Groundwork Southcoast

DESCRIPTION:THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO GROUNDWORK SOUTHCOAST TO CONDUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITIES IN NEW BEDFORD AND FALL RIVER, RI, AS A PART OF THE SOUTHEAST NEW ENGLAND PROGRAM (SNEP) OPPORTUNITY TO ADVANCE RESILIENCE AS OUTLINED IN THE APPLICATION. THIS AWARD WILL PILOT A NEW WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM WHERE DISADVANATGED YOUTH WILL DEPLOY LOCALIZED NATURE-BASED CLIMATE SOLUTIONS.ACTIVITIES:THE PROJECT WILL BUILD CLIMATE AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE (EJ) COMMUNITIES AND SNEP DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES (DACS) OF NEW BEDFORD AND FALL RIVER, MA BY IMPLEMENTING TWO TASKS: 1.) HIRING A FULL-TIME PROGRAM DIRECTOR TO BUILD AND OVERSEE GWSC'S GROWING PORTFOLIO OF WORKFORCE AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS ACROSS THE SOUTHCOAST REGION, AND 2.) PILOTING THE 'GREEN CORPS' WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR OUT OF SCHOOL YOUTH AGED 18-26. GREEN CORPS WILL RECEIVE SPECIALIZED, HANDS-ON GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE TRAINING FOR 20-25 HRS/WEEK YEAR-ROUND. WITH GREEN CORPS TAKING ON THE MAJORITY OF HANDS-ON WORK WITHIN GWSC'S PORTFOLIO, GREEN TEAM (THE PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM FOR YOUTH 14-21) WILL HAVE INCREASED CAPACITY TO MAINTAIN HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECTS, FOOD ACCESS WORK, AND RAMP UP COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT. GROUNDWORK SOUTHCOAST ALSO INTENDS TO HIRE A GREEN CORPS TEAM LEADER, ANOTHER TRAINING ROLE, WITH THE GOAL TO TRAIN THIS LEADER TO EVENTUALLY BECOME A FULL TIME PROGRAMS COORDINATOR.SUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:BY INVESTING IN HEAT ISLAND AND FLOOD MITIGATION, AND DAC COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP, THIS PROJECT BUILDS BOTH COMMUNITY AND CLIMATE RESILIENT COMMUNITIES. THE FOCUS IS TO BUILD CAPACITY TO INCREASE TREE CANOPY FROM GT;5% TO LT;30% IN DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES, PAIRED WITH ADDITIONAL PROJECTS TO DEEPEN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND CONNECTIVITY. SOCIOECONOMIC BENEFITS TO DAC RESIDENTS INCLUDE: - WORKFORCE AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR BOTH DAC ADULTS AND YOUNG ADULTS - POTENTIAL FOR ECONOMIC MOBILITY; SKILL-BUILDING AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITY - POSITIVE COMMUNITY HEALTH OUTCOMES - INCREASED ACCESS TO FRESH FOOD ACCESS AND COMMUNITY INTERCONNECTIVITY AT A TIME WHEN BOTH ARE SO CRITICALLY NEEDED. BENEFITS ALSO INCLUDE THOSE OBSERVED FOLLOWING THE INSTALLATION OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE (FLOOD RISK MITIGATION, STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, SURFACE TEMPERATURE REDUCTION, INCREASED TREE CANOPY, ETC.) INCREASED ACCESS TO GREEN SPACE; IMPROVED WATERWAYS; AND RESTORATION OF NATIVE HABITATS. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO ACHIEVE: - THE EMPLOYMENT OF 4 GREEN CORPS MEMBERS AND ONE GREEN CORPS LEADER IN THE PILOT YEAR - HIRING AND TRAINING A FULL-TIME PROGRAMS DIRECTOR - HIRING AND TRAINING AN ADDITIONAL FULL TIME PROGRAMS STAFF TO COORDINATE WORKFORCE PROGRAMS - INCREASE CAPACITY AND SUPPORT FOR ALL EXISTING PROGRAMMING - IMPLEMENTATION OF 3 GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS BY GREEN CORPS