SSDN Launches the Southeast Sustainable Recovery Center
In August 2021, SSDN launched the Southeast Sustainable Recovery Center (SSRC) program. This collaborative effort between SSDN and its many valued partners strives to provide more education and direct guidance to SSDN's local government members related to federal funding opportunities that support climate action.
SSDN believes that local governments in the Southeast, who have been historically less competitive for federal funding, are leaders in pulling resources into their communities for equitable climate resilience and sustainability projects. This program will encourage and support communities in their mobilization of COVID-19 relief and economic recovery in innovative ways which yield equitable solutions that make our communities more resilient to future stressors.
SSDN excitedly welcomes Michael Dexter as Manager of the new Southeast Sustainable Recovery Center. Michael joins SSDN from Sarasota, FL after a career at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and with an environment-focused Special District for the State of Florida. Michael will be the primary liaison between members and federal opportunities, as well as between members and key partners who will provide additional support under the Center’s umbrella.
Members can access more information about the SSRC here. Members will find a curated list of grant opportunities available for local and tribal governments, formally known as the SSDN Federal Funding Database. The database will be updated weekly to provide members with up-to-date information on federal financial assistance opportunities that may be used to fund community sustainability efforts. Members will also have the added benefit of weekly updates featuring new funding opportunities to leverage for their community initiatives.
In addition to these resources, SSDN will be hosting weekly Federal Opportunities Discussions to engage personally with members to discuss their funding priorities. These meetings provide a forum for SSDN to respond directly to questions from members, as well as an opportunity to facilitate discussion on member experiences and challenges with applying to federal assistance opportunities. Each discussion will highlight a broad theme and, based on member feedback, dive into details about grant applications, project ideas, and application best practices.
Throughout this fall, Federal Opportunities Discussions will be held weekly, each Wednesday (10 am EST), starting September 1st. Members must register via this link for each session (participation is exclusive to SSDN members). Sessions will cover the Biden Administration's Justice40 goal, environmental justice, and two of the Administration's pilot grants for implementing Justice40.
SSDN envisions that the Southeast Sustainable Recovery Center will be a mechanism by which more funding can come to Southeast communities for implementation of equitable sustainability and resilience work. We so appreciate each and every one of you, our members, for your leadership and look forward to supporting you!
If you have any questions, or would like to learn more about federal funding opportunities, visit the SSRC page or contact Michael at michael@southeastsdn.org.
