News
SSDN Announces Leadership Transition and New Beginnings
Dear SSDN members, partners and community, It has been an incredible honor to serve as SSDN’s first Executive Director and work with SSDN for nearly 10 years. I am pleased and honored that I have had the chance to lead such an impactful organization, and I commend my team and our members for the incredible…
Read MoreSoutheast Sustainability Directors Network Urges the Tennessee Valley Authority to Strengthen Its Commitment to a Clean, Resilient Energy Future
December 6, 2024 – The Southeast Sustainability Directors Network (SSDN), representing more than 125 local governments dedicated to advancing sustainability across the southeastern United States, submitted comments yesterday to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) regarding its 2025 Draft Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). SSDN’s recommendations focus on driving a stronger commitment to sustainability, transparency, and equity…
Read More“Energy For All Y’All” shares inspiring stories of how the South is benefiting from clean energy
Asheville, NC — From training local workers as solar installers to test-driving electric vehicles, renewable energy is alive and well in the Southeast. These kinds of stories need to be told if people are to see the value of clean energy in their everyday lives. That’s the impetus behind “Energy For All Y’all,” a collaboration from…
Read MoreTransportation Grants Pave the Way for Community Reconnection and Resilience
By Anita Tillman, AMCorp International The elevated Interstate 10 looms in the distance along the North Claiborne Avenue corridor in New Orleans — a stark concrete barrier bisecting the historic Tremé neighborhood, where 1960s urban renewal projects have had detrimental impacts on a once-economically thriving community. NEW ORLEANS — In an era where infrastructure often…
Read MoreHurricane Recovery Resources and How to Help
The aftermath of any storm is life altering for those in its midst as well as for those of us out of the path watching what is happening in neighborhoods just like ours. Our hearts are with every community dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and our prayers are with those in the path…
Read MoreA Season of Change: Farewell and Thank You to Riyza Jose Morales
by Meg Jamison, Executive Director As we prepare to bid farewell to our wonderful Riyza, we want to take a moment to reflect on and celebrate her remarkable journey with us. After three years of dedication to our organization and to our members, Riyza is embarking on a new chapter, and while we are sad…
Read MoreCelebrating Two Years of the Inflation Reduction Act
Today we celebrate the anniversary of the signing of the Inflation Reduction Act! On August 16, 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), providing billions of dollars for communities in the Southeast to advance sustainability via opportunities including the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant, DOT’s Reconnecting Neighborhood’s program, and the Solar for All program…
Read MoreCelebrating New Heights in the Queen City: SSDN’s 2024 Annual Meeting
In the spring, SSDN celebrated another impactful Annual Meeting in the midst of new heights and growth experienced by our network. The 2024 SSDN Annual Meeting was held April 30th to May 3rd in Charlotte, North Carolina. This year’s festivities welcomed 130 staff from 80 local governments, with representatives from all 10 states in our…
Read MoreCommunity First: EPA’s $2 Billion Grants Program Targets Community-Based Organizations
By Anita Tillman, AMCorp International For too long, communities across America have suffered from pollution, extreme weather, unaffordable energy costs, and disinvestment that erodes quality of life and locks in decline. Rising waters endanger aging homes, and toxic sites sit neglected. What could your hometown become if seniors in aging homes no longer had to…
Read MoreGratitude for SSDN’s Growth & Planning Ahead for 2024
by Meg Jamison, Executive Director I started working with SSDN as a consultant in 2015 with one of SSDN’s founding members, Maggie Ullman. I helped organize our Annual Meeting in Atlanta where we gathered about 35 local government practitioners in Atlanta. At that point, SSDN had no network staff… only two consultants trying to build…
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