Cooperative Agreement 95336301

DESCRIPTION:THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING, VIA THE RECIPIENT'S CLIMATE RESILIENCE COHORT INITIATIVE, TO TEN COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS (CBOS) THAT SERVE DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES IN ALBEMARLE COUNTY AND THE CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE TO HELP CENTRALIZE EQUITY AND INCLUSION IN CRAFTING AND IMPLEMENTING A CLIMATE ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE PLAN. SPECIFICALLY, THE RECIPIENT'S CLIMATE RESILIENCE COHORT INITIATIVE WILL PROVIDE SUBGRANTS AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF COUNTY AND CITY STAFF, EACH PARTICIPANT CBO WILL: (1 ) CONDUCT TWO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS WITH THEIR CONSTITUENTS TO INFORM THE CLIMATE ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE PLAN; (2) PARTICIPATE IN SIX COHORT STAFF ROUNDTABLE MEETINGS TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE PLAN; AND (3 ) IMPLEMENT TWO A COMMUNITY-CENTERED PROJECTS IDENTIFIED IN THE PLAN (INDIVIDUALLY OR WITH OTHER CBOS), ALONG WITH TWO PROGRESS MEETINGS WITH THE COHORT STAFF ROUNDTABLE. ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED WITHIN THE CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE AND ALBEMARLE COUNTY WILL INCLUDE: A) REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES; B) ADAPTATION TO A CHANGING CLIMATE AND C) THE CONTINUOUS BUILDING OF A CLIMATE-RESILIENT COMMUNITY. THE CLIMATE RESILIENCE COHORT (COHORT) PROJECT SEEKS TO ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING RESULTS: 1) STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS (CBOS); 2) CREATE A CLIMATE ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE PLAN THAT CENTERS EQUITY AND THE EXPERIENCES OF UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS; 3) CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE AND ALBEMARLE COUNTY TO PARTNER WITH CBOS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIES TO BUILD RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS; 4) FOSTER GREATER DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AMONG VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND 5) EQUIP CBOS WITH SKILLS TO ADDRESS CLIMATE DISRUPTION IN THEIR WORK. VULNERABLE POPULATIONS WILL BENEFIT FROM THESE RESULTS IN THREE PRIMARY WAYS. FIRST, STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND CBOS WILL ENABLE MORE MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATION IN CLIMATE ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE PLANNING AND A FINAL PLAN WITH STRATEGIES THAT CONNECT TO PEOPLE'S LIVED EXPERIENCE. SECOND, CREATING A PLAN THAT CENTERS EQUITY AND MEANINGFULLY INTEGRATES THE PERSPECTIVES OF VULNERABLE POPULATIONS BENEFITS THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. INTEGRATING EQUITY INTO CLIMATE ACTION PLANNING IS GOOD FOR EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY. THIS EPA GRANT AIMS TO ENSURE THAT SOCIETY'S MOST DISADVANTAGED MEMBERS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO PROGRAM DESIGN AND CAN ACCESS PROGRAM SERVICES AFFORDABLY. THUS, ALL OF SOCIETY WILL BENEFIT. THIRD, CONTINUING TO ENGAGE THE COHORT IN IMPLEMENTATION AFTER THE ADOPTION OF THE CLIMATE ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE PLAN WILL BENEFIT DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES BY ENSURING THAT FOLLOW-THROUGH BEGINS IMMEDIATELY. IMPLEMENTATION PROJECTS CAN HELP TO IMPROVE DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND CONNECT CLIMATE RESILIENCE TO OTHER PRIORITIES CBOS ARE SEEKING TO ADDRESS, LEADING TO MORE OVERALL OUTCOMES. IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE IMMEDIATE RESULTS OF THIS PROJECT WILL SUPPORT BENEFICIAL LONG-TERM OUTCOMES SUCH AS: A) INCREASED URBAN TREE COVERAGE IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE MORE EXPOSED TO URBAN HEAT ISLAND AND B) IMPROVED GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IN NEIGHBORHOODS EXPOSED TO FLOODING. SUBRECIPIENT:UNDER THE CATEGORY OF 'OTHER COSTS,' THE BUDGET INCLUDES SUBAWARDS TO UP TO TEN SELECTED COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS (CBOS) TO CONDUCT PUBLIC OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT WITH THEIR STAKEHOLDER GROUPS. THE CORRESPONDING ACTIVITIES TO BE IMPLEMENTED THROUGH SUBAWARDS ARE: PART 1 ACTIVITIES: UP TO $20,000 PER CBO WILL SUPPORT EACH CBO IN THE FULFILLING THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS DURING PART 1 (PLANNING PROCESS): HAVE STAFF ATTEND 3 TRAINING SESSIONS, CONDUCT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND PARTICIPATE IN STAFF ROUNDTABLE MEETINGS. CBOS WILL BE EXPECTED TO SPEND UP TO $20,000 OF THEIR SUBAWARDS ON STAFF LABOR, SUPPLIES FOR EVENTS, TRAVEL TO EVENTS, FOOD AND CHILDCARE FOR COMMUNITY MEMBER ATTENDEES, AND OTHER COSTS DEEMED NECESSARY TO OVERCOME BARRIERS