) announced today at the National Adaptation Forum that the American Society of Adaptation Professionals (ASAP) will now be a self-governed organization.
For the past three years, the Institute for Sustainable Communities – with the help of a dedicated board, strong staff support and the generous financial support of the Kresge and MacArthur Foundations – has been developing the American Society of Adaptation Professionals. Today, ASAP has 1,000 members from 47 states and, as planned, is ready to be an independent nonprofit organization.
“Helping local leaders connect to their peers, access the latest expertise, and collaborate effectively is central to ISC’s mission – so we’re delighted that ASAP has grown and flourished to this point,” said ISC Director of Strategic Initiatives and ASAP co-founder Steve Adams. We are delighted to welcome ASAP as a partner in furthering local sustainability.”
The newly-minted nonprofit will continue its mission of building climate resilient, adaptive communities across the country by educating the public and bringing together climate adaptation professionals to develop and implement climate resilient adaptation practices.
“Today’s announcement is culmination of three years of intense preparation and outreach,” said ASAP Managing Director and ISC Senior Program Officer Sascha Petersen. “ASAP is already helping to move the field forward and support the adaptation community. We’re ready to take it to the next level.”
The organization will also begin collecting annual membership dues ranging from $50 to $150. The dues supplement existing philanthropic support for ASAP’s core activities.
The development of ASAP comes at a time when adaptation is becoming a central professional concern for urban planners, natural resource managers, hazard mitigation specialists and many others around the country. ASAP helps connect and support adaptation professionals from all sectors: private, public, academic and nonprofit. Through this type of support, the field as a whole is elevated.
“I see ASAP as an expression of the professionalization of a new field of practice,” said Dr. Susanne Moser, ASAP co-founder, board member and internationally known researcher and adaptation expert. “It clearly marks the beginning of Adaptation 2.0.”
All current ASAP members will have three months before they will be asked for member dues. ISC will continue to provide operational support – including staff and resources – to ASAP until September of 2015.
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About the American Society of Adaptation Professionals
The American Society of Adaptation Professionals is building climate resilient, adaptive communities across the country by educating the public and bringing together climate adaptation professionals to develop and implement climate resilient adaptation practices. adaptationprofessionals.org
About the Institute for Sustainable Communities
An international nonprofit organization, the Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) has 24 years of practical experience working with local leaders to accelerate climate change and sustainability solutions. ISC’s programs are designed to facilitate peer learning and engagement among local leaders charged with the work of making their communities more sustainable. ISC has led more than 103 projects in 30 countries, and currently works in China, India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Thailand and the United States. www.sustain.org