Tag Archives: Sustainable

Searchable List of Funding Resources for Community Resiliency

  May 20, 2016 ,

Screenshot of the Delaware Database for Funding Resilient CommunitiesThe Institute for Public Administration (IPA) at the University of Delaware, with support from Delaware Coastal Programs, conducted an extensive search of financial assistance programs that support the implementation of resiliency-building plans and projects in Delaware and compiled the findings into an accessible and intuitive online searchable database. While planning and technical assistance programs were identified and included, IPA’s search prioritized financial assistance programs that support the implementation of high-cost activities such as infrastructure improvements, facility retrofitting, construction, and land acquisition.

Use the sorting feature to quickly and easily filter programs by four categories:

  • Type of assistance offered (grant, loan, etc.)
  • Project scope (land acquisition, energy efficiency retrofits, etc.)
  • Amount of financial assistance available
  • Whether or not matching funds are required

After making these selections, a list of search results will appear. Then click on the program title to reveal more in-depth information.

Visit www.sppa.udel.edu/research-public-service/ddfrc to utilize the database.

“States throughout [the Mid-Atlantic region] should view this effort in Delaware as a best practice and look for opportunities to form partnerships and compile resources for resiliency projects that are specific for their states,” officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said in their winter 2017 resilience report on innovative strategies to improve community resiliency for the Mid-Atlantic region.

“Navigating the abundance of grant programs can be challenging, and many communities may be unaware of every program available to them,” wrote FEMA in the report. “This user-friendly web tool inventories resources that support resilient community development, including funding programs for disaster preparedness, disaster recovery, education, planning, property acquisition, stormwater management, and storm-proofing projects.”

This project was prepared for the Delaware Coastal Management Program using federal funds under award NA14NOS4190123 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC). The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NOAA or the DOC.

STAR Community Rating System (STAR)

  February 14, 2013

In 2007, ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, the U.S. Green Building Council, and the Center for American Progress launched the concept for the STAR Community Rating System (STAR) at GREENBUILD in Chicago, IL. By 2008, they had established a formal partnership that included the National League of Cities to develop STAR. Their mission: to address the needs of U.S. cities, towns and counties seeking a common framework for sustainability. STAR is the nation’s first voluntary, self-reporting framework for evaluating, quantifying, and improving the livability and sustainability of U.S. communities. STAR uniquely combines: A framework for sustainability encompassing the social, economic and environmental dimensions of community; A rating system that drives continuous improvement and fosters competition; and an online system that gathers, organizes, analyzes, and presents information required to meet sustainability goals.

“Designing Cities” conference recently held in NYC by NACTO

  November 5, 2012

Designing Cities: Leading the Way to World Class Streets was a two-day conference (October 24th – 26th, 2012) organized by the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) & NYU Wagner Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management and was held in New York City. This conference marks an opportunity to crystallize and accelerate the transportation programs and priorities of major cities around the US. Attendees were exposed to topics including innovative financing for transportation infrastructure, new guidelines for urban street design, parking pricing and management, and transit-oriented development, as well as a series of walking tours that showcase New York City’s living laboratory of sustainable street design projects.

CNU’s Sustainable Street Network Booklet

  February 17, 2012

The Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) has compiled a set of principles and key characteristics into an easy-to-read and downloadable Sustainable Street Network Principles booklet. The booklet advocates that streets should be designed to play three simultaneous roles—that of a transportation thoroughfare, a commercial marketplace, and a public space. Illustrated within the booklet are seven principles of street network planning aimed at maximizing the value of nearby neighborhoods.