Center For Intercultural Organizing

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT (IRA) TO CENTER FOR INTERCULTURAL ORGANIZING (CIO) DOING BUSINESS AS (DBA) UNITE OREGON. THE RECIPIENT WILL WORK WITH PARTNERS ACROSS INDIGENOUS AND OTHER COMMUNITY-LED ORGANIZATIONS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND RURAL ELECTRIC CO-OPS WILL COLLABORATE TO 1) STRENGTHEN THE CAPACITY OF COMMUNITY LEADERS IN CENTRAL OREGON AND THE ROGUE VALLEY TO ORGANIZE AROUND CLIMATE JUSTICE, AND TAKE ACTION ON POLICIES AND OTHER SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES AFFECTING THEIR COMMUNITIES; 2) CREATE TWO COMMUNITY RESILIENCE HUBS SO COMMUNITIES WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY, IMMIGRANTS, RURAL OREGONIANS, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR HAVE THE SAME ACCESS TO DISASTER RESPONSE ASSISTANCE FROM GOVERNMENT, THE PRIVATE SECTOR, AND THEIR NEIGHBORS; AND 3) REDUCE HOME ENERGY COSTS BY INCREASING RURAL AND TRIBAL COMMUNITY ACCESS TO RESIDENTIAL HOME ENERGY EFFICIENCY INCENTIVES FROM FEDERAL, STATE, AND UTILITY SOURCES. THE WORK WILL PRIMARILY SERVE AND FOCUS ON CENTRAL OREGON AND ROGUE VALLEY COMMUNITIES WITH HIGH CLIMATE DISASTER RISK, PRE-EXISTING PRESSURES ON ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, AND WHERE COMMUNITY LEADERS ARE STEPPING FORWARD TO TAKE ACTION.ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES FALL UNDER THREE GOALS FOR THE PROJECT: (1) STRENGTHEN CAPACITY OF COMMUNITY LEADERS, (2) CREATE THE POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND RESOURCES FOR TWO COMMUNITY RESILIENCE HUBS, AND (3) INCREASE RURAL AND TRIBAL COMMUNITY ACCESS TO RESIDENTIAL HOME ENERGY EFFICIENCY INCENTIVES. TO ACHIEVE THIS, THE RECIPIENT WILL CONDUCT TRAINING EVENTS FOR AT LEAST 50-90 COMMUNITY LEADERS, HOST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS LISTENING SESSIONS IN THE COMMUNITIES TO UNDERSTAND THEIR OBSTACLES TO ACCESSING THESE INCENTIVES, PROVIDE TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION SERVICES WHEN NEEDED TO IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY TO GOVERNMENT INCENTIVES, CONDUCT COMMUNITY OUTREACH FOR AT LEAST 200 HOUSEHOLDS REGARDING ENERGY EFFICIENCY INCENTIVES, AND DEVELOP AND CREATE TWO COMMUNITY RESILIENCE HUBS WITH RESOURCES AND SUPPORT RELATED TO PUBLIC HEALTH, WEATHER PROTECTION, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, AND COMMUNITY BUILDING. SUBRECIPIENT:THE SUBAWARDEE COALITION OF COMMUNITIES OF COLOR (CCC) WILL ENGAGE ITS RESEARCH JUSTICE TEAM TO SUPPORT ONGOING COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA FOR THE PROJECT. THIS INCLUDES WORKING WITH UNITE TO ORGANIZE THE DATA IT COLLECTS TO SUPPORT ITS COMMUNITY INITIATIVES, AND CREATING A STANDARD PROCESS THAT UNITE OREGON CAN USE TO COLLECT AND ANALYZE DATA MOVING FORWARD. THE SUBAWARDEE WARM SPRINGS COMMUNITY ACTION TEAM (WSCAT) WILL WORK WITH UNITE TO ENGAGE COMMUNITY LEADERS INFORMING A CENTRAL OREGON CHAPTER OF UNITE OREGON AND CO-CREATE CULTURALLY RELEVANT AND RESPONSIVE RESOURCES AND MATERIALS TO TRIBAL MEMBERS AS PART OF THE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE HUB FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS INCLUDING HEALTH, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, AND JOB TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE GREEN SECTOR. THE SUBAWARDEE SOUTHERN OREGON CLIMATE ACTION NOW (SOCAN) WILL SUPPORT CLIMATE EDUCATION WORKSHOPS FOR ROGUE VALLEY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND WILL WORK WITH UNITE TO CONNECT ROGUE VALLEY COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ENERGY INCENTIVES AND LOCAL ENERGY INCENTIVE PROVIDERS. OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE: THE CENTRAL OREGON CHAPTER FORMED WITH 50-60 COMMUNITY LEADERS, TWO CLIMATE RESILIENCE HUBS ACTIVE (E.G., ROGUE VALLEY AND CENTRAL OREGON) AND READY TO RESPOND TO DISASTERS INTEGRATION WITH MEDICAID AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, 100 COMMUNITY HOUSEHOLDS APPLY FOR GOVERNMENT INCENTIVES, A TWO-PART TRAINING ON DATA ANALYSIS FOR 20-30 PARTNER AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, 50-60 COMMUNITY LEADERS REACHED AND TRAINED, ROGUE CHAPTER GROWN WITH 300-330 COMMUNITY CONTACTS, COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO AT LEAST 200 HOUSEHOLDS WITH 50% OF HOUSEHOLDS REACHED, SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE DISAGGREGATED BY RURAL, BLACK, INDIGENOUS, PEOPLE OF COLOR (BIPOC), AND INCOME FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY INCENTIVES, 90% OF HOUSEHOLDS REACHED (160), A SUSTAINABILITY PLAN FOR CONTINUING CULTURALLY SPECIFIC OUTREACH SER

DESCRIPTION: THE PURPOSE OF THIS AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDED ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE SMALL GRANT, PEOPLE SCIENCE TRAINING AND RISK ASSESSMENT PROJECT, IS TO MITIGATE THE NEGATIVE HEALTH IMPACTS OF AIR AND WATER POLLUTION RESULTING FROM A CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRE THAT DESTROYED THE TOWNS OF PHOENIX AND TALENT IN SEPTEMBER 2020. PROJECT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE COMMUNITY ASSESSMENTS REGARDING PREVALENCE OF ASTHMA AND RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS; MONITORING TEMPERATURE/WIND DIRECTION, MONITORING LEVELS OF PARTICULATE MATTER (PM2.5/PM10) FOR INDOOR/OUTDOOR AIR QUALITY, COMMUNITY MEETINGS, TRAININGS, AND CREATING ASSESSMENTS AND MAPS OF FIRE-DESTROYED PROPERTIES THAT MAY HAVE TOXIC RESIDUES WHICH COULD BECOME AIRBORNE. THE GOAL AND EXPECTED ENVIRONMENTAL OUTCOMES ARE INFORMED CITIZENS, REDUCED EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION AND LOWER PREVALENCE OF ASTHMA/RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS. DIRECT BENEFICIARIES ARE LOW- INCOME IR-BIPOC (IMMIGRANT, REFUGEE, BLACK, INDIGENOUS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR) OF THE TALENT/PHOENIX, OREGON AREAS. CONTRACTUAL COMPONENTS MAY INCLUDE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS AND PEOPLE SCIENCE TRAINING. THIS RECIPIENT DOES NOT INTEND TO SUB AWARD FUNDS. CAA 103(B)(3): PEOPLE WITH MODERATE-TO-SEVERE OR UNCONTROLLED ASTHMA ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE HOSPITALIZED FROM COVID-19. AIR POLLUTION MAY CONTRIBUTE TO ASTHMA. BY ADDRESSING AIR POLLUTION IN CAA 103(B)(3) PROJECTS, THE CHANCES OF SEVERE ILLNESS FROM COVID-19 ARE REDUCED. SDWA 1442: HANDWASHING IS A WELL-ACCEPTED APPROACH TO COMBATING THE SPREAD OF COVID-19. CLEAN WATER IS NECESSARY FOR THE PROPER WASHING OF HANDS. SDWA 1442 GRANT PROJECTS CONTRIBUTE TO PROVIDING CLEAN WATER FOR HANDWASHING IN COMBATTING THE SPREAD OF COVID-19. ACTIVITIES: THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE AN ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT HAZARDS BOTH THROUGH QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENTS AND CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND 'PEOPLE SCIENCE' SKILLS FOR IMMIGRANTS, REFUGEES, AND BIPOC RESIDENTS. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE; SURVEYS REGARDING ASTHMA AND RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS, TEMPERATURE/WIND DIRECTION, MONITORING LEVELS OF PM 2.5/PM10 FOR INDOOR/OUTDOOR AIR QUALITY, COMMUNITY MEETINGS/TRAININGS, AND CREATING A SURVEY OF FIRE-DESTROYED PROPERTIES THAT MAY HAVE TOXIC RESIDUES THAT COULD BECOME AIRBORNE (ASH, ASBESTOS, ETC.). OUTCOMES: OUTPUTS INCLUDE TWO SURVEY REPORTS, MAPS OF PROPERTIES WITH CHARACTERISTICS OF FIRE RESIDUES, AIR QUALITY DATA AND A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF MONITORING RESULTS, TRAINED COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND MULTILINGUAL PUBLIC HEALTH OUTREACH/EDUCATION, WITH THE GOAL OF PRODUCING INFORMED CITIZENS, REDUCED EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION AND LOWER PREVALENCE OF ASTHMA/RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS. THE DIRECT BENEFICIARIES FOR THIS PROJECT ARE LOW-INCOME LATINX AND BIPOC COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE TALENT AND PHOENIX REGION OF SOUTHERN OREGON. THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE AND PREPAREDNESS FOR FUTURE WILDFIRE SEASONS, AS WELL AS INCREASE RESPIRATORY HEALTH AND GREATER RESILIENCE THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, MOVING TOWARDS A SAFER, HEALTHIER ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE PHOENIX AND TALENT AREA. SUBRECIPIENT: NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.