The Resilient Nation Roundup | March 2021

MARCH 2021

Women are vital to creating a more resilient nation. All year, and especially throughout Women’s History Month, it’s important for us to be mindful of gender equity. Let’s continue to think critically, learn, and take actions to advance equitable resilience. Here are a few amazing stories we’re reading:

We are thankful for all the incredible women making invaluable contributions to help states, localities, tribes, and territories become more resilient each day.

Stay safe and be well,
The Resilient Nation Partnership Network Team

Upcoming Events


Funding Opportunities

Partner News


NGA: Overview Of Survey Results On Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Efforts

To better understand the issues and needs of governors, the National Governors Association (NGA) conducted a survey in August 2020 on states’ and territories’ diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) activities, goals and challenges. A total of 23 states and territories responded, with a duplicate response from one state. The responses illustrate the challenges governors have faced, actions they have taken and how they have organized their DEI efforts.

Read more here


Mitigation and Resilience

Mitigation and Resilience Federal Funding Sources

This resource focuses on federal funding opportunities available for mitigation projects. These funding resources can be potentially leveraged, layered and used simultaneously with other federal or non-federal funding sources. The funding table addresses federal agency programs that provide financial assistance to state, local, tribal and territorial governments concerning natural disaster recovery or pre-disaster mitigation and adaptation.

Read more here


NOAA Launches Effort to Gather Initial Public Input on Section 216(c) of the Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad

NOAA is launching an agency-wide effort to gather initial public input on Section 216(c) of the Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. This section directs NOAA to collect recommendations on how to make fisheries, including aquaculture, and protected resources more resilient to climate change. This includes changes in management and conservation measures and improvements in science, monitoring and cooperative research. We invite your input on the best ways to achieve these objectives. Submit your comments by April 2. Please go to our website for more information on where to submit comments. You can also access the Federal Register Notice here.


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Environmental Defense Fund Blog: 3 Actions Congress Can Take Now to Build More Resilient Coasts

By investing in natural infrastructure and conservation, Congress can build protections for the coastal ecosystems that help protect communities, while creating jobs and reducing the costs of disasters.

Read more here


NFWF

National Coastal Resilience Fund Now Soliciting Pre-Proposals

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is pleased to announce its 2021 National Coastal Resilience Fund Request for Proposals. NFWF will invest in planning, designing and restoring nature-based solutions to help protect coastal communities and enhance habitat for wildlife.

Learn more here


Equal Justice Works Disaster Resilience Awareness Month

Throughout the month of March, Equal Justice Works Fellows in the Disaster Resilience Program will host trainings in partnership with various organizations, government agencies, and legal services providers to educate communities on the legal services available to disaster survivors.

Read more here


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Bringing the Science of Human Behavior to Environmental Challenges

Rare’s Center for Behavior & the Environment partnered with the Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel of the Global Environment Facility to develop a literature review on the science of changing behavior for environmental outcomes and a practical guide that explores into the ‘how’ of behavioral design.


FEMA Supports Mitigation Matters Research Awards 

The Natural Hazards Center has partnered with FEMA to create the Mitigation Matters Research Program, which provides researchers with funding to conduct studies on hazard mitigation. The first call for proposals was launched in fall 2019, and the second call was issued in spring 2020. To date, 19 research teams have been funded. Three of the award recipients presented their work during the Making Mitigation Work webinar.

Read more here


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New EESI Fact Sheet: Conservation Corps: Pairing Climate Action with Economic Opportunity

As policymakers consider how to revive the economy after the pandemic, make our communities more resilient to the impacts of climate change, and accelerate the transition to sustainable, clean energy, many have taken a closer look at a program with a long, inspiring pedigree: the conservation corps. This fact sheet examines the history of the conservation corps in America, how these corps can help address the climate crisis, how they are currently funded, and recent legislation that helps—or would help—expand their impact, including President Joe Biden’s January 27, 2021, executive order calling for a new Civilian Climate Corps Initiative.

Read more here


Updates from WSP

WSP USA Partners with the Coalition for Climate Resilient Investment

Collaborating to integrate climate-related data into cash flow modeling and valuation estimation practices for infrastructure assets.

Read more here

 

Emily Wasley Named Board President of the American Society of Adaptation Professionals

WSP USA is an ASAP organizational member that furthers the company’s alignment with and commitment to leadership in climate action.

Read more here


NLC

National League of Cities Announces 2021 Leadership in Community Resilience Grantees

The National League of Cities (NLC) has announced eight new cities for the Leadership in Community Resilience program. Each city will receive $10,000 in direct financial support, as well as technical assistance and advisory services from NLC staff and partners, to help them meet community-specific resiliency goals. The eight cities selected for the 2021 Leadership in Community Resilience program are: Alton, TX; Arlington, MA; Cedar Rapids, IA; Dubuque, IA; Flagstaff, AZ; Portsmouth, NH; Raleigh, NC; and Spokane, WA. For more information, contact Anna Marandi, Program Manager, NLC, at marandi@nlc.org.

Read more here

Updates from the Union of Concerned Scientists

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The Social Cost of Carbon Gets an Interim Update from the Biden Administration

Why is the social cost of carbon important? It helps quantify the costs of climate change related to our carbon emissions and can also be used to quantify the benefits of reducing carbon emissions. Yet, the federal government’s cost of carbon is only a fraction of what current research states it should be— $125/metric ton of CO2. 

Read more here

 

UCS 2

The FHFA Begins to Reckon with Climate Risks for the Housing Market 

Read the UCS’s recommendations for FHFA’s response to growing climate risks. From pushing the federal government to stepping up in communicating climate risks to advocating for climate risk disclosure in the marketplace, UCS looks forward to providing more input to FHFA’s Request for Information due April 19, 2021.  

Read more here

 

UCS 3

FEMA’s Expert Committee Breathes a Sigh of Relief: They can now “Actually Say Climate Change" 

FEMA and TMAC will embrace the new priorities under the Biden administration moving forward. But FEMA still has their work cut out for them. Changing climate conditions are causing negative and worrisome trends in extreme events and disasters. Yet our regulations and standards are insufficient to stop people from building in flood zones or ensure new construction is built to future climate change projections. 

Read more here

 

2021 Natural Hazards Workshop: Call for Proposals!  

The Natural Hazards Center invites you to contribute to planning the 2021 Natural Hazards Research and Applications Workshop, to be held virtually July 11-14, with the annual Researchers Meeting immediately following on July 14-15. This year, the Workshop will be organized around the theme of The Hazards and Disaster Workforce: Preparing to Meet 21st Century Challenges. The Center invites contributions that will help establish how the workforce we have can support and build the workforce we need. Please share your ideas by March 29.

Read more here


Building Climate Resilience

Climate Ready Communities: A Practical Guide to Building Climate Resilience

Tonya Graham and Marni Koopman authored the Practical Guide to Building Climate Resilience, which is available at no charge through the Climate Ready Communities program – an “assisted do-it-yourself” climate resilience program for small to mid-sized communities. The Geos Institute recently celebrated 650 guide downloads nationwide! For more information, contact Christina Mills at christina@geosinstitute.org.

Read the guide here


Public Health Foundation Trainings on Housing Under COVID-19

Offered through the TRAIN Learning Network by the Johns Hopkins University, these trainings showcase ways to support Senior Housing and Assisted Living Communities during COVID-19. The trainings are Strategies for Assisted Living Communities during COVID-19 and Strategies for Senior Housing Communities during COVID-19.


Rural Guide

Supporting Resilience in Rural and Agricultural Communities

Every community is unique, and disasters affect every community differently. FEMA’s Risk Management Directorate developed A Guide to Supporting Engagement and Resiliency in Rural Communities and Connecting Mitigation and Agriculture, part of the seven-part "Guides to Expanding Mitigation" series, to help FEMA staff, partners and providers enhance their engagement and planning with rural communities as a means to improving hazard mitigation planning and risk reduction efforts. The guides include ideas, suggested timelines, resources for collaboration and actionable steps to better understand and leverage the knowledge and experience of local decisionmakers and influencers from the agriculture and rural communities to build resilience efforts.

To learn more about the guides and other risk reduction resources, visit fema.gov.


ResCon International is Now Accepting Presentation Proposals through March 22

ResCon International, the annual conference on the practice of resilience and disaster management, is now accepting presentation proposals. Interested presenters are asked to submit presentation abstracts and relevant speaker/presentation information through the online portal, which is open through March 22, 2021 at 5 p.m. CST.

Access the online portal


Innovation Network for Communities and Climate Resilience Consulting: Playbook 1.0: How Cities are Paying for Climate Resilience

This report identifies eight distinct strategies cities are using to pay for large-scale climate resilience projects, mostly to address sea level rise and flooding. The analysis is based on a close look at how eight U.S. cities in seven states have been organizing the funding needed to implement their ambitious climate resilience plans.

Read the Playbook here

 


Tools

River Network Publishes "Fostering Community-Led Research and Knowledge"

River Network just published Fostering Community-Led Research and Knowledge as part of a Toolkit for Equitable Climate Resilience. This tool provides step-by-step guidance and lessons learned on how to effectively engage with community members to understand climate impacts and to develop equitable climate resilience strategies. As part of the effort to promote community-led research (CLR), River Network is providing technical and funding support to eight organizations around the country to design and implement CLR projects. This tool is a companion piece to one published in December 2020 on Fostering Community Leadership for Climate Resilience.

Read more here


Exploring the “Guides to Expanding Mitigation”

The Mitigation and National Preparedness Divisions in FEMA Region 2 are hosting a webinar series on how to expand the reach of mitigation by engaging people and organizations from across the whole community, beyond those typically involved in hazard mitigation. Each webinar will introduce a guide or two from the “Guides to Expanding Mitigation” series. Upcoming webinars will feature the Whole Community and Equity Guides (March 25, 12-1 p.m. ET) and the Municipal Financing Guide (April 7, 12-12:30 p.m. ET).

View the full schedule and register here


"Next Generation of Resilience" Student Showcase

The Resilient Nation Partnership Network is excited to virtually host the “Next Generation of Resilience” Student Showcase on April 28. During our first-ever showcase, four students will present their work and research focused on creating a more resilient nation.  

The audience will include partners like you, fellow students, and resilience professionals from all over the country. Student presenters will have the unique opportunity to receive feedback from peers and professionals on their work and research, as well as dedicated time to network and learn more about future career paths in resilience.

CALLING ALL STUDENT PRESENTERS

Are you an undergraduate or graduate student or do you know a student who is a great fit for this opportunity? If so, please submit abstracts here by March 26. Four students will be chosen to present their work at this event and additional student submissions will be showcased in a special edition of the Resilient Nation Roundup newsletter. Students can add this resume building experience to employment and graduate school applications. We strongly encourage students from HBCUs or those working with tribal and territorial partners on resilience to apply.

Submission Guidance

  • Students should have a current focus that supports the priorities of the Resilient Nation Partnership Network:  

- Promoting natural hazard mitigation actions
- Advancing equitable resilience initiatives
- Expanding capacity through partnerships

  • Abstract should be 250 words or less.
  • The deadline is 11:59 p.m. ET on March 26.
  • You will receive an e-mail confirmation of your abstract submission.

Please reach out to JaQuisha Hudson at jaquisha.hudson@ogilvy.com with any questions.


Coastal Partnership

Updates from The Water Institute of the Gulf

The Water Institute of the Gulf Announces Partnership for Our Working Coast

The Partnership for our Working Coast is an alliance of industry and environmental partners, led by The Water Institute of the Gulf, collaborating to contribute to the coastal resiliency of our community, the environment and the working coast.

Read more here

 

How Nature Can Help Solve our Infrastructure Crisis Amid Extreme Weather and Climate Change

As climate change brings more frequent and intense weather events, our infrastructure will continue to face challenges it was not built to withstand. The most vulnerable among us will suffer disproportionately. If this is to be a time of equitable renewal amid a global pandemic, then we must meet this once-in-a-generation opportunity to address our crumbling infrastructure, climate change and social equity with a natural solution.

Read more here 


Federal Resilience Resources for State Energy Offices

The Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs Office, through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, has compiled federally funded and publicly available qualitative and quantitative resources that support energy resilience and disaster mitigation planning. This handout is accompanied by the downloadable Resilience Valuation Tools Table, which offers more detailed specifications on each quantitative tool. 

Read more here


The State of Colorado Releases Future Avoided Cost Explorer

By understanding the dollar value price tag of future extreme weather events, we can make the financial case for investing in our resilience. The State of Colorado's Future Avoided Cost Explorer (FACE:Hazards) aims to quantify the price of inaction.


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NACo: Evacuation Planning Enhanced by Neighborhood Fire Drills

As more and more communities are dealing with the threat of wildfires, one neighborhood in Austin, TX took a page from school fire drills and organized a neighborhood fire drill to see if it would be helpful. Their answer was a resounding “yes!”

Read more here


Thank you to the partners who shared the following resources during the Resilient Nation Partnership Network's Kickoff to 2021 on February 24

 

Reopening America: Strategies for Safer Buildings

Submitted by Rachel Minnery, from the American Institute of Architects (AIA)

The COVID-19 pandemic has risked the public's health and safety in buildings across the United States and beyond. As states began reopening communities, AIA embarked on an initiative to explore how design strategies backed by science can be a public health solution. “Reopening America: Strategies for Safer Buildings,” is intended to provide design professionals, employers, building owners and public officials with tools and resources for reducing risk when re‑occupying buildings during the pandemic.

Learn more here

 

Historic Hazard Data for Understanding Risk

Submitted by Adam Tobey from the Albany Visualization and Informatics Labs.

You can review datasets for information about losses associated with natural hazard events, including datasets from National Centers for Environmental Information, Small Business Administration Loan programs and FEMA’s Public Assistance and Individual Assistance programs.

Learn more here                                                                 

 

RiskFootprint Reports

Submitted by Albert Slap from Coastal Risk Consulting

RiskFootprint™ is pleased to contribute complimentary RiskFootprint™ reports to low income, at-risk communities to help them better understand present and future flood, natural hazard and climate change risks. Reach out directly to Albert Slap at albertslap@riskfootpring.com for more information.

Learn more here

 

Headwaters Economic New Flood Program

Submitted by Kristin Smith of Headwaters Economics

Three Forks is the pilot project for the new flood program at Headwaters Economics. The program is designed to provide technical assistance to communities free of charge and tailored to meet their needs.

Learn more here

 

Earth Force: The RISE Challenge

Submitted by Alyssa McConkey from Earth Force

The RISE Challenge was developed by FEMA and the Association of State Floodplain Managers Foundation. It pairs Earth Force’s educational framework and learning process with FEMA’s experts and works to continue teaching about natural hazards and create more resilient communities.

Learn more here

 

Resilience Innovation Hub's Next Steps 

Submitted by Richard Seline from Resilience Innovation Hub

Unleashing innovation for resilience is more urgent than ever. For more information, read this article by Richard Seline.

Learn more here