WASHINGTON, D.C. – November 28, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — The US Department Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has selected the Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) to lead Phase II of their Capacity Building for Sustainable Communities Program, awarding $4.625 million over the course of 18 months.
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The cooperative agreement is a continuation of ISC’s work over the past two years to support the efforts of more than 200 communities across America to develop and implement collaborative, inclusive, equitable community and regional sustainable development plans and initiatives. ISC put together a strong consortium for its Phase II proposal, bringing together ateam of leading national organizations, most of which were actively engaged in providing grantee services during Phase I of the program from 2011 through September 2013.
“We are delighted to partner with HUD on this important and successful sustainable community development initiative,” noted Steve Nicholas, ISC’s Vice President for US Programs. “We welcome the opportunity to continue supporting US communities working to make themselves more prosperous, environmentally sustainable, equitable and resilient.”
ISC’s programs are designed to facilitate peer learning and engagement among community leaders charged with the work of making their communities more sustainable – which can include everything from transportation to energy to housing and downtown development. ISC began its work with the Sustainable Communities Initiative, a joint project of HUD, US EPA and US DOT, in 2011, creating the National Sustainable Communities Learning Network in partnership with Smart Growth America and creating an in-depth series of peer-learning workshops for Network members.
“The work of this consortium to support the effective implementation of our grantees’ planning initiatives across the country over the past two years was an essential element of the early success we are seeing in the program,” noted SalinGeevarghese, Acting Director of HUD’s Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities. “Their contribution has sharpened the impact of this important federal investment in our economic recovery. We are delighted that these talented partners have come together to coordinate their efforts even more effectively in the months to come.”
ISC’s primary partners in implementing Phase II include: Smart Growth America, PolicyLink, PlaceMatters, and the National Association of Development Organizations Research Foundation. Additional implementing partners includeMinnesota Housing Partnership, Envision Utah, and the University of Louisville as coordinator of the Environmental Finance Center Network.
ISC’s consortium will be responsible for providing technical assistance, training, and an online learning network for HUD and EPA grantees. A wide range of resources are available at the members-only website sclearningnetwork.org and at ISC’s Sustainable Communities Leadership Academy site sustainablecommunitiesleadershipacademy.org, which features a wealth of searchable resources targeted at communities investing in sustainability.
About the Institute for Sustainable Communities
An international nonprofit organization, the Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) has 22 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 community leaders charged with the work of making their communities more sustainable. ISC has led 94 projects in 27 countries, and currently works in China, India, Bangladesh, Serbia and the United States. www.iscvt.org.
