SEPTEMBER 2021
Resilient Nation Partnership Network, FEMA and NASA Team Up to Host 6th Annual Forum on "Alliances for Climate Action"
On October 6, the Resilient Nation Partnership Network will kick off the 6th Annual Partnership Forum, “Alliances for Climate Action,” co-hosted with FEMA and NASA. This four-week virtual series will occur every Wednesday in October from 12-2 p.m. ET. Join us as we hear from more than 30+ thought leaders across resilience, climate, equity, and more, exploring how we can collectively tackle climate action across our work. We are also excited to feature the new event website! RSVP, learn about the speakers, and check out the program schedule here.
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Upcoming Events
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Featured Event: Resilient Nation Partnership Network Ideation Hour, Today! September 22 at 12 PM ET
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Climate Finance Advisors: Transatlantic Cooperation on Climate Risk and Resilience, September 23
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SPIN Global, I-DIEM, 4Cast, and IAEM: Equitable Decision Intelligence for Emergency Management Webinar, September 29
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RNPN, FEMA, and NASA: Alliances for Climate Action Virtual Forum Series, October 6, 13, 20, 27
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FEMA Earthquake and Wind Programs Branch: Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills, October 21
Funding Opportunities
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The Natural Hazards Center: The Natural Hazards Center, with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Science Foundation, is issuing a special call for proposals focused on conducting studies designed to strengthen individual and community resilience in the inhabited U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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Proposals are due by 5 p.m. MT on Thursday, September 30, 2021.
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Award announcements will be made no later than Saturday, October 27, 2021.
- The project timeline is October 2021 through August 2022.
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NOAA Office of Education: The NOAA Office of Education has issued a competitive funding opportunity, Environmental Literacy Program, for projects that develop the collective environmental literacy necessary for communities to take actions that build resilience to extreme weather and climate change in ways that contribute to community health, social cohesion, and socioeconomic equity. This funding opportunity is soliciting two types of projects through separate competitive priorities.
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Priority 1 Deadline for Required Pre-Applications is November 1, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. ET
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Priority 2 Deadline for Full Applications is January 25, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Pre-Applications are not required.
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Awards will be made by September 30, 2022 (estimated).
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Partner News
Environmental and Energy Study Institute: Climate Resilience and Jobs
In honor of National Workforce Development Month, EESI’s two September newsletter issues will focus on the nexus of workforce and climate resilience. Check out Climate Change Solutions to read the article series.
We will also launch EESI’s 2021 Climate Jobs fact sheet including a new section on climate adaptation and resilience jobs. Be the first to know about the fact sheet release.
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FEMA Features CTP Work in Flood Recognition and Warning
FEMA's Cooperating Technical Partners (CTP) Program creates partnerships between FEMA and participating National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) communities, regional agencies, state agencies, tribes and universities that have the interest and capability to become more active participants in the FEMA flood hazard mapping program.
Several of our partners have made noteworthy achievements. They have developed innovative ideas that have helped them work more efficiently to hit major milestones. FEMA highlights these partners' achievements and innovations on their website.
A recent addition to the CTP “Success Stories” comes from the Mile High Flood District in Colorado. To learn more about how the Mile High Flood District protects lives and property with timely responses to flood threats, read Mile High Flood District’s Approach to Early Flood Threat Recognition and Warning.
Jackson State University: Project FAST – Females Advancing Science and Technology
Project FAST (Females Advancing Science and Technology) aims to train a new generation of female emergency management and disaster-preparedness professionals. Funded by the National Science Foundation, Project FAST activities will be designed to stimulate research interests of undergraduate female minority students and foster quantitative and discovery-based learning on emergency preparedness. Partnerships include the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and the National Weather Service.
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Intentionally Act: Emergency Management – Planning for Equity
On Tuesday, July 27, Bradley Dean, Communications Specialist of FEMA’s Risk Management Directorate, spoke with Dr. Atyia Martin, CEO and Founder of All Aces Inc., about the importance of approaching emergency management, organizational change, and community resilience through the lenses of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Creation Justice Ministries: "Faithful Resilience" Films Highlight Climate Resilience in Coastal Churches
View these new films highlighting climate stories from North Carolina and Georgia churches to learn how faith leaders are cultivating faithful resilience.
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Update from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS)
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"Too Hot to Work": Assessing the Threats Climate Change Poses to Outdoor Workers
This research finds that between now and 2065, climate change will quadruple U.S. outdoor workers’ exposure to hazardous heat conditions. This could jeopardize their health and place up to $55.4 billion of their earnings at risk annually if no action is taken to reduce global warming emissions.
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New UCS Climate Analysis "Too Hot to Work" Shows Mounting Risks to Outdoor Workers from Heat Extremes
This blog summarizes what the findings of UCS’s new report, "Too Hot to Work," mean for outdoor workers. It calls for mandatory protections from extreme heat so that outdoor workers aren’t made to choose between their health and their livelihood.
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Hurricane Ida Shows Why We Urgently Need Bold, Just and Equitable Climate Action
The level of harm and damage to the people and infrastructure in the path of Hurricane Ida is enormous. We cannot afford to just build back as is without changing the underlying systems because fostering more resilient communities and infrastructure will require a more holistic approach.
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FEMA Region 8 Completes First Artworks Pilot Project: “Community Forms”
FEMA plays a critical role in providing communities with reliable and accessible information about flood risk and mitigation. Region 8 recently launched ArtWorks, a new initiative that seeks to create art that tells a story, is eye-catching and interactive, and also communicates the importance of flood risk and mitigation.
RedLine Contemporary Art Center facilitated the initial call for art. The selected project concept was Community Forms, which serves as a drainage system, art installation, skate park, creative play space, and community gathering spot. The work is curated and produced by Black Cube Nomadic Contemporary Art Museum and designed by local artist Matt Barton.
Located adjacent to the South Platte River, the sculptural intervention features abstract curvilinear forms that provide a social space for gathering and creative play—but also channels stormwater through the site. The interpretive signs on the site share information on flood mitigation, watersheds, and the context and background for the artwork.
For more information, please contact Margaret Doherty at Margaret.doherty2@fema.dhs.gov.
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FEMA Earthquake and Wind Programs Branch: Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills
Mark your calendars! The 2021 ShakeOut is almost here. Will you be prepared? With over 333 million people living and working in the United States, a major earthquake could cause unprecedented devastation. What you do to prepare now will determine how well you will survive and recover from the next big earthquake.
Join millions of participants on October 21 at 10:21 a.m. local time for International ShakeOut Day and Drop, Cover, and Hold On. We encourage everyone to register and participate.
The International ShakeOut Day, every third Thursday of October, is a day of individual and community events. ShakeOut features the largest earthquake drill ever organized to inspire others to get ready for big earthquakes and to prevent disasters from becoming catastrophes. When your drill begins, remember to Drop, Cover, and Hold On! It is only a one-minute commitment for something that can save your life.
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Technical Assistance Available
Enterprise Community Partners: New Enterprise Resilience Academy
Calling all climate resilience and adaptation practitioners for speaking opportunities! Enterprise Community Partners is launching a series of regional, cohort Resilience Academies helping owners, operators, and developers of affordable housing prepare their properties and protect residents from increasingly severe climate hazards. If you have experience and can speak about equipping owners, operators and developers of affordable housing with actionable strategies to increase adaptation capacity and community livability from the ground up, please contact Mihir Parikh, Senior Program Coordinator, at resilienceacademy@enterprisecommunity.org.
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The first academy will be hosted on September 30 and will focus on the Southeast region, but future academies will be open to additional regions throughout the country. The next regional focus will be the Gulf Coast in Quarter 1 of 2022.
Griffin: Building Resilience for Citizens with Service Dogs
Griffin launched an innovative training course to teach first responders how to support citizens with service dogs in emergencies. Pawsitive Interactions with Service Dogs During Response Operations© features live demonstrations with these exceptional animals and practical instruction on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
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New Resources
Natural Hazards Center: New Report Series – Public Health Research in U.S. Territories
Managing disaster preparedness and response in U.S. territories involves navigating a complicated array of cascading disasters, limited access to resources, a history of colonialism, and a global pandemic. To better understand the social and public health impacts of disasters throughout these regions, the Natural Hazards Center—in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Science Foundation—issued 15 awards to study the primary public health issues faced by American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The initial findings from these studies are now available in the first of a series of Public Health Reports from our Research Award Program.
National League of Cities Releases Fact Sheets on How to Use American Rescue Plan Act Funds for Drinking Water and Clean/Wastewater Infrastructure
The U.S. Department of Treasury’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Interim Final Rule identified water and wastewater infrastructure projects as eligible uses of ARPA funds. The National League of Cities created a fact sheet for each topic to describe eligible projects, water challenges, case studies, and support resources.
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ASFPM: New Interactive Maps Provide Visibility into Flood Insurance Premium Changes Coming with FEMA’s Risk Rating 2.0
To help bring clarity to how the new Risk Rating 2.0 pricing methodology will affect premiums, the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) is excited to unveil new interactive maps that show exactly where flood insurance rates are expected to decrease, increase, or remain the same — and by how much. These tools were developed by ASFPM’s Flood Science Center, in collaboration with The Pew Charitable Trusts.
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New Report – “Evaluating Best Practices from State Revolving Funds to Support Market- and Nature-Based Approaches for Flood Risk Reduction and Water Quality Improvement”
Climate change is exacerbating flooding, leaving many regions increasingly vulnerable. States must act fast to finance and implement solutions that address these risks now and in the future. A new report from Quantified Ventures commissioned by EDF evaluates innovative best practices for securing these state revolving funds and using them effectively.
FEMA Launches Full Application of National Risk Index
FEMA recently announced the full application launch of the National Risk Index, an online mapping application that provides a holistic view of community risk through baseline relative risk scores. The Risk Index measures a community’s risk for 18 natural hazards, in addition to resilience, social vulnerability and expected annual loss.
The Risk Index helps users understand natural hazard risk and support informed risk reduction decisions for mitigation planning and emergency management. By providing standardized risk data and an overview of multiple risk factors, this interactive mapping and analysis tool can help communities, especially those with limited flood mapping and risk assessment capabilities, prepare for natural hazards. The Risk Index based ratings on data from the best available resources from 2014 through 2019. Routine updates are expected to keep ratings current.
The tool is free and easy to use, and data from the site can be downloaded. Visit FEMA’s National Risk Index webpage to learn more about the data and the natural hazards that may affect your community.
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Newly Published Academic Research: Deciphering Small Business Community Disaster Support Using Machine Learning
Small businesses that have demonstrated high levels of pre-disaster local involvement are more likely to take an active role in community resilience during a disaster, regardless of their own financial security. This investigation of small business survey responses about COVID-19 impacts finds that they are conduits of national support to their local communities.
While community resilience models often characterize small businesses as passive actors using variables such as employment or financial security, this research suggests that small businesses take an active role in community resilience by providing critical local support.
Climate Finance Advisors: Understanding Utility of Public-Private Partnerships in Resilience Investments
This brief provides a concise overview of key considerations for public officials when attracting private sector participation in public-private partnerships (PPPs)—including financial returns, public welfare, infrastructure functionality, cost and risk management—and the suitability of PPPs for a particular investment.
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FEMA Releases Case Studies on Santa Clara Pueblo’s Wildfire and Flood Resilience Efforts
The Santa Clara Canyon and Creek are the lifelines of the Santa Clara Pueblo, but were severely damaged by a large wildfire and subsequent floods. Read FEMA’s recently released case studies on the Pueblo’s inspiring journey to build resilience while recovering!
Managing the Unexpected: The Role of Homeless Service Providers During the 2017–2018 California Wildfires
People experiencing homelessness during the 2017–2018 California wildfires faced significant risks of disruption. Homeless service organizations (HSOs) are an essential safety net for this population. To learn about how HSOs performed during the wildfires, this study interviewed U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) staff who oversee HSOs that provide transitional housing under the VA's Grant and Per Diem program to veterans experiencing homelessness.
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NOAA and USACE: International Guidelines on Natural and Nature-Based Features for Flood Risk Management
These guidelines provide practitioners with the best available information concerning the conceptualization, planning, design, engineering, construction, and maintenance of Natural and Nature-Based Features (NNBF) to support resilience and flood risk reduction for coastlines, bays, and estuaries, as well as river and freshwater systems.
The publication of the guidelines is the culmination of a five-year collaboration between NOAA, USACE, and many international partners, including more than 175 international authors and contributors from more than 75 organizations and 10 countries.
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National Academies: Motivating Local Climate Adaptation and Strengthening Resilience
This National Academies report highlights applied research opportunities for strengthening local climate adaptation action by making local data trusted, useful, and used, through three applied research topics:
- Co-production of stakeholder-friendly data and useful information for local communities
- Development of integrated local approaches to strengthening climate adaptation and resilience
- Building trust in data, information, processes, and partners for climate action
The report also identified three essential common principles for this work: equity, community co-development and ownership, and community-level feasibility.
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New FEMA Toolkit Helps Communities Design Natural Hazard Retrofit Programs
FEMA Region 9 created the Natural Hazard Retrofit Program Toolkit to help local jurisdictions shape retrofit programs tailored to their own community’s needs and hazards. Whether your community wants to create a program for seismic events, hurricanes, flooding, or other risks, the Natural Hazard Retrofit Program Toolkit can help you every step of the way.
For more information, please contact Mary Witucki, FEMA Region 9’s Community Education and Outreach Program Lead, at mary.witucki@fema.dhs.gov.
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