MacArthur Foundation Awards $400,000 to Institute for Sustainable Communities
Supports American Society of Adaptation Professionals
Montpelier, VT – December 17, 2015 – The Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) has been awarded $400,000 by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to support its ongoing work developing a network of professionals focused on effective climate adaptation through the American Society of Adaptation Professionals.
The American Society of Adaptation Professionals, also known as ASAP, is a network of government, nonprofit, academic and private sector professionals who are working on helping communities adapt to climate change. A typical member engages with ASAP as part of an affinity group, connecting around specific issues such as policy, communications, information technology and project management. 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.
ISC, with initial support from the Rockefeller Foundation, began incubating ASAP in 2013; the nascent network also received support from the Kresge Foundation. Since its launch at the National Adaptation Forum in 2013, the organization has grown to 1,004 members. In 2015, ASAP began the process of becoming as a stand-alone nonprofit, which should be complete by the end of 2016.
“We are delighted with the support and commitment the MacArthur Foundation has shown to building this network of adaptation professionals,” notes Steve Adams, ISC’s Director of Strategic Initiatives and chair of the ASAP board of directors. “As climate disruption becomes more intense, effective adaptation action is required at every scale from international to local and across all sectors. Our members are working at the vanguard of adaptation efforts and ASAP serves to amplify their work by connecting them to each other.”
ISC has been remarkably effective in creating networks of practitioners to advance local action; in addition to the ASAP network, they have been the primary peer-learning and network director for HUD’s Sustainable Communities Initiative; they manage the Solar Market Pathways network for the US Department of Energy; and their Asia sustainable manufacturing initiative, the EHS+ Network, has trained over 20,000 factory managers in environment, health and safety best practices. In addition, they have developed and supported a number of regional networks, including the Resilient Vermont Network, the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Compact, and the Western Adaptation Alliance.
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ABOUT ISC
An international nonprofit organization, the Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) has 25 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 100 projects in 30 countries, and currently works in China, India, Bangladesh and the United States.