Emerald Cities Collaborative Inc

EMERALD CITIES COLLABORATIVE, EMERALD CONNECTIONS: COMMUNITY CENTERED WEATHERIZATION + HEALTH THE OVERARCHING GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DELIVER 120 DEEP ENERGY RETROFITS TO JUSTICE40 COMMUNITIES BY EMPLOYING DEEP COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN WA AND MA. WE DEFINE DEEP ENERGY RETROFITS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THIS PROJECT TO INCLUDE CLIMATE AND HEALTH MITIGATION STRATEGIES AS WELL. WE KNOW THAT SOME OF THE LARGEST BARRIERS TO IMPLEMENTING WEATHERIZATION INCLUDE HEALTH AND SAFETY BARRIERS. BY MITIGATING THESE BARRIERS WE CAN IMPLEMENT WAP PROJECTS THEREBY REDUCING ENERGY BURDEN AND IMPROVING CLIMATE RESILIENCY.

EMERALD CITIES COLLABORATIVE (ECC) WILL PILOT A REPLICABLE MODEL TO INCREASE THE SUPPLY AND DIVERSITY OF THOSE ENTERING THE SOLAR AND ELECTRICAL WORKFORCES TO MEET THE DEMAND FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY, ELECTRIFICATION, AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY BY CREATING A NEW DEDICATED PATHWAY FOR DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY (DAC) MEMBERS TO BECOME SOLAR INSTALLERS AND ELECTRICIANS. THE PROJECT AIMS TO CREATE A SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES ENTRY LEVEL EMPLOYMENT FOR ELECTRICIAN CANDIDATES BY PILOTING PATHWAYS TO SOLAR INSTALLER POSITIONS THAT CAN PROVIDE LIVING WAGE EMPLOYMENT IN THE ELECTRICAL FIELD AS THEY PREPARE FOR APPRENTICESHIP AND OTHER ELECTRICIAN TRAINING.

THE VISION OF THE ANCHORS IN RESILIENT COMMUNITIES (ARC) REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM INITIATIVE IS AN EQUITABLE AND RESILIENT REGIONAL FOOD ECONOMY TO OPERATIONALIZE PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS THE FOOD VALUE CHAIN TO MEET GROWING INSTITUTIONAL DEMAND IN THE REGION. THE TWO YEAR PLANNING PROCESS, OUTLINED IN THE PROPOSAL CATALYZING A LOCAL FOOD PROCESSING NETWORK IN THE CAPITOL CORRIDOR , WILL CREATE AN IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY TO INCORPORATE AGGREGATION, VALUE-ADDED PROCESSING AND DISTRIBUTION INTO CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE COMPONENTS WITHIN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, ALONG THE I-80 CORRIDOR, AND COORDINATE FOOD PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING ACROSS THE REGION TO INCREASE INSTITUTIONAL MARKET OPPORTUNITIES. THE PLANNING AND DESIGN PROCESS WILL BE SUCCESSFUL WITH THE COMPLETION OF THE FOLLOWING DELIVERABLES: 1) A COMPREHENSIVE LANDSCAPE ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING FOOD VALUE CHAIN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT CAN SUPPORT INCREASED VALUE-ADDED PROCESSING AND MEAL PRODUCTION CAPACITY ALONG THE I-80 CORRIDOR 2) A GAPS AND OPPORTUNITIES ANALYSIS OF CURRENT, REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM INFRASTRUCTURE TO MEET THE INCREASING PROCESSING DEMAND FOR LOCALLY- GROWN FOOD PRODUCTS, I.E. COLD DRY STORAGE CAPACITY, FREEZING CAPACITY, LIGHTLY PROCESSED PRODUCE BLENDS, AND MEDICALLY-TAILORED MEAL PRODUCTION 3) A BUSINESS PLAN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF REGIONAL, VALUE-ADDED PRODUCTS, COMBINING INGREDIENTS GROWN ACROSS THE REGION, AND A PROCESS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF COOPERATIVE OWNERSHIP AGREEMENTS AMONG INTERESTED PRODUCERS AND PROCESSORS 4) A CAPITAL FUNDRAISING STRATEGY WHICH ARTICULATES FUNDING NEEDS ACROSS THE VALUE CHAIN AND PRIORITIZES THE DEVELOPMENT OF BIPOC AND MINORITY-OWNED FARMS AND PROCESSING BUSINESSES AND 5) CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT WITH PARTICIPATING ANCHOR INSTITUTIONS AND BIPOC PRODUCERS AND PROCESSORS THROUGHOUT THE 2-YEAR PLANNING PROCESS.