Cooperative Agreement 84082001

DESCRIPTION:THE PURPOSE OF THIS FUNDING IS TO PROVIDE THE INITIAL AWARD OF $12,000,000 TO THE INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES (ISC), AS THE EASTERN NATIONAL GRANTMAKER, AS PART OF A BIFURCATED AWARD FOR PASSTHROUGH GRANTMAKING ACTIVITIES AUTHORIZED BY CAA 138(B). THE INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES (ISC) NATIONAL GRANTMAKER PROJECT WILL BE FUNDED BY THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT (IRA) APPROPRIATIONS AT THE LEVEL TOTALING $50,000,000 DIVIDED INTO TWO AWARDS OF AN INITIAL AND SUBSEQUENT AWARD. THIS BIFURCATED AWARD IS DERIVED FROM THE SAME FUNDING SOURCE BUT MAINTAINING SEPARATE BUT OVERLAPPING TIMELINES THAT MEET THE OVERALL REQUIREMENTS OF THE AWARD. THE INITIAL AWARD GRANT FUNDS WILL ENABLE THE GRANTMAKER TO PERFORM THE TASKS NEEDED TO ESTABLISH AND CARRY OUT THE PROPOSED PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE, OUTREACH, AND SYSTEM MOBILIZATION EFFORTS FOR ESTABLISHING THE COLLECTION, REVIEW, SELECTION, AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE EJ THRIVING COMMUNITIES SUBGRANTS. THROUGH THE ISC TEAM'S EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN GRANTMAKING AND PROVIDING TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR EQUITY-CENTERED APPROACHES THAT BUILD ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE OUTCOMES, THEY WILL ENSURE THAT EPA FUNDS UNDER THE THRIVING COMMUNITY GRANTMAKER PROGRAM ARE CHANNELED TO COMMUNITIES THAT ARE MOST IN NEED TO ADDRESS THE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES. THE INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES HAS BEEN SELECTED TO SERVE AS THE NATIONAL-EASTERN GRANTMAKER PROVIDING SUPPORT TO COMMUNITIES ACROSS EPA REGIONS 1-3. ISC'S DIVERSE TEAM BRINGS EXPERTISE IN MANAGING TWO NATIONAL GRANTMAKING PROGRAMS ALONGSIDE THEIR ONLINE PLATFORM THEY ARE DEVELOPING FOR THE NATIONAL EJ THRIVING COMMUNITIES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER AN EASY-TO-USE EASTERN NATIONAL EVALUATION AND TRACKING SYSTEM. THIS SYSTEM WILL BE DESIGNED TO TRACK GRANTMAKING DATA FOR REGIONS 1, 2 AND 3; AND, THROUGH A DATA VISUALIZATION HUB, ILLUSTRATE SUCCESSES AND OUTCOMES OF THE TCGM PROGRAM FOR EPA REGIONS 1, 2 AND 3.ACTIVITIES:THE INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES, ISC, AS THE EASTERN NATIONAL GRANTMAKER, WILL UNDERTAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES OF THIS INITIAL AWARD SETTING UP AND PROVIDING: 1)COORDINATION SERVICES TO THE REGIONAL GRANTMAKERS FOR EPA REGIONS 1, 2 AND 3, SUPPORTING THEM WITH REGULAR MEETINGS, ASSISTANCE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR REGIONAL GRANTMAKING APPLICATIONS AND INTAKE PROCESSES, AND OTHER SUPPORT REQUESTS THROUGH DEVELOPING A NEEDS ASSESSMENT (.G., LANGUAGE TRANSLATION AND ACCESS, TRIBAL OUTREACH, OR DEVELOPING QUALITY ASSURANCE MONITORING PROCESSES ALONG WITH COORDINATION WITH THE OTHER NATIONAL GRANTMAKERS); 2) DEVELOPMENT OF AN EASTERN NATIONAL GRANTMAKER WEBSITE, THAT WILL INCLUDE A DATA VISUALIZATION HUB AND EASTERN NATIONAL EVALUATION AND TRACKING SYSTEM WITH PUBLIC-FACING GRANTMAKING INFORMATION AND DATA TRACKING AND EVALUATION TOOLS FOR REGIONAL GRANTMAKERS AND APPLICANTS IN EPA REGIONS 1, 2 AND 3. THIS TOOL WILL FACILITATE OUTREACH, PARTNERSHIPS, AND ACCESS TO DATA, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND RESOURCES THAT COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS' (CBOS) MAY NEED IN THE APPLICATION OR SUBAWARD MANAGEMENT PROCESS; 3) ANNUAL KNOWLEDGE SHARING CONVENINGS WITH EASTERN REGIONAL GRANTMAKERS, DELIVERY OF BIANNUAL WEBINARS, WORKSHOPS, AND OTHER CAPACITY-BUILDING AND TRAINING ACROSS VARIOUS TOPICS IDENTIFIED BY THE REGION 1, 2 AND 3 GRANTMAKERS NEEDED TO SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS AND THEIR SUB-AWARDEES, AS WELL AS THE OVERALL SUCCESS OF THE TCGM PROGRAM; 4) ISC WILL ESTABLISH EQUITABLE PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE INCLUDING FACILITATED PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE TRAINING FOR GREATER UNDERSTANDING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS REGARDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GRANTS PROCESSING; 5) SYSTEMS MOBILIZATIONS EFFORTS THROUGH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CBO ADVISORY COUNCIL TO ASSIST WITH APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT AND REVIEW. ISC WILL HAVE EQUITABLE PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE THROUGH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION ADVISORY COUNCIL TO ASSIST WITH APPL