Transportation 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 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…
Read MoreRefuse to Surrender: How an Underdog City Applied for a $10 Million Federal Grant
By Anita Tillman, AMCorp International Across the southeast, from Texas to Virginia, cities and towns overflow with ideas, hopes, needs, and dreams. Unfortunately, most find themselves wrestling with the realities of fragile infrastructure, an affordable housing crisis, population fluctuations, and little capacity to access the pots of federal funding at the end of the rainbow…
Read MoreStart Where Communities Are: How Local Infrastructure Hub Cohorts Build Local Capacity to Access Federal Funding
by Anita M. Tillman, AMCorp International Navigating the complex landscape of infrastructure needs and federal funding opportunities can often feel like you’re lost in an intricate maze without a map. You understand the corners and contours of your community, you’re attuned to its challenges and potential, and yet, transforming those needs into actionable projects feels…
Read MoreCelebrating Growth and Progress: A Rundown of SSDN’s Federal Funding Programs
We are excited to continue strengthening our capacity to support for local communities in accessing federal resources! Two years ago, SSDN launched the Southeast Sustainable Recovery Center (SSRC), a member-focused support program for local governments with the goal of increasing access to federal funding and resources to advance sustainability and equity. Building on SSDN’s peer-to-peer…
Read MoreSSDN Launches Local Infrastructure Hub Cohorts Program to Deepen Support for Southeast Communities’ Access to Federal Funding
The Southeast Sustainability Directors Network has officially launched a new program as part of a broader effort to provide deeper support to communities who need additional capacity to access federal funding. The Local Infrastructure Hub (LIH) Regional Cohorts program provides direct support and technical assistance (TA) to local governments and their partners in the Midwest…
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