Seven Generations Ahead

FARM TO SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAM

FARM TO SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAM

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT (IRA) TO SEVEN GENERATIONS AHEAD. SPECIFICALLY, THE PROJECT WILL ESTABLISH THE CROSS COMMUNITY CLIMATE COLLABORATIVE (C4). C4 IS STRUCTURED TO SUPPORT DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES BY GIVING THEM ACCESS TO INFORMATION PERTAINING TO ISSUES THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT THEM. IT WILL ALSO FOSTER RELATIONSHIP-BUILDING AND FRUITFUL COMMUNICATIONS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND GOVERNMENT DECISION-MAKERS. BY CREATING MORE INFORMED CITIZENS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCE INTERACTING WITH DECISIONMAKERS, C4 WILL DEVELOP RESIDENTS WHO ARE WELL-EQUIPPED TO ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES ON MATTERS SUCH AS CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. THE PROJECT WILL ENGAGE COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM BROADVIEW, MAYWOOD, BELLWOOD, HILLSIDE, AND BERWYN, ILLINOIS. THE PROJECT WILL CREATE COMMUNITIES WITH A HIGHER CAPACITY FOR COMMUNICATING COOPERATIVELY WITH DECISIONMAKERS AND ENSURING CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOR THEMSELVES AND OTHERS. THE COMMUNITIES LISTED ABOVE WILL HAVE ACCESS TO AMPLE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES AND NECESSARY RESOURCES BECAUSE C4 INTENDS TO BUILD THEIR CAPACITY IN GRANT-WRITING AS WELL. ACTIVITIES:SEVEN GENERATIONS AHEAD WILL BUILD AND ENHANCE THEIR COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY WORKING GROUP PROGRAM, FURTHER ENGAGING RESIDENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS IN DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING PRIORITY ACTIONS. THIS PROJECT, WILL BRING THE DEVELOPMENT OF USEFUL TOOLS FOR TRACKING CLIMATE METRICS AND GOALS, SUCH AS A CLEAN ENERGY ROADMAP AND A CLIMATE AND EQUITY DASHBOARD. THE INVOLVED COMMUNITIES WILL BE CONNECTED WITH FEDERAL AND STATE GRANT WRITING THROUGH THE TEAM BUILT BY SEVEN GENERATIONS AHEAD AND THEIR PARTNERS. C4 INTENDS TO GROW ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH CITIES AND VILLAGES IN THE AREA, FURTHERING THEIR IMPACT ON LOW TO MODERATE INCOME COMMUNITIES. LASTLY, C4 WILL IMPLEMENT A 6-8 WEEK CLIMATE AND EQUITY LEADERSHIP LAB. THIS LAB WAS CREATED TO EDUCATE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON THE STATE OF THE CLIMATE, EQUITABLE CLEAN ENERGY, TRENDING POLICIES/STRATEGIES ACROSS CONTENT AREAS, AND INTERNATIONAL, NATIONAL AND REGIONAL GOALS. PARTICIPANTS WILL ALSO GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS ISSUES WITH MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL GOVERNING BODIES.SUBRECIPIENT:THE VILLAGE OF BROADVIEW IS THE STATUTORY APPLICANT FOR THIS GRANT. THE VILLAGE OF BROADVIEW WILL RECEIVE A SUBAWARD FOR THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH WORK DONE WITHIN THE PROGRAM. THEY WILL LIAISE WITH COMMUNITIES ENROLLED IN THE CROSS COMMUNITY CLIMATE COLLABORATIVE. THEY WILL ALSO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE SEVEN GENERATIONS AHEAD TEAM THROUGH ENSURING COMMUNITY CONCERNS ARE HEARD AND PRIORITIZED. THE FOLLOWING SUBAWARDS ARE FOR THE COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY AND OUTREACH STAFF REPRESENTING THE OTHER 4 COMMUNITIES THAT WILL BE SERVED. THE 4 COMMUNITIES ARE BELLWOOD, MAYWOOD, BERWYN, AND HILLSIDE, IL. JUST AS THE VILLAGE OF BROADVIEW, THESE PEOPLE WILL REPRESENT THEIR COMMUNITIES IN ROUNDTABLES, DECISION-MAKING, ACTION PLANNING. THEY WILL ASSIST IN CANVASSING, CREATING INTEREST AND PROVIDING INFORMATION TO RESIDENTS THAT WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE LEADERSHIP LAB. THE LEADERSHIP LAB WILL BRING TOGETHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND TEACH THEM ABOUT THE CLIMATE CRISIS, WHAT ROLE THEY PLAY, AND HOW THEY CAN HELP.OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF 14 COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY WORKING GROUPS AND PRIORITY WORK PLANS IN C4 COMMUNITIES. ENERGY ROADMAPS AND DASHBOARD PROTOTYPES WILL BE DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED. THE LEADERSHIP LAB WILL BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE PROJECT, AND PRESENTATIONS WITH MAYORS AND SUPERINTENDENTS WILL BRING NEW C4 MEMBERSHIP TO 25 NEW COMMUNITIES. C4 WILL SUBMIT 4-6 LARGE-SCALE PROPOSALS ON BEHALF OF COMMUNITIES INVOLVED, AND THE SCOPES OF WORK WILL BE APPLIED TO MULTIPLE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE PROGRESS TOWARDS GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION, EQUITY AND SUSTAINABILITY GOALS, WORKFORCE TRAINING AND JOBS LINKED TO NEW PROJECTS, AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS WHO ARE BOTH EDUCATED AND ENGAG