Monday Mailing
Year 24 • Issue 02 18 September 2017 1. Hood River County Holds Energy Plan Meetings 2. Did Airbnb Kill the Mountain Town 3. Webinar - Heart & Soul Talks: Bridge Divides with Discourse that's Civil, September 28, 2017, 11am – 12pm 4. Group Hires Assistant for 5 Projects 5. Esri & The Science of Where 6. AARP Disaster Recovery Tool Kit 7. 15 Innovations That Shaped the City 8. Northeastern Oregon Bicycle Tourism Studio 9. Great Willamette River Clean-Up 10. Webinar - 5 Strategies for Attracting and Retaining Youth in Rural Communities, September 28, 2017, 12pm – 1pm 11. Rural Community & Economic Development Funding Resources Listing 1. Hood River County Holds Energy Plan Meetings Through a series of town hall meetings, Hood River County invites the public to learn about and provide insights into a countywide Energy Plan that charts a course for the future. Hood River County and six partner organizations involved in the development of the Hood River Energy Plan invite the public to attend a series of town hall meetings scheduled for this fall in Hood River, Odell and Cascade Locks.
Quote of the Week: “Adventure is worthwhile in itself” ~ Amelia Earhart Oregon Fast Fact: Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States at 1,943 feet maximum depth.
The Hood River Energy Plan, which is under development and has not yet been recognized by local governing bodies, creates a blueprint to help the community increase investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, achieve energy generation control, stability and price security, and provide key services in the event of emergency. If adopted, the plan could help the region save on energy costs, become more resilient to rising prices and natural disasters, and create significant environmental and public health benefits. To access the full story, click here. 2. Did Airbnb Kill the Mountain Town? Brian Barker was living in Portland, Oregon, with a well-paying union job as a spokesperson for the fire department. But despite having “a job you don’t leave”—he had an itch. “I wanted to go live in the mountains,” he says. “I didn’t want to sit in traffic all the time. I was tired of living in the city.” So he began searching. Missoula, Boise, Truckee—“anywhere within 30 minutes of a ski area.” In 2014, he relocated to Crested Butte, a 1,500person-strong former coal-mining town nestled in Colorado’s Upper Gunnison River Valley. It’s often referred to as the last great American ski town, a distinction that locals, despite acknowledging it with a hint of selfdeprecating smirk, do not really go out of their way to dispute. Phenomenal
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skiing aside, it is the sort of place where doors go unlocked (except, occasionally, to keep bears out); where locals on the Crested Butte Bitch and Moan Facebook page gripe about tourists (typically Texans) exceeding the 15-mile-per-hour speed limit downtown; where powder days mean closed stores and canceled meetings; where even the gas pumps at the local Shell station seem to take things just a bit more slowly. To access the full story, click here. 3. Webinar - Heart & Soul Talks: Bridge Divides with Discourse that's Civil, September 28, 2017, 11am – 12pm Taking on controversial issues is a challenge that every community faces. How those issues are approached can make the difference between a community that thrives and one where divides erode a community’s vitality. Join us for insight and practical ideas and tools for advancing civil discourse from nationallyrecognized expert in the field, Carolyn J. Lukensmeyer, Ph. D. and Mayor Thom Harnett of Gardiner, Maine, who has led his way in welcoming new residents and embracing the value they bring to the small town, sometimes in the face of protest. For more information about this webinar, click here. 4. Group Hires Assistant for 5 Projects ONTARIO — The nonprofit organization Revitalize Ontario’s new resource assistant has begun work at the start of this week. In an effort to offload the amount of work required on five separate projects, the organization, which strives to improve the facade of businesses and other buildings within the downtown core, felt the need to hire someone for the position, said Charlotte Fugate, co-chairwoman of the organization. That person is Kayla Kirksey. In order to pay for the position, Revitalize Ontario applied for and received about $10,000 from the Ford Family Foundation with about $14,000 of assistance coming from the City of Ontario. To access the full story, click here. 5. Esri & The Science of Where Esri is launching a new weekly podcast, Esri & The Science of Where, with the goal of helping executives and leaders in industry and government understand how modern geographic information systems (GIS) technology enables digital transformation and drives growth. In every industry executives are trying to make sense of technology trends like the Internet of Things, big data analytics, artificial intelligence, Smart Communities and digital transformation with its social, mobile, cloud and analytics layers. Each week in our podcast series we'll explore the intersection of these trends with the capabilities of the new generation of GIS-powered location technology. The Esri & The Science of Where podcast will showcase the ways contemporary GIS technology empowers faster, more precise decisionmaking. We'll talk to business and technology leaders who share analysis, insights, and stories about real-time analytics, advanced mapping and other location-driven technologies enabling digital transformation. Page 2 of 7
In our first episode, "How UPS Strengthens Decision Making and Customer Connection with Location Analytics," UPS senior director of process management Jack Levis tells the story of a GISpowered product that saved the Fortune 50 company hundreds of millions of dollars in its first year. To access the podcast, click here. 6. Resource - AARP Disaster Recovery Tool Kit No town or city wants to experience the devastation and loss caused by a natural disaster (such as a hurricane, earthquake or tornado) or similarly destructive event. However, when such tragedies do occur, the recovery work can provide an opportunity to reenvision the community and rebuild it to provide the features and services that enable people of all ages, physical abilities and life stages to comfortably call the community home. The AARP Livable Communities Disaster Recovery Tool Kit is designed to support the mission of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as it works to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate hazards nationwide. The tool kit describes the elements and features of a livable community and aligns the specific categories of work under the strategic framework of the "8 Domains of Livability"(a rubric used by the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities to identify needs, goals and successes) with FEMA's Recovery Support Functions. Additionally, the tool kit provides policy information, tools and resources to support the types of recovery work that lead to greater community resiliency and future preparedness. To access this resource, click here. 7. 15 Innovations That Shaped the City One of the many problems with the term “smart cities” is its suggestion that urban life has been dumb in the past. The engineers who designed Rome’s aqueducts might rightfully object. So too the surveyors who outlined New York’s street grid or the tunnelers who dug London’s subways. In reality, cities have been humanity’s greatest source of innovation as long as people have settled in them; their complexity presents endless challenges and their environment inspires endless solutions. With an eye toward the future of cities, Sidewalk Talk is excited to launch a new series spotlighting 15 innovations that shaped the history of urban life. Over the coming weeks, we’ll explore some of the biggest steps forward — and, at times, backward — in transportation, buildings, energy, data, and infrastructure. Many are technological in nature; others represent innovative policies or design advances. The series is not meant to be exhaustive, of course, but as cities move into a new era of digital tools, we hope it’s instructive. To access the full story, click here. 8. Webinar - Workplace Wellness: Walk This Way, October 5, 2017, 11am Healthier workers are more productive, have fewer sick days, and have decreased health care costs. Given that many adults spend half their waking hours at work, the workplace can play a big role in supporting positive lifestyle changes.
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Workplace wellness, though, does not begin and end at the office door. Employee wellness and community health are fundamentally linked. Recognizing this connection, with funding from the Centers for Disease Control, we invite you to attend our webinar Walk This Way, which will provide an overview of state and local policies that support physical activity and wellness in and around the workplace. By the end of the webinar, attendees will be able to:
Identify potential state and local policies that can support physical activity and wellness in the workplace and beyond, and Describe the relationship between workplace wellness and active transportation, Understand how to use Walk This Way to support wellness and physical activity.
For more information about this webinar, click here.
9. Event - Great Willamette River Clean Up, October 7 Hosted on the first Saturday of October, our annual Great Willamette Clean Up is a river-wide, community day-of-action. Volunteers participate by canoe, kayak, SUP board, raft, motor boat, jet ski, drift boat, bike, and by foot to free our river of trash and debris, while improving habitat and community spirit along the way. Cleanup sites are posted throughout the basin, and our on-line registration for this event will open in September. Several areas host post-cleanup celebrations that include lunch, local frothy beverages, and “trash-talk.” If you are interested in coordinating a clean up site, contact info@willametteriverkeeper.org. If your business is interested in sponsoring our effort, please take a look at our 2017 sponsorship packet to learn more about our partnership opportunities, as well as our sponsor donation page. We look forward to your participation! For more information about this event, click here. 10. Webinar - 5 Strategies for Attracting and Retaining Youth in Rural Communities, September 28, 2017, 12pm – 1pm Join us for a free webinar on Thursday, September 28, 2017, from Noon to 1:00 p.m. There are a number of things that local government officials can do to help their communities retain youth. The webinar, presented by Pam Schallhorn, Community and Economic Development Educator, University of Illinois Extension, will be based on research done at the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship in Lincoln, Nebraska over the last decade, and will provide strategies communities can use to get young people to stay in their communities or return after college. Pam works with community leaders, economic development professionals, Extension colleagues, and university faculty to develop programs that address local needs and mesh with broader state and national interdisciplinary initiatives. She has a background in local government education, finance, small business development, entrepreneurship, downtown redevelopment, strategic planning, poverty alleviation and diversity. She holds a master’s degree in Political Studies from the University of Illinois Springfield and a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Northern Illinois University, DeKalb. For more information about this webinar, click here.
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11. Rural Community & Economic Development Funding Resources Listing National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Our Town Program — Purpose: Support arts engagement, cultural planning, and design projects, as well as projects that build knowledge about creative place-making. Eligibility: Nonprofits and public agencies. Funding: Grants range from $25,000 to $200,000. Application Deadline: September 11, 2017. Foundation for Rural Service — Purpose: Support programs that promote business development, community development, education, or telecommunications in rural communities served by National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA) members. Eligibility: Nonprofits; preference will be given to proposals that foster collaboration among different community agencies, reflect a comprehensive approach to community development, promote community participation and engagement, and that can be fully funded by the grant or have 75 percent or more of the project currently funded. Funding: Grants range from $250 to $5,000. Application Deadline: September 15, 2017. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Continuum of Care (CoC) — Purpose: Promote a community-wide commitment to the goals of ending homelessness and optimizing self-sufficiency among those experiencing homelessness. Eligibility: Nonprofits, state or local government entities, and public housing agencies. Funding: Up to $2 billion is available nationwide. Application Deadline: September 28, 2017. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Centers for Agricultural Health and Safety (U54) — Purpose: Provides funding to operate a Center for Agricultural Health and Safety, which will conduct research and help translate scientific discoveries focused on improving worker safety and health in the areas of agriculture, forestry, and fishing. Eligibility: Units of higher education, including public, state, or private institutions; nonprofits other than institutions of higher education; for-profit organizations; state, county, or city governments; Native American tribal governments; U.S. territories and possessions; other organizations, including school districts, public housing and Indian housing authorities, faith-based or community-based organizations, and regional organizations. Funding: Awards range from $750,000 to $1,350,000; 15 awards are expected. Letter of Intent Deadline (optional): September 29, 2017. Application Deadline: November 30, 2017. Lowe's Toolbox for Education Program — Purpose: Help schools and parent-teacher groups with school improvement and provide for the basic needs of their students, with a particular focus on technology upgrades, tools for STEM programs, facility renovations, and safety improvements. Eligibility: Individual public K-12 schools or nonprofit parent groups associated with public K-12 schools. Funding: Grants range from $2,000 to $5,000. Application Deadline: September 29, 2017. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee Program — Purpose: Support the construction, improvement, and acquisition of facilities and equipment to provide high-speed broadband to rural areas. Eligibility: Corporations, limited liability companies, cooperatives or mutual organizations, state or local units of government, and tribes or tribal organizations; applicants must serve an area where at least 15 percent of households are currently unserved and provide a minimum bandwidth of ten megabits downstream and one megabit upstream for mobile service, 25 megabits downstream and three megabits upstream for fixed service. Funding: Award amounts range from $100,000 and $10 million. Application Deadline: September 30, 2017. Truth Initiative Tobacco-Free College Program for Community Colleges and MinorityServing Institutions — Purpose: Provide funding and technical assistance to help minority-serving institutions and community colleges advocate for, adopt, and implement a 100% tobacco-free college policy. Eligibility: Minority-serving institutions of higher education and public community colleges. Page 5 of 7
Funding: Individual awards up to $20,000 for a 17-month project period and technical assistance. Application Deadline: October 11, 2017. Indian Health Service (IHS) Division of Behavioral Health Zero Suicide Initiative — Purpose: Help implement the Zero Suicide approach in Indian Country with the goal of improving the system of care for those at risk for suicide by implementing a comprehensive, culturally informed, multisetting approach to suicide prevention in Indian health systems. Eligibility: Federally recognized Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations. Funding: Grants of approximately $400,000; 5 awards are expected. Application Deadline: October 12, 2017. First Nations Development Institute Native Arts Initiative — Purpose: Stimulate the long-term perpetuation, proliferation, and revitalization of artistic and cultural assets in Native communities by strengthening local programs and environments that support emerging and established Native artists and sustain traditional Native arts in their communities. Eligibility: Native-controlled nonprofits and tribal government programs. Funding: Grants up to $32,000. Application Deadline: October 19, 2017. Conservation Alliance Invites Nominations for Conservation Projects — Purpose: Support projects designed to secure permanent and quantifiable protection of a specific wild land or waterway with clear habitat and recreational benefits. Eligibility: 501(c)(3) organizations. Funding: Varies. Nomination Deadline: November 1, 2017. The Catholic Campaign For Human Development (CCHD) — Purpose: Support organizations led by low-income individuals as they work to break the cycle of poverty and improve their communities. Community Development Grants support nonprofit organizations that nurture the participation of people living in poverty to change structures and policies that affect their lives; Economic Development Grants support economic development institutions that include the voice of the poor and marginalized in developing new businesses that offer good jobs or develop assets that will be owned by local communities. Eligibility: Nonprofits and economic development institutions. Funding: Grants range from $25,000 to $75,000. Pre-application Deadline: November 1, 2017. BNSF Railway Foundation Grants — Purpose: Support health and human services, particularly programs that address chemical dependency treatment and prevention, spouse and child abuse, women's and children's aid, as well as transitional shelters, hospitals, medical programs, and youth development programs. Eligibility: 501(c)(3) organizations, divisions of local government, and schools or universities that operate near a BNSF railway line. Funding: Grants generally range from $1,000 to $10,000. Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. Small Business Administration (SBA) General Small Business Loans — Purpose: Provide loans to small businesses (including small healthcare practices) for working capital, equipment purchase, real estate purchase, building construction or renovation, business acquisition, and debt refinancing. Eligibility: Dependent upon specific aspects of the business and its principals. Funding: The average loan amount is $371,628; the maximum loan amount is $5 million. Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. Adolph & Esther Gottlieb Emergency Grants — Purpose: Provide assistance with a specific emergency, including fire, flood, or an unexpected medical issue. Eligibility: Artists in the disciplines of painting, sculpture, or printmaking. Funding: One-time grants up to $15,000. Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. Ford Family Foundation Community Building Spaces Grants — Purpose: Fund the development of public spaces, including through land acquisition, purchasing buildings, construction and renovations, among other activities. Eligibility: Small or rural communities with populations Page 6 of 7
under 35,000. Funding: Grants range from $50,000 to $250,000. Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. Ford Family Foundation Good Neighbor Grants — Purpose: Address unexpected needs or simple projects. Eligibility: Small or rural communities with populations under 35,000. Funding: Grants range from $1,000 and $10,000. Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. USDA Rural Development Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program — Purpose: Fund clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage to households and businesses in eligible rural areas. Eligibility: Most state and local government entities, private nonprofits, and federally recognized tribes. Funding: Long-term, low-interest loans and limited grants; amounts vary. Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. USDA Rural Development Water and Waste Disposal Loan Guarantees Program — Purpose: Provide loan guarantees that helps private lenders provide affordable financing to qualified borrowers to improve access to clean, reliable water and waste disposal systems for households and businesses in rural areas. Eligibility: Most state and local government entities, private nonprofits, and federally recognized tribes. Funding: Up to a 90 percent loan guarantee. Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. Rural Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Community Facilities Fund — Purpose: Help develop and improve essential community facilities (such as hospitals, healthcare centers, educational facilities, etc.) in rural areas. Eligibility: Nonprofits and public entities; facilities must be located in rural areas with a population under 20,000; preference will be given for highpoverty or persistent poverty areas. Funding: Individual awards of $100,000 to $8 million. Application Deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis. Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) Community Facilities Loan Program — Purpose: Help develop and improve essential community facilities (such as public and nonprofit office buildings, treatment centers, emergency and transitional housing, assisted living, human services, public safety, child care, education, and cultural facilities) in the rural West through shortterm loans for early property acquisition and pre-development, interim construction costs, and longterm permanent financing. Eligibility: Priority given to loan applications for projects that incorporate significant green methods and materials. Application Deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis. Department of Commerce (DOC) Economic Development Administration (EDA) Economic Development Assistance Programs — Purpose: Support economic development, foster job creation, and attract private investment in economically distressed areas of the United States. Eligibility: Native American tribal governments or organizations, state governments, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (other than institutions of higher education), special district governments, county governments, public and state controlled institutions of higher education, city or township governments, and others that vary by program. Funding: Awards range from $100,000 to $3 million. Application Deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis. HUD Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program — Purpose: Provide communities with a source of financing for economic development, housing rehabilitation, public facilities, and physical development projects, including improvements to increase resilience against natural disasters. Eligibility: Metropolitan cities and urban counties (Community Development Block Grant or CDBG entitlement recipients), non-entitlement communities that are assisted in the submission of applications by states that administer the CDBG Program, and non-entitlement communities eligible to receive CDBG funds under the HUD Small Cities CDBG Program. Funding: Loans range from $500,000 to $140 million. Application Deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis. Page 7 of 7