Peoples Resource Center

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT (IRA) TO MAINE PEOPLE'S RESOURCE CENTER. THE RECIPIENT WILL SUPPORT A COMMUNITY-LED PROGRAM TO INVEST IN THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT NECESSARY TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND OTHER AIR POLLUTANTS THROUGH CLEAN ENERGY PROJECTS. THIS PROJECT HAS A VISION TO (1) PROVIDE CLEAN ENERGY CAREER PATHWAYS FOR MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES (2) DEVELOP THE LEADERSHIP AND SKILLS OF COMMUNITIES WITH ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE (EJ) CONCERNS TO IMPACT CLEAN ENERGY PROJECTS AND (3) THEREBY AMELIORATE ECONOMIC AND HEALTH DISPARITIES AND REDUCE ADVERSE CLIMATE IMPACTS AND BUILD CLIMATE RESILIENCE.ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE WORKING TO IDENTIFY, RECRUIT, AND PLACE MEMBERS OF COMMUNITIES WITH ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE (EJ) CONCERNS INTO CLEAN ENERGY CAREER PATHWAYS -- SPECIFICALLY VIA UNION REGISTERED PRE-APPRENTICESHIP AND REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS -- AND SUPPORT CANDIDATES WITH TRAINING, TOOLS AND ASSISTANCE. THIS WILL INVOLVE PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING 12 CAREER FAIRS, ONE ON ONE FOLLOW UP ENSURING PARTICIPANT PLACEMENT, HELPING PARTICIPANTS ACCESS WRAPAROUND SERVICES, SUPPORTING EJ PARTICIPANTS' SUCCESS IN PRE-APPRENTICESHIP AND APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS BY BUILDING SKILLS, OBTAINING ENTRY-LEVEL CERTIFICATIONS SUCH AS OSHA-10, GUARANTEED PLACEMENT, AND TRANSLATION SERVICES, A FULL-DAY WORKSHOP WITH PARTNERS TO CONDUCT A FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE CLEAN ENERGY CAREER FAIR PROGRAM, ALONGSIDE AN ASSESSMENT OF BROADER CLEAN ENERGY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT LANDSCAPE, LEVERAGING ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITIES IN ANY RULE-MAKING PROCESSES, AND SUPPORTING THE INVOLVEMENT OF LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE PROCEEDINGS. ANOTHER MAJOR ACTIVITY INVOLVES ADDING CRITICAL ORGANIZING CAPACITY IN COMMUNITIES TO MAXIMIZE THE CLEAN ENERGY AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS THEY DERIVE FROM CLEAN ENERGY PROJECTS. THIS WILL INVOLVE HIRING A FIELD ORGANIZER TO WORK AS A CONVENER AND LIAISON BETWEEN CIVIL SOCIETY STAKEHOLDER GROUPS AND LEADERSHIP OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITIES, LABOR ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR (PRE)APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS, AND DEVELOPERS OF CLEAN ENERGY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECTS SITED IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITIES, IDENTIFYING PRIORITY RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS IN COMMUNITIES WITH EJ CONCERNS EARLY IN THE PLANNING PROCESS FOR WHICH PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS COULD BE EMPLOYED, IDENTIFYING CLEAN ENERGY PROJECT PRIORITIES FROM COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS, NEGOTIATING AND SECURING BINDING COMMITMENTS FROM PROJECT DEVELOPERS IN THE FORM OF COMMUNITY BENEFIT AND/OR COMMUNITY WORKFORCE AGREEMENTS, MOBILIZING GRASSROOTS SUPPORT FOR THE CLEAN ENERGY PROJECT(S) IN THE FORM OF DOOR-TO-DOOR CANVASSING, COORDINATED AND SUPPORTIVE PUBLIC COMMENT IN FRONT OF LOCAL OR STATE PERMITTING BODIES, AND OTHER ACTIONS CRITICAL TO CLEAN ENERGY PROJECTS ACTUALLY GETTING BUILT, AND OVERSEEING THE CLEAN ENERGY PROJECT TO PROVIDE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY FOR PROJECT DEVELOPERS AND CONTRACTORS FOLLOWING THROUGH ON THEIR COMMUNITY BENEFIT AND/OR COMMUNITY WORKFORCE COMMITMENTS.SUBRECIPIENT:SUB-RECIPIENTS INCLUDE THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZING ALLIANCE (COA), GATEWAY COMMUNITY SERVICES MAINE (GCSM) , MAINE AFL-CIO, MAINE LABOR CLIMATE COUNCIL (MLCC), AND MAINE COMMUNITY INTEGRATION (MCI). THE ACTIVITIES TO BE IMPLEMENTED THROUGH THE SUBAWARDS INCLUDE COA, GCSM, AND MCI ENGAGING AT LEAST 50 JOB SEEKERS FROM ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE (EJ) COMMUNITIES IN THE RECIPIENTS CAREER FAIR PROGRAM ANNUALLY FOR THE 3 YEARS OF THE PROJECT; SUPPORTING AT LEAST 10 JOB SEEKERS FROM COMMUNITIES WITH EJ CONCERNS IN APPLYING FOR PRE-APPRENTICESHIP OR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS ANNUALLY FOR THE 3 YEARS OF THE PROJECT; PARTICIPATING IN A FULL-DAY WORKSHOP ANNUALLY FOR THE 3 YEARS OF THE PROJECT TO EVALUATE THE CLEAN ENERGY CAREER FAIR PROGRAM, AS WELL AS ASSESS THE BROADER CLEAN ENERGY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT LANDSCAPE; PARTICIPATING IN MONTHLY PROJECT TEAM MEETINGS TO DISCUSS PROGRESS, PLAN FOR FUTURE TASKS, AND D