This project will provide nationwide technical assistance, a cohort-modeled structure of learning, visual resources, and workshops to increase the capacity of nonprofits in brownfield impacted…

This Cooperative Agreement award of $1,000,000 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Brownfields Training, Research, and Technical Assistance Grants and Cooperative Agreements program (CFDA 66.814) will enable Groundwork USA Inc. to provide nationwide technical assistance, coaching, and educational resources to build the capacity of nonprofits operating in brownfield-impacted communities. The key products and services to be delivered include:

1. Developing 30 hands-on workshops and one-on-one coaching sessions for nonprofit cohorts to enhance their abilities in brownfield revitalization, equitable community engagement, and project financing strategies. This effort will be supported by a $235,000 subaward to the Center for Creative Land Recycling.

2. Executing a series of at least 35 webinars targeted towards both experienced brownfield nonprofits and those new to this area, covering topics from basics to specialized skills.

3. Creating a visual library of 15 educational videos, infographics, and social media resources in English and Spanish to further build the capacity of brownfield-focused nonprofits.

The project period is from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2028.

This project will provide nationwide technical assistance, a cohort-modeled structure of learning, visual resources, and workshops to increase the capacity of nonprofits in brownfield impacted communities to equitably transform brownfield parcels into community assets. The technical assistance and resources in this project will be targeted towards nonprofits operating in low-income and in minority communities, with the aim of building institutional knowledge and peer-to-peer support for brownfields revitalization in their communities. This agreement will provide funding under the infrastructure investment and jobs act for groundwork USA to conduct eligible technical assistance-related activities as authorized by cercla 104(k)(7). Activities:this agreement provides financial assistance to groundwork USA (gwusa) to implement its own project to provide technical assistance to nonprofits in brownfields communities by developing resources and offering direct assistance on the integration of equitable development strategies into brownfield reuse processes. Gwusa's project will provide a three-pronged approach: first, they will pull together nonprofit organizations into coaching cohorts which will meet regularly to build specific relevant skills and cultivate collaborative working relationships between nonprofits working on, or exploring what IT would take to reuse a brownfield site. Second, they will execute a series of webinars and workshops targeted towards a wide range of nonprofit organizations ranging from those that already have experience reusing brownfields but are looking for additional growth and support in key areas, to those that have never worked with brownfields and may be unaware that the reuse of such land can help them achieve their community priorities. Third, they will produce visual resources such as videos, social media videos, infographics, and drawn materials that will add to the capacity of organizations to reuse land. Subrecipient:there will be one subaward awarded to the center for creative land recycling (cclr), which will act as a close partner in the development and management of the nonprofit cohorts and delivery of workshops. Subaward will total $235,000 over the five years.outcomes:the first deliverable category involves the creating of coaching cohorts to increase the capacity of nonprofits to conduct brownfield reuse. Gwusa will conduct at least 30 hands-on workshops and one-on-one technical assistance/coaching sessions. While the exact schedule and topics will be determined by the unique needs of participants, gwusa's resources and assistance will focus on the following topics: brownfields revitalization basics; mission-driven land reuse; brownfield site vision planning exercise; project management basics; partnerships, roles, and responsibilities; equitable community engagement; communicating site risk to stakeholders; collaborating across sectors; and financing redevelopment strategies. The second deliverable category is the creation of a webinar series to engage nonprofits in brownfields communities in building growth in key areas; the content will be developed into the following series: brownfield-curious webinar series, brownfield nonprofit speaker series, and skill-focused workshops. Gwusa will create and conduct at least 35 webinars. The final deliverable is a visual library of resources, which will include 15 engaging english and spanish language audio, video, and graphic pieces. They will begin with the following topics and add additional topics as identified in response to community need: creative land use for climate adaptation, demystifying land reuse explainer videos, webinar and workshop training videos, and social media educational stories. Gwusa's activities will directly benefit brownfields communities by providing support to nonprofits which will range from building their capacity in understa