Project Grant 95334701

DESCRIPTION:THIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT (IRA) TO JOHN BARTRAM ASSOCIATION. SPECIFICALLY, THE RECIPIENT WILL WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF SOUTHWEST PHILADELPHIA. JOHN BARTRAM ASSOCIATION WILL CREATE A REPLICABLE MODEL ADDRESSING THREE KEY ISSUES OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH: 1) COMBATING WASTE AND POLLUTION THROUGH ADVOCACY AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING INDIVIDUALS TO END ILLEGAL DUMPING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD; 2) GREENING AND TREE CANOPY EXPANSION TO MITIGATE CLIMATE AND HEALTH RISKS FROM THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT AND TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY; AND 3) PROMOTING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT THROUGH YOUTH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, HOME GARDENING, NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN-UPS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES TO BUILD LOCAL CAPACITY FOR CONTINUED ADVOCACY, EDUCATION, AND EMPOWERMENT. ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES THAT WILL BE PERFORMED INCLUDE IMPLEMENTING CLIMATE RESILIENCY PROGRAMS BY: 1) ENGAGING PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO USE EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL DATA TO IDENTIFY AND PRIORITIZE LOCAL CLIMATE RESILIENCE AREAS FACING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE (EJ) CONCERNS; 2) RECEIVING INPUT FROM PARTNERS IN THE PLANNING AND DESIGN PROCESS TO CREATE FLOOD MITIGATION AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE STRATEGIES; 3) TRAINING AND EMPLOYING MARGINALIZED MEMBERS OF EJ COMMUNITIES TO IMPLEMENT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS; 4) CLEANING UP ILLEGAL DUMPS NEAR THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER; 5) TRACKING THE NUMBER OF NATIVE TREES, SHRUBS, AND FLOWERS PLANTED, THE ESTIMATED POUNDS OF WASTE REMOVED FROM WATERWAYS, THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS, CBO PARTNERSHIPS, ENGAGEMENT FROM EJ COMMUNITIES, AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE TRAINED AND EMPLOYED TO IMPLEMENT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS; AND 6) CALCULATING THE ESTIMATED PROJECTED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, SUCH AS TECHNICAL MODELLING OF AMOUNT OF STORM WATER DIVERTED. SUBRECIPIENT:THE ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES OF DREXEL UNIVERSITY (ANS) WILL: CO-DEVELOP EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING (2-4 CLASSES/WORKSHOPS PER YEAR) FOR YOUTH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PARTICIPANTS ON CLIMATE CHANGE, URBAN RESILIENCE, AND OTHER TOPICS DEEMED USEFUL FOR CAPACITY BUILDING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT; LEVERAGE ANS' PUBLIC, PRIVATE, AND NGO COLLABORATORS THROUGH THE RESILIENT COMMUNITIES STORMWATER INITIATIVE AND OTHER PROGRAMS TO BRING ADDITIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND RESOURCES TO BEAR ON THIS PROGRAM AS NEEDED; PROVIDE POLICY ANALYSIS, PROGRAM DESIGN (INCLUDING EXPERTISE IN CONSENSUS BUILDING AND CIVILIAN CORPS, LIKE YOUTH CLIMATE CORPS), AND PROGRAM EVALUATION SUPPORT, AS NEEDED. CLEAN WATER FUND WILL: IDENTIFY AND HOLD ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS WITH NEIGHBORHOOD AND BUSINESS LEADERS BASED IN SOUTHWEST PHILADELPHIA INVOLVED IN TRASH CLEAN-UPS, ENLIST THESE LEADERS TO JOIN THE CLEAN PHILADELPHIA NOW COALITION, COLLECT PETITION SIGNATURES FROM THEIR MEMBERS IN SUPPORT OF ENDING DUMPING IN PHILADELPHIA FOREVER, ASSEMBLE THOSE REPRESENTATIVES TO FORM A COALITION TO SPEAK AS ONE VOICE FOR SOUTHWEST PHILLY IN ADVOCACY EFFORTS, DEVELOP A POLICY PLATFORM TO ADVOCATE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS DUMPING AND WASTE IN SOUTHWEST PHILADELPHIA. EMPOWERED CDC WILL: PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR BLOCK-BY-BLOCK ENGAGEMENT WITH LOCAL RESIDENT HOMEOWNERS FOR ALL ASPECTS OF THE PROJECT, AND JOIN IN FACILITATION, CAPACITY-BUILDING, AND ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION ACTIVITIES WITH THE GOAL OF CREATING AND PRESERVING GREEN SPACES IN THE COMMUNITY FOR GATHERING AND RESPITE OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE QUARTERLY REPORTS, AND A REPLICABLE MODEL FOR ADDRESSING THREE KEY ISSUES OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH: 1) COMBATTING WASTE AND POLLUTION THROUGH ADVOCACY AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING INDIVIDUALS TO END ILLEGAL DUMPING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD; 2) GREENING AND TREE CANOPY EXPANSION TO MITIGATE CLIMATE AND HEALTH RISKS FROM THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT AND TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY; AND 3) PROMOTING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT THROUGH YOUTH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, HOME GARDENING, NEIGHBORHOOD CL