Center For Whole Communities Inc

DESCRIPTION:THE PURPOSE OF THIS AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDED GRANT IS TO CREATE THE VERMONT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE (VT-EJ) NETWORK THAT WILL ACT AS AN EFFECTIVE PLATFORM TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE (EJ) ISSUES. THE PROPOSED NETWORK WILL HELP BUILD RESILIENCY IN EJ COMMUNITIES BY FORGING CONNECTIONS AMONG COMMUNITIES FACING A DISPROPORTIONATE SHARE OF ENVIRONMENTAL BURDENS, AND CREATE A COMMUNICATION PATHWAY AMONG COMMUNITY MEMBERS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND KEY DECISION MAKERS AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL. AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDING WILL BE USED TO FACILITATE ASSESSMENTS, SUPPORT RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, ENABLE STRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT, AND COMPENSATE FRONTLINE PARTNERS FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP. THE VT-EJ NETWORK WILL BRIDGE OVERBURDENED COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH DECISION-MAKERS AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL, FOSTERING RELATIONSHIPS AND CREATING CONTINUITY BETWEEN COMMUNITIES AND GOVERNMENT, INCREASING ACCESSIBILITY OF INFORMATION AND RESOURCES, AND SUPPORTING CONTEXT-SENSITIVE COMMUNICATION. LONG TERM, THE VT-EJ NETWORK WILL STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES' ABILITY TO EQUITABLY DISTRIBUTE ENVIRONMENTAL BURDENS AND BENEFITS. THE SUBRECIPIENT RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY INSTITUTE WILL ENGAGE THEIR CHAPTERS ACROSS THE STATE TO INTRODUCE LOCAL LEADERS TO THE VT-EJ NETWORK AND DRIVE FORWARD POLICY WORK THROUGH THE VERMONT RENEWS COALITION. THE SUBRECIPIENT VERMONT LAW SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CLINIC WILL WORK WITH VT-EJ NETWORK MEMBERS TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY LEGAL EDUCATION ON RELEVANT LEGAL AND REGULATORY PROCESSES, ANALYZE POLICY, AND OFFER COMMUNITY-DRIVEN RECOMMENDATIONS TO STATE AGENCIES.ACTIVITIES:THIS PROJECT REPRESENTS THE EARLY STAGES OF COLLABORATION TO BUILD THE VERMONT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE (VT-EJ) NETWORK. AT THE START OF THIS PROJECT, PROJECT COLLABORATORS WILL CONDUCT AN INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF EXTERNAL PARTNERS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND PARTNERING STATE OFFICIALS' EXISTING NETWORKS. PROJECT PARTNERS WILL HOLD INITIAL COMMUNITY LIAISON RELATIONSHIP-BUILDING MEETINGS WITH EXTERNAL PARTNERS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND STATE OFFICIALS, TO FORMALIZE RELATIONSHIPS. THE CENTER FOR WHOLE COMMUNITIES WILL HOLD PROJECT PARTNER MEETINGS AT LEAST MONTHLY TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF THE NETWORK, BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, AND ADVANCE PROJECT GOALS. PROJECT PARTNERS, ALONG WITH NETWORK LIAISONS AND STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS WILL COLLABORATIVELY DESIGN AND CONVENE THE VT-EJ NETWORK. THE INITIAL PROPOSAL FOR NETWORK STRUCTURE WILL BE SHARED WITH EXTERNAL PARTNERS AND LIAISONS FOR REVIEW. THIS WORKING AGREEMENT ABOUT NETWORK STRUCTURE AND NORMS WILL BE REVIEWED AND REFINED IN AN ITERATIVE PROCESS. PROJECT COLLABORATORS WILL HOLD 3 COMMUNITY MEETINGS ON COMMUNITY ISSUES OF CONCERN. THREE OR MORE COMMUNITIES WITH ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CONCERNS WILL PARTICIPATE IN THESE NETWORK-CONVENED COMMUNITY SESSIONS, ENGAGING UPWARDS OF 150 INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPANTS. MEETING SUMMARIES WILL BE DEVELOPED AND SHARED FOLLOWING EACH MEETING. AT THE END OF THE PROJECT, THE PROJECT TEAM WILL CONDUCT A FOLLOW-UP NETWORK ASSESSMENT AND SHARE THESE FINDINGS WITH NETWORK LIAISONS, NETWORK MEMBERS, AND EXTERNAL PARTNERS.SUBRECIPIENT:RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY INSTITUTE (RDI) WILL TAP INTO THEIR CHAPTERS ACROSS THE STATE TO INTRODUCE LOCAL LEADERS TO THE VT-EJ NETWORK AND DRIVE FORWARD POLICY WORK THROUGH THE VERMONT RENEWS COALITION. RDI'S PARTICIPATION IN THIS PROJECT WILL STRENGTHEN THEIR ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS, DIRECT THE ENERGY OF THEIR BASE, AND PROVIDE A PUBLIC PARTICIPATION FRAMEWORK FOR THEIR POLICY INITIATIVES. VERMONT LAW SCHOOL'S ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CLINIC (VLS-EJC) WILL WORK WITH VT-EJ NETWORK MEMBERS TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY LEGAL EDUCATION ON RELEVANT LEGAL AND REGULATORY PROCESSES, ANALYZE POLICY, AND OFFER COMMUNITY-DRIVEN RECOMMENDATIONS TO STATE AGENCIES. DEPENDING ON THE CAPACITY OF THEIR STUDENT CLINICIANS, THE CLINIC WILL TAKE ON CASES AND ISSUES ARISING OUT OF CONNECTIONS IN THE NETWORK.

RBDG RURAL BUSINESS COOP RURAL ENTERPRISE GRANT