Community Partnership Programs || Climate Action

Join Us in Community Partnership!#

Climate Equity Committee Application open until June 9th!

Apply today to join the Climate Equity Committee! Learn more below.

Apply Today!

Community Consultant Application open until June 7th!

Apply today to the 2023 Community Consultants program! Open the tab below to apply verbally and to learn more.

Apply today!

Solicitud de Asesor Comunitario 2023

¡Gracias por su interés en el programa de Asesor Comunitario! Animamos a todos aquellos que estén interesados en postularse.

Solicitud

Verbal Applications Open May 1st - June 7th!

Select this option to submit a verbal application to join the City as a Community Consultant.

Schedule Your Application!

WHAT: This program is designed for individuals in the community to share their insights, expertise, and experiences on City-led projects. It has potential to help project managers across the City better serve the community and to create/improve projects to be more accessible and equitable.

WHY:

Opportunities for Individuals. Community members want to be able to participate in Our Climate Future projects directly.

Compensation for Expertise. Staff want to ensure that community members’ time and expertise, especially when asking for the lived experience of BIPOC and historically excluded groups, are compensated for, as well as to remove a financial barrier to being able to contribute.
Effective Solutions. Staff believe that community members voices should be included and prioritized in projects that will impact them and that solutions are generally more effective when people they impact help design them.

Important to Know:

Ongoing Program. 2nd year of the program (implementation-focused), which built on 3 years of planning-focused partnerships.
Compensation: Individuals will be paid $25/hour

Application Process. Interested individuals may choose to submit a written application or sign up for a time for a verbal application.

Below you will find the project descriptions for the 2023 Community Consultants Program#

Project Description for: Neighborhood Services Equity Scan

Neighborhood Services is in need of community members who could help the department conduct an equity scan of its existing programs and services. The department oversees a variety of programs meant to promote healthy neighborhoods, such as Neighborhood Mini-Grants, Neighborhood Night Out, HOA Information, Immigration Legal Fund, and Eviction Legal Fund, among others. Community Consultants will review the department’s programmatic areas to ensure they are accessible to historically marginalized community members, culturally attuned, and tailored to their respective needs.
Activities will include:

- - Review application processes for Neighborhood Mini-Grants and Block Parties
  - Review current promotional materials.
  - Navigate the department’s website to identify any accessibility issues.
  - Attend community meetings to analyze meeting structure and content accessibility.
  - Brainstorm ideas with the department’s staff on different strategies to share information in the community.
  - Brainstorm ideas with the department’s staff on how to establish ongoing communication channels with community members.

Project Description for State Restaurant Styrofoam Ban Transition:

This summer and fall, the City’s Waste Reduction and Recycling team is going to be helping local restaurants transition off of Styrofoam plates, bowls, cups, trays, and containers as part of a new State law to reduce plastic pollution. The team is especially considering how to make the transition easier for small and minority-owned businesses who may experience additional barriers as they make the change. The team is already working closely with the Spanish speaking community to develop and implement culturally relevant outreach plans for Spanish-speaking business owners. Additional support is needed to develop plans for other minority-owned businesses and small businesses generally. A community consultant would support this project from May – November by:

- - Advising on plans for engaging minority-owned and small businesses. Brainstorm ideas with the department’s staff on additional strategies to share information in the community.
  - Advise on and review application materials for mini-grants that will aid businesses in switching off of Styrofoam.
  - Review project materials to flag any areas that may not translate well across cultures or be unclear.
  - Act as a trusted liaison to business owners about how the materials are being received and whether the transition away from Styrofoam is going well.
  - Brainstorm ideas with the team on how to establish ongoing communication channels with community members and build trust.

Project Description for: Language Access and Cultural Relevance to Recycling

In late summer and fall, the Waste Reduction and Recycling team is hoping to have 1-2 community consultants bring more community voice to the City’s recycling work through two projects. One project is creating a 5-year vision for the Timberline Recycling Center, including making it an accessible and inviting place for all community members. The second and related project is called “Barriers to Recycling” and was started in 2021 with the goal to identify and remove roadblocks to recycling for BIPOC and historically underrepresented community members and businesses. The community consultant would focus on the following activities (and there may be others as different folks bring different strengths and expertise):

- - Review current recycling communications materials.
  - Navigate the department’s website to identify any accessibility issues.
  - Act as a trusted liaison to your community to gather additional insights on what barriers exist to recycling and reusing, especially any barriers at the Timberline Recycling Center. Could include helping City staff organize community tours of the recycling center.
  - Brainstorm ideas to make the Timberline Recycling Center a more welcoming and practical space for diverse parts of the Fort Collins community.
  - Brainstorm ideas with the department’s staff on different strategies to share information in the community.
  - Brainstorm ideas with the department’s staff on how to build more partnerships in the community around recycling and reuse.

Project Description for Open Streets Communication and Outreach:

This year’s fall Open Streets event will take place on September 24th in the neighborhood around Troutman Park. Open Streets is a free community event that encourages folks to explore various modes of active transportation on a street closed to traffic. Open Streets also includes a collection of hubs throughout the course where local businesses offer free, family friendly activities. We are seeking a community consultant to assist with outreach and communication for this event particularly in underserved areas of Fort Collins. Insight and direction from the community consultant will inform the Active Modes staff in crafting a communication outreach plan with the express focus of increasing diversity and reaching communities and local business owners we have previously been unable to connect with.

Consult on ways to establish ongoing communication channels with community members and build trust.
Assist with crafting a communication plan with a DEI focus.
Engage directly with community members to promote and educate about the Open Streets event.
Engage directly with minority owned businesses to increase diversity among vendors.

Project Description for Bike To Work (or Wherever) Day:

Winter Bike to Work (or Wherever) Day (BT(W)D) will take place on Friday, February 9th and is an event designed to encourage folks to consider active modes of transportation during their commute to work or wherever they might normally travel by car. This free community event offers a host of breakfast stations around town providing free breakfast, prizes and swag. We are seeking a community consultant to assist with outreach and communication for this event particularly in underserved areas of Fort Collins. Insight and direction from the community consultant will inform the Active Modes staff in crafting a communication outreach plan with the express focus of increasing diversity and reaching communities and local business owners we have previously been unable to connect with.

Consult on ways to establish ongoing communication channels with community members and build trust.
Assist with crafting a communication plan with a DEI focus.
Engage directly with community members to promote and educate about BT(W)D.
Engage directly with minority owned businesses to increase diversity and geographic reach among station hosts.

Project Description for Water Efficiency Plan Engagement:

Fort Collins Utilities is updating the Water Efficiency Plan (WEP) to:

guide water use within the City organization
set overall water use reduction goals for the community and City-managed water accounts
prioritize conservation and efficiency strategies

The WEP update process will include evaluation of conservation and efficiency strategies in both current and future conditions. During the process, staff will also engage with the community about a One Water approach (how the Utility manages drinking water, water reclamation, and stormwater together), and is committed to integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Staff will work on the WEP update from early 2023 through the end of 2024, at which point Fort Collins City Council will consider the updated 2024 plan for adoption, and Utilities will submit it to the Colorado Water Conservation Board for approval.

Community Consultants would talk with community members about water conservation and provide their insights related to water conservation strategies and barriers to City staff. Their input will be used to select water conservation strategies to implement in our community.

Community Consultants activities would include some or all of the following:

Learning and grounding in the Water Efficiency Plan project and possible water conservation strategies
Joining City staff planning group(s) to provide input in the preliminary water conservation strategies vetting process
Share information with community members about current water conservation programming offered by Fort Collins Utilities
Collect feedback and community interest current programs and barriers to participation, future water conservation strategies and barriers to pursuing those strategies, and how to make the strategies more accessible and fairer.

This project will run from June 2023 to early 2024. A community consultant will spend about 25 hours on the project throughout this time.

Project Description for: Manufactured Home Energy Efficiency Pilot:

The City of Fort Collins Utilities and Neighborhood Services are piloting a new program for a Mobile Home Park Community Consultant to help solicit interest in Fort Collins Utilities programs for free home energy upgrades. These upgrades could include air sealing, insulation, windows, heating, cooling, appliances, lighting and water fixtures in partnership with Colorado’s Affordable Residential Energy (CARE) Program.  The Mobile Home Park Community Consultant would recruit fellow mobile home residents to a series of community meetings led by City staff – this may include initial meetings to inform residents about the CARE program and how they can qualify and then a final meeting to hear how the experience was for residents that participate in the program. Feedback will be used to improve the process to make sure that residents are comfortable going through the program. The consultant will also provide feedback to the City regarding future implementation of a community consultant program in other mobile home parks, given the potential for this pilot to be repeated in the future.

Selection Criteria

Current mobile home park resident in Fort Collins

Experience connecting with local neighbors/residents
Optional: bilingual, preferably Spanish and English

Urban Forest Strategic Plan

The City of Fort Collins Forestry Division is seeking Community Consultants to connect and engage with neighborhoods and/or community groups to support the Urban Forest Strategic Plan (UFSP) effort. The UFSP will be an all-inclusive 20-year vision of managing Fort Collins’ community trees (public and private trees), refining existing forestry divisional goals, identifying new goals based on best practices in urban ecology, arboriculture, and urban forest management, planning and preparing for a changing climate now and in the future, and making actionable recommendations to achieve these goals.
The community Consultants activities would include:
- Joining the City project management team and plan consultant to provide input in the preliminary urban forest community engagement strategies.
- Share information with community members about current urban forestry programming offered by the Fort Collins Forestry Division.
- Collect feedback and community interest on current and future programs and perception of benefits that trees provide, identify potential barriers to maintaining or planting trees in the community, and document concerns around trees growing in our neighborhoods and community.
This project will run from July 2023 to early 2024. A community consultant will spend between 20 to 24 hours on the project throughout that time.

About:

The Climate Equity Committee is striving to bring the most impacted communities to the center of climate action solutions. We recognize that the most impacted in our community by climate change are often those with the least decision-making power. We are striving to incorporate more relevant voices for accessible and equitable solutions, prioritize content and context expertise from historically underrepresented groups, and foster relationship building and a culture of trust and reciprocity between historically underrepresented groups and the City.

This program will help develop leadership skills within the community and will provide the opportunity for community members to learn how to navigate City processes. This Climate Equity Committee will explore possibilities for increased decision-making abilities in the Our Climate Future implementation processes. The focus of the Climate Equity Committee should also expand to function as an equity accountability committee with the intended outcomes being:

Climate equity recommendations
Better access to government
Increase community capacity for climate work
Continued partnerships
Building trust and relationships
Accountability of our OCF Climate action work.

Purpose	Community members provide equity-centered accountability on the implementation of OCF through an advisory committee where staff and committee share decision-making power.
Key Roles and Responsibilities	The committee acts as an advisory group for City projects- equity, climate focus. Members function as liaisons, not representatives of community
Members/Compensation	10-12 Community Members representing diverse identities and lived experiences. Members will be compensated and will sign service agreements-$25/hour for up to $1,000
Meeting Frequency	1x a month- 2 x during onboarding Meeting logistics – accessibility, locations Anticipated Meeting Topics coming soon!
Accommodation/Benefits	Transportation options, childcare opportunities, and additional benefits will be offered. More info coming soon!
Terms & Succession Planning	June 2023, 1- or 2-year commitment (decided by individual members)
Accountability	Staff Liaisons: 2-3 Staff will support logistics and coordination for meetings. Staff and committee are reliable in communication and attendance.
Decision Types & Decision Making Roles	Staff and committee share decision-making power. Committee has the power to say, “not yet”. Eventual autonomy - deciding which projects to pursue. Transfer and defer decision-making power over time

Additional Information:

OCF’s community partnership body of work is intended to further reciprocal relationships with the community and take meaningful steps towards sharing power on climate action. We see the primary WHYs of this work as the following:

         Acknowledging and dismantling oppression
         Being effective in limiting and preparing for climate change through increased leadership and action within the community.
         Building capacity, skills, and trust between the City and all parts of the community
         Transforming governance

Community Leadership Grant Program is Looking for Recipients

The Climate Team is searching for the recipients of the Community Leadership small grants program. This is a very low-barrier program aimed to fund local businesses and organizations working towards their climate goals as they relate to the 13 OCF Big Moves.

If you are a local business/organization interested in learning more about this grant program and how to be considered, please reach out to the OCF Climate Team at OurClimateFuture@fcgov.com

This is a flexible, low barrier grants program that aims to strengthen community partnership and build leadership capacity for organizations that are leading work towards Our Climate Future (OCF) goals.

IMPORTANT TO KNOW:

Low-barrier program. To provide flexibility and ease for recipients, there will be no formal application process, but a grant agreement will be used.
Flexible timelines. Individual project timelines will be agreed upon between staff and the organization (different for each project).
Focus on small organizations. Significant support of organizations that are smaller and more grassroots in nature, especially those that are led by and serving historically underserved/excluded communities.
Curated: Staff will seek out groups to fund that have equity, inclusion, and climate resilience at the center of their organizational goals that have a direct connection to Big Move 1 – shared leadership, capacity building, community partnership. This means there is not a traditional, competitive application process!
Funding: Awardees may be funded for up to $10,000 (based on the determined financial needs of the proposed project).

Criteria: To be considered for funding, projects MUST include the following:

There must be an explicit connection to OCF Big Move 1 - Shared Leadership and Community Partnership and must advance one or more of the other 13 Big Moves.
There must be a direct benefit to underserved and historically marginalized parts of the community.
Projects/programs should be able to become ongoing/have ongoing impacts.

Preferences: Projects will be more strongly considered if they include the following:

Groups looking to invest in capacity building to lead towards the 13 Big Moves of Our Climate Future.
- This small grant program is intended to help fund community organizations and businesses advancing their local climate leadership, based on the City of Fort Collins’ commitment to Shared Leadership and Community Partnership of Our Climate Future (OCF Big Move 1).
Organizations that are not already receiving significant/consistent funding from public or private sources.
- By using a low-barrier, curated grant-making approach the intention of the program is to fill a funding gap for groups that may have less capacity to access capital through more traditional, competitive grant processes.
Projects that include diverse perspectives and lived experiences.
- This equitable grant-making program is intended to invest in climate leadership for historically marginalized parts of the community. The City is seeking to fund groups that are building capacity and raising awareness about existing leadership by underrepresented organizations.
Projects that demonstrate innovative approaches to climate resilience strategies.
- This funding is meant to amplify community partnership and shared leadership by demonstrating that climate resilience and community resilience go hand-in-hand. Therefore this funding will lean towards innovative projects and away from projects that are more technical in nature.
Groups that are willing to build and maintain a trusting relationship.
- This program will have monthly check-ins with progress meetings to discuss ways that funding is directly benefiting shared leadership and community partnership oriented projects. Since this program is in its pilot year, these projects are pivotal in understanding how the City can best meet community needs.