Western New York Sustainable Business Roundtable Ltd

DESCRIPTION:THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARP FUNDED GRANT AGREEMENT IS TO ENABLE WESTERN NEW YORK SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE (SBR) TO PARTNER WITH THE WESTSIDE PROMISE AND BLACK ROCK NEIGHBORHOODS TO BUILD A COLLECTIVE MOVEMENT OF MEANINGFUL ACTION AROUND CLIMATE RESILIENCY. THE APPROACH IS HUMAN-CENTERED, PLACING THE NEEDS, VOICES AND LEADERSHIP OF THOSE WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED AT THE FOREFRONT. THEY WILL BRING TOGETHER THE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS COMMUNITY OUTREACH CAPACITY AND SBR'S ABILITY TO INFLUENCE BUSINESSES TO BECOME PARTNERS IN ACTION. THE MAIN GOALS ARE TO: 1) EDUCATE RESIDENTS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND CLIMATE VULNERABILITY ISSUES IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND THE RESULTING RISKS; FROM A SHORT- MID-, AND LONG-TERM PERSPECTIVE, 2) CREATE ARENAS FOR DIALOGUE AROUND WHAT TYPE OF MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION MEASURES ARE MOST IMPORTANT FROM A COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE, AND 3) INVOLVE LOCAL BUSINESSES TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY-LED CLIMATE RESILIENCY ACTION. SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT WILL RESULT IN A BASE OF ENGAGED RESIDENTS THAT REFLECTS THEIR COMMUNITIES' VOICES, EXPERIENCES, AND PRIORITIES IN CLIMATE RESILIENCY PLANNING, AND A CORE GROUP OF LOCAL, SUSTAINABLE BUSINESSES ASSISTING WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF PRIORITIZED ACTIONS. NOTE FOR USE OF ARP 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. ACTIVITIES:THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES WILL BE PERFORMED: ANALYZE AND COMPILE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO DRAFT A CLIMATE RESILIENCY PLAN; CONDUCT TWO WORKSHOPS AT LOCAL BUSINESSES (15-25 ATTENDEES PER WORKSHOP); CREATE AND DISTRIBUTE EVENT SURVEYS TO WORKSHOP ATTENDEES; PRODUCE 4 ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTERS, 2 VIDEOS, 8 SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS AND 1-2 PAID ADVERTISEMENTS; CREATE A FACT SHEET OUTLINING BEST PRACTICES TO SERVE AS A RESOURCE FOR ORGANIZATIONS (LIKE SBR) TO IMPLEMENT COMMUNITY DRIVEN CLIMATE RESILIENCY AND MITIGATION ACTION SUPPORTED BY LOCAL SUSTAINABLE BUSINESSES, WITH THEIR CONSTITUENCIES; RECRUIT A MINIMUM OF 2 COMPANIES TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY/ CORPORATE SERVICE CLIMATE ACTION DAYS.SUBRECIPIENT:WESTERN NEW YORK SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS (SBR)'S SUB-GRANTEE, BLACK ROCK RIVERSIDE ALLIANCE (BRRA), IS ONE OF TWO MAIN PARTNERS FOR THE PROJECTS. THE PRIMARY ROLE OF BRRA WILL BE TO PROVIDE CONNECTIONS TO THE RESIDENTS WITHIN THE WEST SIDE COMMUNITIES WHO WILL PARTICIPATE IN DIALOGUES TO INFORM THE CLIMATE RESILIENCE PLANNING EFFORTS. THE SUB-AWARD WILL COVER TIME SPENT BY BRRA ON RECRUITMENT OF RESIDENTS TO ATTEND THE EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS, DISSEMINATION OF MARKETING MATERIALS, USE OF BRRA'S MEETING SPACE FOR ONE OF THE WORKSHOP SERIES AND PRODUCTION AND DATA COLLECTION OF A POST-WORKSHOP SURVEY. BRRA HAS STRONG ROOTS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, MAKING THEM VALUABLE FOR PROVIDING A BRIDGE BETWEEN THE RESIDENTS AND SBR'S NETWORK OF LOCAL, SUSTAINABLE BUSINESSES. THE OTHER PARTNER, WEST SIDE PROMISE NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM (WSPN), IS A NON-FUNDED PARTNER. OUTCOMES:KEY OUTPUTS INCLUDE 300 - 500 INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN OUR PROJECT ACTIVITIES, A COMMUNITY-DRIVEN CLIMATE RESILIENCY PLAN AND A FACTSHEET. KEY OUTCOMES INCLUDE CHANGES IN KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS AMONG WEST SIDE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES, CHANGES IN BUSINESS PRACTICES, AND EQUITY CENTERED POLICIES IN PLACE. WEST SIDE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES ARE THE BENEFICIARIES.