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Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) Grant ApplicationCity of Dubuque City Council CONSENT ITEMS # 14. Copyrighted December 1, 2025 ITEM TITLE: Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) Grant Application SUMMARY: City Manager recommending City Council approve the submittal of the grant proposal to the USDN Catalyst Fund. RESOLUTION Retroactively Authorizing The Filing Of An Application For The Catalyst Fund With Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) SUGGUESTED Receive and File; Adopt Resolution(s) DISPOSITION: ATTACHMENTS: 1. MVM Memo 2. Staff Memo—USDN Catalyst grant application_11.12.2025 3. USDN _2025_Catalyst _Proposal_Budget 4. 2-2025-USDN-Catalyst-Fund-Q4-Proposal-Form_DubuquelA_final 5. Retroactive Authorization of Application Resolution_2-2025 USDN Catalyst Fund Q4 Proposal 6. Public Input —Uploaded 12.1.25 Page 413 of 1214 THE CITY OF Dubuque DuBE uFA�a9a av Masterpiece on the Mississippi rP PP zoo�•*o 13 2017202019 TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager SUBJECT: Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) Grant Application DATE: November 24, 2025 Sustainability Director Gina Bell is recommending City Council approve the submittal of the grant proposal to the USDN Catalyst Fund. The project will address barriers to food access in the absence of consistent Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funding, access to locally grown and produced, highly nutritious food while making a connection to climate action through local food. It will build relationships and neighborhood resiliency. The total grant request is $9,400.00. No match is required. The project will require minimal staff time but has no additional budget impact. We will not move forward with the project if it is not funded. I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council approval. Mic ael C. Van Milligen MCVM:sv Attachment cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager Gina Bell, Sustainability Director Page 414 of 1214 THE CITY OF DUB E Masterpiece on the Mississippi TO: FROM: DATE: RE: Mike Van Milligen, City Manager Gina Bell, Sustainability Director November 13, 2025 Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) Grant Application Dubuque AII•Anerin CIV 2007-2012.2013 2017*2019 INTRODUCTION The purpose of this memo is to request Council approval of a grant application and funding request to the USDN Catalyst grant program. BACKGROUND In 2011, Dubuque became a member of the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN). USDN connects local government practitioners to accelerate urban sustainability in US and Canadian communities. The Catalyst Fund works to enhance local capacity to build capacity for sustainable communities. The fund does this by requiring local government and local nonprofit and/or business partnerships to move a short-term project forward. DISCUSSION USDN member communities were invited to apply for grant project funding and sustainability staff determined that food access was an immediate need and project timeline would support the early stages of this work. Food transportation and waste make up significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for the city, and this project seeks to feed hungry people, support local farmers and producers while reducing GHG emissions. The project will address barriers to food access in the absence of consistent Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funding, access to locally grown and produced, highly nutritious food while making a connection to climate action through local food. It will build relationships and neighborhood resiliency. DISCUSSION This work directly supports our 50% by 2030 Community Climate Action and Resiliency Plan, while also meeting an immediate need and building partnerships with local nonprofits and farmers. BUDGETIMPACT The total grant request is $9,400.00. No match is required. The project will require minimal staff time but has no additional budget impact. We will not move forward with the project if it is not funded. REQUESTED ACTION Due to time constraints, the application was submitted to meet the deadline. I respectfully request City Council approve the submittal of the grant proposal to the USDN Catalyst Fund. Page 415 of 1214 USDN Proposal Budget Template Proposal Title: Addressing Immediate Food Insecurity while Building Long Term Relationships Lead Member Community: Dubuque, IA Budget Notes: Proposal budgets should be capped at $10,000 USD and ideally a little bit less than this amount. Proposers are enc If partnering with a CBO, at least 20% of the budget must be allocated to the CBO(s) in this proposal's budget. Cost be provided by the CBO or paid out to providers / community members by the CBO. Proposal budgets are expected to minimize expenses as much as possible while also being realistic. Budget for wha USDN will pay the full amount of the award upfront at the time of the award to either a member community or a c If there are any unused funds in hand at the conclusion of the project, these should be repurposed to further supp more awards. Itemized Cost Requested Other Funding TOTAL in USD List Each Cost Against the Requested Amount Below Amount Sources* Farmer outreach, food collection, logistical support, �11 11 11 11 � 11 11 transportation Local••• for CSA boxes • Opening Doors11 11 .11 11 11 11 Local food for prepared hot meals through The Rescue 11 11 .11 11 � 11 11 Mission Educational materials to put inside CSA boxes11 11 Round table facilitator 11 1 11 1 11 Werim . U/I II *Please describe in notes section. Examples of other sources are matching funds from a local partner, in -kind time K Committee looks favorably at variables like this as they deliberate, and the fund tracks this type of leverage as an oL Page 416 of 1214 )rovided by a facilitator, or donated materials. While this is not required, the Selection itcome of awards. Page 417 of 1214 urban sustainabiLity 2025 USDN Catalyst Fund USDN I directors network Proposal Form The Catalyst Fund Proposal Form 1. Project title. Addressing Immediate Food Insecurity while Building Long Term Relationships 2. Amount requested. $9,400 (USD) 3. Primary project focus. Developmental work. 4. Priority category. Advances engagement around greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction/climate resilience 5. Lead USDN member. Gina Bell, Director of Sustainability, Rbell@cityofdubuque.org, 563-845, 8591 6. Other participants. The City of Dubuque's Sustainability Office will convene a roundtable of suppliers, CBOs, and city staff to review project goals and determine next steps to move work forward. Additionally, we commit to working with the following partners: Opening Doors (CBO) which uplifts and empowers women and children experiencing homelessness and poverty through comprehensive services and shelter. They commit to: • Assist in identifying and distributing food to households impacted by the pause in SNAP benefits, • Provide logistical support and outreach to community members experiencing food insecurity, • Assist in building resilience through highlighting the importance and accessibility of local farmers and food, and supporting an educational campaign about local GHG reduction efforts related to food. The Dubuque Rescue Mission (CBO) serves the needs of the poor and homeless in Dubuque by offering overnight housing for men, free meals, and wrap around services. They commit to: • Prepping and distributing hot meals to community members experiencing food insecurity, • Provide logistical support and outreach to community members experiencing food insecurity, • Support resiliency building through highlighting the importance and accessibility of local farmers and food and supporting an educational campaign about local GHG reduction efforts related to food. Westbluff Market (Private Partner) is a local startup business by community leaders dedicated to reinvigorating the local food supply chain. They commit to: • Assist with farmer connections through the Winter Farmers Market, Iowa Food Hub, and Jo Daviess Local Food to ensure a variety of produce, protein, and dairy products during the winter months while maintaining a focus on local food, • Provide retail support and coordination assistance for food purchasing and transporting food to our partner CBOs. 6b. Have you confirmed that each one has the capacity to do this work? Yes. 6c. State if any partner is missing that this work will seek to onboard. Additional local farmers and producers who can supply winter produce, meat, and dairy. We aim to identify and onboard these partners to build long-term relationships for future collaborative efforts. 1 Page 418 of 1214 urban sustainabiLity 2025 USDN Catalyst Fund USDN I directors network Proposal Form 7. Statement of intent. Building on the Office of Sustainability's strong presence at the Dubuque Farmers Market throughout the summer, where we engaged community members around local foods and climate action, we propose this project to further reduce GHG emissions and strengthen community climate resilience by supporting Dubuque's local food system. This effort will focus on the winter months, when local farms experience slower sales and when many families in the Midwest face difficult choices between paying for heat and purchasing food. By distributing locally sourced food through CBO's located in neighborhoods experiencing need, this project will also reduce vehicle miles travelled (VMT) for residents, increasing both food access and GHG reduction. This project connects local farmers with CBO's and the Office of Sustainability to purchase and distribute locally grown food to households affected by the recent pause in SNAP benefits. Additionally, it builds a stronger network of local food providers that support Dubuque's long-term climate and resilience goals. In short, our goal is to fill an immediate gap for those experiencing food insecurity in our community while also supporting local farmers and building connections to keep local food at the forefront of our climate justice and resiliency work. By shortening food supply chains, this initiative will: • Reduce emissions from long-distance food transportation and retail distribution • Reduce emissions associated with refrigeration and long-term food storage • Prevent food waste by purchasing surplus produce at reduced rates • Increase community climate resilience by supporting local farmers and ensuring equitable access to fresh and nutritious food for vulnerable residents • Keep dollars circulating locally to strengthen the regional economy • Build community capacity for future climate and food security collaborations • Strengthen relationships with local food providers for connection to climate action work and to provide educational materials to partners regarding connection to climate action — food waste, transportation of food and GHG reductions. 8. Root cause design / the "why". Iowa's centralized, emissions -intensive food system, driven by monopoly agriculture, separates producers from consumers and prioritizes profits over people, land, and even health. In Iowa, "big agriculture" dominates, yet the commodities grown here rarely nourish our own residents. Over 99% of Iowa's corn is field corn, used primarily for livestock feed and ethanol production. In 2024, Iowa produced 16.22 billion gallons of ethanol, a scale of production that contributes heavily to both GHG emissions and local ecological and community degradation. Centuries ago, Iowa was a landscape of prairies and wetlands; today, it is a grid of over -cultivated land facing severe water quality issues. Agricultural runoff has led to nitrate- contaminated water, increasing treatment costs and public health risks. Iowa consistently ranks among the highest rates in the nation for cancer incidence, a likely outcome of the state's chemically intensive agriculture economy. This ethanol based economic model, with its chemical runoff, manure pollution, and displacement of small farms, has fueled a public health crisis, ruined ecosystems, and created an economy that undervalues nutritious, locally grown food. This broken system results in increased food insecurity, methane emissions from food waste, transportation and refrigerant related emissions, and weakened local food networks. Climate vulnerability and food insecurity are deeply intertwined. When food systems are disrupted by economic changes or unnatural disasters driven by climate change, low-income Page 419 of 1214 urban sustainabiLity 2025 USDN Catalyst Fund USDN I directors network Proposal Form households are disproportionately affected. At the same time, local farmers struggle with inconsistent demand, unstable market channels during the off- season, and the widespread perceptions that local food is a luxury that is more expensive and inaccessible to most families. It is also important to note that as a local government in Iowa, we are limited in how we can conduct programming to address disparate impacts due to state laws prohibiting the use of funding for any effort to promote this as the official position of the public entity. This grant therefore represents a critical opportunity to fill that gap and support those most in need in a way that aligns with our Climate Action and Resiliency Plan and follows state law. We believe, if we strengthen local supply chains, by connecting the Office of Sustainability with local farmers, community organizations and, in turn, families in need, we can simultaneously reduce transportation and refrigerant emissions, divert food from waste streams, build long-term local resilience to economic and unnatural disasters fueled by climate change, and bolster relationships between communities and local, small scale farmers. This work addresses not only the symptoms of food insecurity but also the systemic barriers that prevent Iowa communities from building sustainable, equitable, and climate -resilient food systems. This work comes directly from Dubuque's 50% by 2030 Climate Action and Resiliency Plan which calls to reduce food's contribution to climate change and improve local food resilience and availability. By shifting just 20% of food purchases in the City of Dubuque to local food sources it would add 260 local jobs and add $15 million dollars to the local economy. This grant provides some of the necessary building blocks to achieve these goals. 9. Methodology / the "how". We will build and formalize partnerships between the City of Dubuque's Office of Sustainability, local farmers, and CBOs to purchase local food and provide it to SNAP beneficiaries and households experiencing food insecurity. The goal is to offer immediate relief while also strengthening long-term community resilience. This project will prioritize purchasing surplus or unsold produce from local farms at reduced rates to stretch grant dollars further, supporting local farmers during slower seasons, and divert food from the landfill. With these goods, our community partner Opening Doors, will create community supported agriculture (CSA)-style relief boxes for families on waitlists and who have been affected by the pause of SNAP benefits. The Rescue Mission will use the local food to prepare and distribute hot, ready -to - eat meals, meeting a variety of community needs and reaching residents where they already seek support. Between August and October alone, The Rescue Mission served over 13,000 meals, demonstrating a clear and trusted avenue for building community resilience by supporting local farmers and feeding local families. Staff from the Office of Sustainability will be engaged at every step of the process, from coordinating farmers with Westbluff Market to assisting with packaging, distribution, and evaluation. Our office's involvement ensures strong, consistent relationships across all partners and reinforces the City's leadership in advancing food system resilience and GHG reduction goals. Local farmers participating in this initiative will also be invited to Opening Doors and The Rescue Mission to share meals and conversations with community members, fostering personal connections between those who grow the food and those who eat it, strengthening trust, understanding, and long-term community resilience. Page 420 of 1214 USDNI urban sustainability directors network 2025 USDN Catalyst Fund Proposal Form By shortening food supply chains and keeping dollars circulating locally, this work will reduce transportation -related emissions, prevent food waste, and build a stronger, more climate -resilient local food network that directly supports Dubuque's 50% by 2030 GHG reduction and resiliency goals. 10. Direct outputs from this work. With this funding, we will: • Distribute CSA-style food boxes of locally grown food with educational material about the importance of local food to Dubuque households experiencing food insecurity through already established and trusted networks. • Provide nutritious hot meals to any community members experiencing food insecurity • Support local farmers by purchasing food and keeping our dollars in the local economy, which will in turn stay local and offer a multiplier effect. • Establish partnerships between the Office of Sustainability, local CBOs/food security networks, local farmers, and members from our community. • Build direct relationships between local food producers and community members, breaking down the perception that local food is exclusive. • Educate the community on the climate benefits of eating locally, the GHG reduction, circular economy, and food waste prevention. 11. Measuring success Hunger Relief • Pounds of local food purchased and distributed; Number of households served; Number of local farmers participating; Number of hot meals served GHG reduction • Estimated VMT avoided through local food procurement; Estimated VMT avoided through distribution of food in areas without easy access to grocery stores; Estimated GHG emissions avoided from reduced refrigeration needs associated with transporting and storing non -local foods. Pounds of food diverted from landfills — reducing methane emissions Community Resilience • Shift in perception of local food accessibility through qualitative feedback; Number of new or strengthened partnerships between the Office of Sustainability, CBOs, private partners, and farmers; Feedback from community members and partners on overall program effectiveness. 12. Scalability. This project will serve as a replicable model for how small cities can integrate food access initiatives with climate resilience goals. By leveraging local partnerships and small sustainability offices, this approach demonstrates how municipal governments can center access, emissions reduction, and local economic health through local food systems. 13. Project timeline. Yes. December 2025 — April 2026 4 Page 421 of 1214 USDNI urban sustainability directors network 14. Project plan. December 2025 — April 2026 2025 USDN Catalyst Fund Proposal Form # Activity Deliverable Due Date The Office of Sustainability will coordinate with local farmers and community partners to Summary of confirmed partners, establish formal partnership signed partnership agreements, and December 21, 2025 1 agreements, determine finalized procurement plan available surplus, and finalize submitted to USDN. procurement and distribution details The Office of Sustainability with the Westbluff Market will Summary of initial food purchases, facilitate purchasing surplus outreach materials, and logistics January 31, 2026 2. from local farmers and plan submitted to USDN. coordinate distribution logistics with CBO. Opening Doors will assemble and distribute CSA-style relief boxes. The Rescue Mission will M id -project progress report prepare and distribute hot, summarizing number of ready -to -eat meals using boxes/meals distributed, number of locally sourced food. The Office February 28. 2026 3. farmers engaged, and qualitative of Sustainability will be present feedback from partners and throughout to support coordination, collect feedback, recipients. and facilitate farmer participation in distribution efforts. The Office of Sustainability and Westbluff Market will track Final impact summary and report to pounds of food distributed, USDN detailed quantitative metrics farmers supported, families (GHG reductions, local spending, served, VMT avoided to April 30, 2026 4. number of people served) and estimate GHG reductions. Our qualitative outcomes (community team will also document relationships, resilience impacts). lessons learned and opportunities for scaling and replication. 15. Budget. Attached. Page 422 of 1214 Prepared by: Crenna M. Brumwell, 300 Main Street Suite 330, Dubuque IA 52001 563 583-4381 RESOLUTION NO. 382 - 25 RETROACTIVELY AUTHORIZING THE FILING OF AN APPLICATION FOR THE CATALYST FUND WITH URBAN SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTORS NETWORK (USDN) WHEREAS, applications for certifications, funding, and grants are set by outside entities and outside the control of the City; and WHEREAS, the deadlines set by outside entities do not always coincide with the meetings of the City Council; and WHEREAS, the City applied for the Catalyst Fund opportunity from USDN with an application deadline of 11/12/2025 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA: Section 1. The application to USDN is approved retroactive to November 12, 2025. Passed, approved and adopted this 1st day of December, 2025. Attest: Adrienne N. Breitfelder, City Clerk Adrienne Breitfelder From: City of Dubuque <noreply-dubuque@gscend.com> Sent: Monday, December 1, 2025 3:18 PM To: Adrienne Breitfelder Subject: A new Service Request has been created [Request ID #228417] (Contact City Council) - Dubuque, IA Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization. Never give your login Allow sender I Block sender information and password over email! Report Dubuque, IA A new service request has been filed. ID 228417 Date/Time 12/1 /2025 3:18 PM Type Contact City Council Address Dubuque Origin Website Comments I request the city council NOT approve the submittal of the grant proposal to the USDN Catalyst Fund as Item 14 of tonight's consent agenda. The project's goals are laudable: "address barriers to food access", :access to locally grown ... food", "making a connection to climate action" and "build relationships and neighborhood resiliency". However, the grant application needlessly criticizes the Iowa agricultural sector. For example, the agricultural sector is characterized as a "centralized, emissions - intensive food system, driven by monopoly agriculture, [that] separates producers from consumers and PRIORITIZES PROFITS OVER PEOPLE, LAND, AND EVEN HEALTH [emphasis added]." 1 Page 424 of 1214 Ethanol production is blamed for contributing to "local ecological and community degradation". Finally, "this ethanol based economic model, with its chemical runoff, manure pollution, and displacement of small farms, HAS FUELED A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS, RUINED ECOSYSTEMS [emphasis added], and created an economy that undervalues nutritious, locally grown food." For easy reference, I think the city council should NOT support this portion of the grant application. 8. Root cause design / the "why". Iowa's centralized, emissions -intensive food system, driven by monopoly agriculture, separates producers from consumers and prioritizes profits over people, land, and even health. In Iowa, "big agriculture" dominates, yet the commodities grown here rarely nourish our own residents. Over 99% of Iowa's corn is field corn, used primarily for livestock feed and ethanol production. In 2024, Iowa produced 16.22 billion gallons of ethanol, a scale of production that contributes heavily to both GHG emissions and local ecological and community degradation. Centuries ago, Iowa was a landscape of prairies and wetlands; today, it is a grid of over -cultivated land facing severe water quality issues. Agricultural runoff has led to nitrate- contaminated water, increasing treatment costs and public health risks. Iowa consistently ranks among the highest rates in the nation for cancer incidence, a likely outcome of the state's chemically intensive agriculture economy. This ethanol based economic model, with its chemical runoff, manure pollution, and displacement of small farms, has fueled a public health crisis, ruined ecosystems, and created an economy that undervalues nutritious, locally grown food. This broken system results in increased food insecurity, methane emissions from food waste, transportation and refrigerant related emissions, and weakened local food networks. Climate vulnerability and food insecurity are deeply intertwined. When food systems are disrupted by economic changes or unnatural disasters driven by climate change, low-income households are disproportionately affected. At the same time, local farmers struggle with inconsistent demand, unstable market channels during the off- season, and the widespread perceptions that local food is Page 425 of 1214 a luxury that is more expensive and inaccessible to most families. It is also important to note that as a local government in Iowa, we are limited in how we can conduct programming to address disparate impacts due to state laws prohibiting the use of funding for any effort to promote this as the official position of the public entity. This grant therefore represents a critical opportunity to fill that gap and support those most in need in a way that aligns with our Climate Action and Resiliency Plan and follows state law. Submitter Boles, Dean 563-845-7041 dkb@mediacombb.net Dubuque, IA Page 426 of 1214