Partners for Places Grant Application - Community Foundation of Greater DubuqueCopyright 2014
City of Dubuque Consent Items # 10.
ITEM TITLE: Partners for Places Grant Application
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending approval to submit a grant
application in partnership with the Community Foundation of
Greater Dubuque to the Partners for Places grant program.
SUGGESTED DISPOSITION: Suggested Disposition: Receive and File; Approve
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
Partners for Places Grant Application -MVM Memo City Manager Memo
Staff Memo Staff Memo
grant application Staff Memo
THE CITY OF
Dui
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Partners for Places Equity Grant Application
DATE: January 28, 2017
Dubuque
hietzl
AH -America City
2007 • 2012 • 2013
Sustainable Community Coordinator Cori Burbach requests City Council approval to
submit a $75,000 grant application in partnership with the Community Foundation of
Greater Dubuque to the Partners for Places grant program.
The goals of the grant include building the capacity of City departments through the
development of equity action plans; completing a climate adaptation plan that integrates
efforts like the Bee Branch Watershed Project into a community -wide strategy; and
building knowledge of authentic engagement strategies, especially targeted at youth
and families of color, in order to empower leaders within the Washington Neighborhood.
The $75,000 grant application requires a 1 to1 match, which must be provided by the
Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque. Funds that would flow to the City from the
grant include $3,500 to develop equity plans, and $15,000 to develop a Climate
Adaptation Plan, including community engagement strategies.
In-kind leverage provided by the City in addition to the required Community Foundation
of Greater Dubuque match, include $6,000 in staff time from both the Sustainable
Community Coordinator and Human Rights Director, and $2,000 in meeting and print
materials.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
Ai/v./W..1
Michael C. Van Milligen'
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager
Cori Burbach, Sustainable Community Coordinator
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: Michael Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Cori Burbach, Sustainable Community Coordinator
SUBJECT: Partners for Places Equity Grant Application
DATE: January 27, 2017
Dubuque
All -America City
1
2007 • 2012 • 2013
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memo is to request City Council approval to submit the attached
grant application to the Partners for Places grant program. The grant must be
submitted in partnership with the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque (CFGD).
BACKGROUND
The Partners for Places grant program is a program of The Funders Network. The
program, now in its fourth year, was established to foster relationships between
municipal sustainability coordinators and local, place -based foundations. National
funders invest in local projects to promote a healthy environment, a strong economy,
and well-being of all residents. Through these projects, Partners for Places fosters long-
term relationships that make our urban areas more prosperous, livable, and vibrant. A
municipal sustainability coordinator and local foundation must apply to the program
together. A 1:1 match of the requested amount is required from the community
foundation.
This application is for a special round of funding related to equity, in which only a select
number of communities are invited to apply. The same requirements of the grant
continue to apply, with the additional requirement that a city and foundation must
identify an area of equity work that they will address through the grant.
DISCUSSION
Human Rights Director Kelly Larson and I have been working with CFGD for several
months to develop the attached proposal. It was important for us to identify a grant
application that integrated into existing work that the City and CFGD are working on.
The basis for the project comes from the needs identified in the Inclusive Dubuque
equity profile and STAR Communities certification process. An additional priority, as
stated by The Funders Network, will be given to communities that address climate
adaptation in their proposal.
The attached proposal builds on the efforts of multiple organizations, including the City
of Dubuque, to improve the resiliency of the Washington Neighborhood. The
Washington Neighborhood is Dubuque's most racially diverse neighborhood
[approximately 41 %people of color compared to 9% city-wide]. It is also the most
economically and environmentally distressed neighborhood [37% poverty rate
compared to 16.2% city-wide] because of lost manufacturing jobs, historic
disinvestment, and repeated flooding. The neighborhood also lacks the nonprofit
infrastructure needed to sustain critical engagement and advocacy efforts such as a
neighborhood association or neighborhood development organization.
The goals of the grant include building the capacity of City departments through the
development of equity action plans; completing a climate adaptation plan that integrates
efforts like the Bee Branch Watershed Project into a community -wide strategy; and
building knowledge of authentic engagement strategies, especially targeted at youth
and families of color, in order to empower leaders within the Washington Neighborhood.
Proposed actions include:
1. Developing an equitable engagement learning cohort, hosting workshops and
training for partners working in the Washington Neighborhood (led by the CFGD),
2. Developing equity action plans in pilot City departments based on the equity
toolkit already developed (led by the Human Rights department);
3. Completing a Climate Adaptation Plan, as committed to when Mayor Buol signed
the US Compact of Mayors in 2015 (led by the Sustainability office and Resilient
Community Advisory Commission); and
4. Increasing the equity expertise of partners working in the neighborhood (led by
the CFGD).
BUDGET IMPACT
The $75,000 grant application requires a 1:1 match which must be provided by the
CFGD. Funds that would flow to the City from the grant include $3,500 to develop
equity plans, and $15,000 to develop a Climate Adaptation Plan, including community
engagement strategies.
In-kind leverage provided by the City in addition to the required CFGD match, includes
$6,000 in staff time from both the Sustainable Community Coordinator and Human
Rights Director, and $2,000 in meeting and print materials. The $2,000 is currently
available in the Human Rights employee training budget (10016100 62734) and the
Sustainability printing budget (10072200 62090).
REQUESTED ACTION
I respectfully request City Council approval of the submittal of the attached application
to the Partners for Places grant program.
Cc: Kelly Larson, Human Rights Director
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Proposal for Partners for Places Equity Pilot Initiative
Cover Sheet (2 pages max.)
A. Name of Applicants: list names of team partners including the sustainability director & name of foundation(s)
City or County: City of Dubuque
Name of Person Cori Burbach
Title Sustainable Community Coordinator
Department City Managers Office
Email: cburbach(citvofdubuaue.org
Telephone: 563-589-4110
Foundation name: Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque
City: Dubuque
Name of Person Eric Dregne
Title VP Strategic Initiatives
Email: eric(dbafoundation.ora
Telephone: 563-588-2700
Ext:
Ext:
State Iowa
State IA
B. Primary Contact Person
Name: Eric Dregne
Title: VP Strategic Initiatives
Organization: Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque
Mailing address: 700 Locust St. Suite 195
City: Dubuque State: IA Zip: 52001
Email: ericCa dbafoundation.or2
Telephone: 563-588-2700 Ext:
C. Proposed Grant Recipient (local foundation, 501c3 created by city or county government, or partner nonprofit)
Name of
Organization: Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque
Federal Tax ID #: 42-1526614
Contact Person: Eric Dregne
Title VP Strategic Initiatives
Mailing address 700 Locust St. Suite 195
City: Dubuque State IA Zip 52001
Email: eric(dbafoundation.org
Telephone: 563-588-2700
D. Amount of request: $75,000
E. Amount of Local Match: $75,000
F. Name of matching organization(s): Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque
G. Total Project Budget: $150,000 Detail in attached budget.
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H. Project Title: Washington Neighborhood Engagement Project: Putting Racial Equity and Authentic Community
Engagement at the Center of Climate Adaptation Decision Making
I. Purpose of Project (25 words or less): Carry out authentic community engagement and racial equity analysis
of Dubuque's resilient neighborhood development efforts through a replicable model of community -
government partnerships.
J. Brief description of project goals, strategy, and key activities (250 words or less):
As we prepare our community for the impacts of climate change, we must also address disparities that create
climate vulnerability. A group of partners including the City of Dubuque, Community Foundation, and
nonprofit agencies are making significant efforts and investments to support resilient neighborhood
development in Dubuque's Washington Neighborhood. While the City makes infrastructure investments to
protect the neighborhood, partners working in the neighborhood and city departments need to learn
strategies and have the tools needed to put climate -vulnerable communities at the center of decision-making
and planning. In this way, the project will integrate the planned improvements into a citywide Climate
Adaptation Plan; developed with broad community support that ensures alignment with other climate
mitigation efforts and efficient use of resources.
The project will help partners:
• educate and train a cohort of City departments and nonprofits so they can implement proven
practices for developing positive relationships, authentic engagement, and advancing equitable
outcomes for all youth and families especially in populations of color, in vulnerable neighborhoods
• develop a climate adaptation plan to frame our existing and future efforts, using an equity lens and
specifically engaging communities of color/communities not traditionally represented in the planning
process
• develop equity action plans, rooted in the Sustainable Dubuque framework, with key City
departments and Inclusive Dubuque Network partners
• increase capacity of local equity experts, particularly government staff members who are leading the
development of equity plans within their departments
• pilot authentic engagement with youth and families, especially with communities of color, to co -
create ways of meeting neighborhood needs and empower leaders from within the neighborhood
K. Description of whether and how the project will reduce GHG emissions or increase adaptive capacity.
In 2013, the City Council adopted a plan to reduce community -wide GHG emissions to 50% below 2003 levels
by 2030. Dubuque's Bee Branch Watershed Flood Mitigation Project addresses climate threats by mitigating
the risk of future flooding for more than 1100 homes in the Washington Neighborhood. Dubuque has joined
the Compact of Mayors and committed to the completion of a comprehensive climate adaptation plan to
unite what are now "one-off" adaptation efforts. The development of a climate adaptation plan will be one of
the department -led action plans developed through this project. By completing it using the same equity
toolkit as other departments are using to build their service delivery plans, the organization will build
understanding and capacity for climate adaptation, and integrate this plan into other organization -wide
planning and implementation efforts.
1 [Jdo 11 do not agree to have the above primary contact person (B), project title (G), purpose of the grant (H),
and brief project description (I) uploaded to the "Idea Bank" on the Funders' Network website.
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Proposal Narrative (no longer than 7 pages) address each area below in order.
A. Background rationale for project (Why this project? How did it come about?)
Positive Partnership The City of Dubuque and Community Foundation are lead partners in efforts to advance
equity and inclusion and have a strong history of partnership. The City has conducted training on the
distinctions between implicit and explicit bias, as well as individual, institutional, and structural racism,
adopted a racial equity toolkit, and established a racial equity core team. The core team consists of
leadership from the following departments: Planning Services, Police Department, Public Works, Housing and
Community Development, Leisure Services, and Human Rights. Each of these departments offer services to
residents in our most economically challenged neighborhood, which is also the most racially and ethnically
diverse. These departments are learning how to analyze who is benefitting and who is being burdened by
department services, and are interested in increasing authentic community engagement skills as part of
developing and implementing racial equity plans in their departments. Additionally the City has established a
resident Resiliency Commission. Among the Commission's goals is the development of a Climate Adaptation
plan to assure resilient outcomes and facilitate the ability of the community to adapt to factors related to
climate change.
The Foundation has led the creation of the Inclusive Dubuque a local network of leaders from faith, labor,
education, business, nonprofit, and government committed to a common cause: a community where all
people feel respected, valued, and engaged. The network began informally in early 2012 with less than a
dozen community organizations beginning a conversation about the need for a collaborative effort around
inclusion and equity in Dubuque. Today, the network consists of over 60 organizations and individual
community members committed to supporting an equitable and inclusive culture to meet the economic and
cultural needs of our diverse community.
Together the City and Foundation have successfully addressed challenges and leveraged opportunities in our
community to promote sustainability and advance equity. To advance equity and climate adaptation work in
the Washington Neighborhood, a team of City and CFGD staff met together, talked to partners, and reviewed
input from the community received through the Inclusive Dubuque Equity Profile. We identified the need to
build our own and our partners' capacity to empower neighbors.
Vulnerable Neighborhood The Washington Neighborhood is Dubuque's most racially diverse neighborhood
[41%people of color compared to 9% city-wide]. It is also the most economically and environmentally
distressed neighborhood [37% poverty rate compared to 16.2% city-wide] because of lost manufacturing jobs,
historic disinvestment, and repeated flooding. The neighborhood also lacks the nonprofit infrastructure
needed to sustain critical engagement and advocacy efforts such as a neighborhood association or
neighborhood development organization.
The neighborhood is home to nonprofits like the Dubuque Dream Center; a faith -based community
organization that is a part of Dubuque's local My Brother's Keeper Network and is intentionally focused on
authentic engagement, building connections among families in the neighborhood, and impacting the lives of
youth of color living in the neighborhood. It is imperative that we support these young organizations, and
grow the ability of City government, philanthropy and other institutions in the neighborhood to both engage
authentically with the community, especially youth and families, especially considering the lack of
neighborhood association or community development organization.
Investments for Neighborhood Development Government and community partnerships to mitigate the
effects of climate change and the history of disinvestment in the neighborhood are underway with the goal of
improving the environment, the quality of the housing, and health of the residents. Efforts include;
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■ Bee Branch Restoration - a $200 million climate adaptation investment to day -light a creek and
creating a linear park to mitigate regular flooding that has occurred nearly annually in the last decade
due to climate change
■ A HUD Resiliency grant is helping to implement Green & Healthy Home strategies to improve the
health and safety of 320 homes in the neighborhood
■ The Central Avenue Corridor project is engaging businesses, offering streetscape and facade
improvements, as well as supports for business investment
■ Crescent Community Health Center is expanding and has collaborated with the Community
Foundation to receive a grant from the EPA to expand community development efforts.
These significant investments have enormous potential to transform the area. To ensure successful,
equitable, and sustainable development the City and Foundation will work in partnership with nonprofit
agencies and residents of the neighborhood. Partners are committed to engage with youth and families most
affected by growth and potential displacement to co -create anti -gentrification strategies, to build
neighborhood social capacity, and to support systems to increase the adaptive capacity of the neighborhood.
This ensures youth and families currently living in the neighborhood benefit from anticipated growth and
reinvestment.
The partners also recognize that the community -targeted climate adaptation efforts, such as the Bee Branch
restoration, will be more successful if they are framed in a community -wide, community -created strategy and
have the deep engagement of youth and families from all cultures and backgrounds in the neighborhood.
Opportunity for Authentic Engagement Data from the recent Equity Profile developed by Inclusive Dubuque
shows participation in the process was low among residents of the Washington Neighborhood, at 16%
compared to participation on the more affluent West End neighborhood at 26%. Similarly, a recent
engagement effort to develop the City's Resiliency Commission, which will be responsible for developing the
Climate Adaptation plan, showed low participation from this neighborhood. There is a collective gap in
understanding, skills, and strategies for positively and effectively engaging low-income and youth and families
of color at a grassroots level. In addition, there is a lack of organized leadership at the neighborhood level,
such as through strong neighborhood associations, necessitating increased efforts to identify and support
"hidden" leaders in the neighborhood. Together these factors are potent barriers to resilient neighborhood
development, limiting the impact of investments with enormous potential.
We can support real resiliency and advance equitable outcomes by improving efforts to put climate -
vulnerable communities at the center of decision making. We can strengthen alignment of investments, and
have a more sustainable impact, through authentic engagement efforts that inform equity and climate action
planning related to those things that only government can do, while simultaneously identifying and
supporting leaders in the neighborhood to carry out those things that residents are able to achieve for
themselves.
B. Project goals and desired results for racial equity and communitywide impacts. To support equitable and
resilient neighborhood development City agencies, nonprofits and philanthropy partners will learn proven
practices for authentic engagement of youth and families, especially people of color, to support equity action
planning and climate adaptation planning that is more sustainable because it engages community members
and connects neighborhood climate mitigation efforts into a comprehensive plan with full community
support. The City and Foundation will facilitate efforts by City departments, Foundation staff and Inclusive
Dubuque partners serving youth and families to;
■ educate and train City departments and nonprofits on adopting proven practices for positive
relationships, authentic engagement, and advancing equitable outcomes for all youth and families
especially in populations of color, in vulnerable neighborhoods
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• develop a climate adaptation plan to frame our existing and future efforts, using an equity lens and
specifically engaging communities of color/communities not traditionally represented in the planning
process
• develop equity action plans, rooted in the Sustainable Dubuque framework, with key City
departments and Inclusive Dubuque Network partners
• increase capacity of local equity experts, particularly government staff members who are leading the
development of equity plans within their departments
• pilot authentic engagement with youth and families, especially communities of color to co -create
ways of meeting neighborhood needs and empowering leaders from within the neighborhood
We will measure results of the education/training efforts using pre -post assessment tools to help us see what
staff/organizations have learned about authentic community engagement and effectively empowering
residents. We will track inclusion of authentic engagement strategies in equity and climate action planning as
well as in early engagement efforts. Development of a replicable set of practices and a framework we can use
with other neighborhoods, and that other communities can use, will demonstrate our progress.
C. Detailed work plan
The City and Foundation have laid a solid foundation for this work. Through 10 years of intercultural
competency training for all staff, the City has developed a shared language around racial equity, and will
increase awareness of disparities through this training. For the past 4 years Inclusive Dubuque's network of
more than 50 partners has disaggregated data and build community understanding.,
ACTIVITY 1- Equitable Engagement Learning Cohort Foundation will facilitate learning opportunities about
authentic engagement with partners working in the Washington Neighborhood from philanthropy,
government and nonprofits
• Convene partners from City departments and organizations working with youth/families in the
neighborhood and organizations with City contracts in the neighborhood such as Visiting Nurses,
Community Action Agency, and faith -based organizations, to align leaders and/or staff
• Host workshops for partners from philanthropy, government and nonprofit sectors to build
understanding, skills and strategies for authentic engagement of youth and families
• Complete pre/post evaluation understanding and skills for authentic engagement and identify
opportunities for implementation.
• Pilot authentic engagement strategies to identify and support an immediate need in the
neighborhood.
ACTIVITY 2 - Equity Action Plans Work already has been completed with identified departments to develop
shared language and a common understanding of racial inequity and the source of disparities in participation
around housing and neighborhoods. An equity toolkit also has been introduced. City staff will;
• develop and implement equity action plans
• build staff skills related to authentic community engagement as a necessary component of successful
action planning and implementation
• meet on a quarterly basis to examine our progress, identify who is being benefitted and burdened
ACTIVITY 3 - Climate Adaptation Plan The development of the Climate Adaptation Plan will be lead by the
Resiliency Commission. It will integrate neighborhood -specific interventions, now happening in the
Washington Neighborhood, into a city-wide strategy that is informed by an equity lens and authentic
engagement from all residents, including residents of the Neighborhood. While it will serve as a plan to
address the entire community's greatest vulnerabilities, its development will follow the same timeline and use
the same equity toolkit as the departmental Equity Action Plans/Service Delivery plans. Working alongside
departments will deeply integrate the plan in the organization, and using the training provided thought this
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grant and the equity toolkit will ensure that our most vulnerable populations are both involved in the
development, and protected.
ACTIVITY 4 - Increase Capacity of the Partnership Build capacity and support authentic engagement by;
■ building local equity experts understanding and skills for authentic engagement
■ connecting local equity experts with support for building equity plans with experts from Iowa State
Extension and Outreach
D. Plans for evaluating success and tracking/demonstrating impact on racial equity.
The project's success is determined by:
■ Improved understanding of authentic engagement practices[measurement; pre -post assessment]
■ Development of plans to implement authentic engagement practices in existing/planned
neighborhood development projects [measurement; plans completed, demographics of participants]
■ Completion of equity plans for six (6) City Departments — Housing, Police, Human Rights, Planning,
Public Works, Leisure Services
■ Tracking of quarterly equity assessments and practice adjustments to housing department programs
in the impacted neighborhood
■ Improved use of disaggregated data to identify disparities by race and other groups
■ Completion of climate adaptation plan
E. Key staff or implementation partners.
City of Dubuque Community Foundation
Sustainable Community Coordinator, -Cori Burbach Inclusive Dubuque Coordinator — Dr. Katrina Farren -Eller
Human Rights Director, Kelly Larson Inclusive Dubuque Outreach Coordinator —TBD
Equity Coordinator, Taj FSuleyman VP Strategic Initiatives — Eric Dregne
City Department Managers — Housing, Police, Neighborhood Development, Human Rights, Planning Public
Works, Leisure Services
ISU Extension — Glennda Bivens St. Paul Youth Services — TBD
F. Capacity to Manage Both Grants: N/A
G. Information on how the project addresses key selection criteria. Remember to address each of the key
areas listed below in order. Points will be awarded based on the extent to which your proposal explains the
following related to the Selection Criteria:
1. Project Design: Investments over the past two decades in the Washington Neighborhood have had limited
impact towards resilient neighborhood development and have not been developed using an equity lens. This
has resulted in isolated impact - a project being complete but not resulting in broader neighborhood
development and event some negative impacts on youth and families (e.g. displacement).
This project will;
• build the capacity of agencies and institutions to implement best practices around authentic
engagement of youth and families to support equitable outcomes
• include strategies for ensuring equitable neighborhood development, and
• improve coordination/alignment of projects and partners working in the neighborhood
Partners will have the understanding, skills and tools needed to co -create healthy neighborhoods and support
sustainable neighborhood development. The project design adapts a framework for Building Healthy
Communities developed by the California Endowment. Use of the framework in the planning for this project
helped us identify inputs, key drivers, strategies, outcomes for this project as well as a longer vision for
equitable neighborhood development.
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Projects / Partnerships (inputs) The project will help partners learn to leverage projects and partnerships,
planned or underway, as noted on page 4. However, the efforts lack equity analysis for their impact on
residents, lack engagement of youth and families, and lack a coordinated approach to support sustainable
neighborhood development. The efforts around authentic community engagement will assist us in
developing neighborhood level context around the qualitative and quantitative data that was collected as part
of the Equity Profile, and support co -creating interventions with impacted residents.
Using data from engagement efforts to form the Resiliency Commission and Community Equity Profile; we
have identified disparities in our efforts. We have not effectively reached communities of color and low-
income youth and families. Data from the Equity Profile dialogues revealed people feeling "shut out" from
opportunity and that "Dubuque is a closed network" where "you have to know someone". Our quantitative
data paints a similar picture of low participation among people of color and youth in outreach efforts in each
of these processes.
Key Drivers
The proiect will help partners learn to apply key drivers:
People Power —authentic engagement of youth/families, co -creation of solutions
Collaboration — stronger alignment of partners and coordination of projects
Leveraging Partnerships — building on strong relationships for lasting change
Policy Innovation — with explicit commitment to equity and sustainable outcomes
Narrative Change — co -creating with youth families most affected
Leadership Development—empowering leaders in the community
Strategic Goals The proiect will build partners capacity to:
■ Engage youth and families —through learning best -practice for authentic engagement
■ Advance equity — use of equity tools and development of equity plans
■ Support climate adaptation — plan development
■ Empower leadership — within neighborhood
Key Activities The proiect will support the following key activities:
■ Education/training of partners to improve capacity for authentic engagement
■ Development of Equity Plans in six City Departments
■ Development of Climate Adaptation Plan
Practice, Policy or Systems Change The project will lead to changes in engagement, planning and
communication:
■ Improved use of equity tools, plans and data to advance equity in City policy
■ Partners will use authentic engagement practices guide future planning and policy
■ Climate Adaptation plan aligns efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change
2. Team Preparation: Team leaders have strong backgrounds in community development, equity/inclusion and
sustainable practices. The team includes leaders who are respected within their organizations and in the
community. They include:
Cori Burbach, Sustainability Coordinator, completed USDN Equity Professional Development Series and leads
efforts to infuse equity in the community's sustainability efforts. She is a member of the City's intercultural
competency steering committee and community engagement core team.
Kelly Larson, Human Rights Director, is part of the Local and Regional Government Alliance on Race and
Equity, assisted with the development of the community Equity Profile, and is leading an effort to infuse racial
equity tools into local government decision making.
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Dr. Katrina Farren -Eller, Inclusive Dubuque Network Coordinator, has completed Doctoral research on
Narrative Identity and the ways in which our experiences shape our understanding of others, and creating
safe spaces for interaction across difference. She is a student of Georgetown University's Strategic Diversity
and Inclusion Management Program Organizational Development and Change Leadership Program.
Eric Dregne, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives; 2013 PLACES Fellow, member of the Local and Regional
Government Alliance on Race and Equity and oversees the Inclusive Dubuque initiative including leading a
Community Equity Profile for Inclusive Dubuque, as well as equity/inclusion efforts for the Community
Foundation.
During their 2016 goal -setting session, the City Council intentionally added language regarding an equitable
community to their priorities. In 2015, Mayor Roy D. Buol committed to developing a community -wide,
strategic Climate Adaptation Plan to build upon our mitigation efforts.
The Community Foundation President/CEO and Board of Directors has a history of supporting effective
community engagement efforts and names equity and inclusion as one of three areas of focus for its
initiatives and grantmaking.
Both partners are committed to advancing equity within their organizations and the community, evidenced by
multi-year support of Inclusive Dubuque, development of a Community Equity Profile that gathered
disaggregated data across seven community sectors to improve understanding of equity and identify
disparities, and engagement of a network of more than 60 partners.
3. Commitment to Equity Impact: The overall purpose of the project is to strengthen our community's
commitment to equity by providing training to deepen authentic engagement and establishing equity plans.
Specific commitments to equity impact include;
■ Goal of increasing participation by people of color in community engagement efforts (measure:
demographics of participants in the Climate Adaptation planning process)
■ Each department equity/service delivery plan will include performance measures for reducing
disparities, as developed during the planning process. These could include increased participation in
programs, increased representation in City workforce, etc.
■ Training to improve authentic engagement will be developed using an equity tool (measure: use of
tool, demographics of participants in the training)
■ Establishment of Inclusive Dubuque engagement staff (measure: demographic of Network partners)
4. Community Involvement: Through the Inclusive Dubuque Equity Profile process, we tracked low participation
by people from the Washington Neighborhood , people of color, and youth. Those who did participate cited
the need for more involvement in the development of City programs. The Inclusive Dubuque Neighborhoods
Sector Group, which includes individuals from the neighborhood will inform and support the training,
planning and implementation of authentic engagement efforts.
At a minimum in this project we will deploy the following essential strategies for meaningful engagement;
✓ Develop alternative methods for engagement via the proposed training
■ Multiple ways to contribute
■ Incentives, non-traditional outreach
✓ Build personal relationships with target stakeholder groups
■ Connect with Dream Center partners to assist with invitations/outreach
■ Explore opportunities to co -host trainings and pilot with partner orgs in neighborhood
✓ Create an inclusive public engagement plan that can be replicated in other processes — our team for
the project will;
■ identify specific engagement activities
■ assign lead staff (Inclusive Dubuque Engagement Coordinator)
■ meet quarterly to track communication and outreach and evaluate the process
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The central purpose of the project is to improve our capacity for authentic engagement in order to build
better equity plans and stronger climate adaptation strategies.
5. Equity Expertise: Kelly Larson, Human Rights Director, and
Dr. Katrina Farren -Eller, Inclusive Dubuque Network Coordinator, (expertise listed on page 8) will be our
internal equity experts.
Experts on authentic engagement from St. Paul Youth Services and Iowa State University - Extension will
support the development and implementation of the Equitable Engagement Learning Cohort.
6. Sustainability: Once the climate adaptation plan is completed, the Resilient Community Advisory Commission
will make annual recommendations regarding implementation to the City Council. In a community
engagement process to develop the Commission, the public recommended that the commissioners represent
a wide variety of the community, including diverse representation of race, gender, socio-economic status,
geography, employment sector, etc.
Inclusive Dubuque sector groups will utilize learning from the training to foster engagement and participation
in ongoing efforts of the network.
Equity teams within City departments will continue beyond this project. In addition, we believe that the
implementation of authentic engagement strategies will support continuation and expansion of long-term
partnerships between residents and institutions involved in the neighborhood.
7. Structural Change: This project has the potential to institutionalize equity in three ways. First, like the
community's 50% by 2030 GHG reduction/mitigation plan, we anticipate that the Climate Adaptation Plan will
become one of the key guiding documents for municipal planning. By starting with an equity lens, we will
ensure that environmental as well as social vulnerabilities are considered, and that all stakeholders have a
place at the table in designing this important plan. Second, engaging key department heads in utilizing an
equity toolkit will begin to build the skills and abilities of our staff, and build buy -in as multiple departments
learn to use the toolkit in daily operations. The toolkit has already been developed, and is now in its pilot
stage. Results will be shared with other departments, and lessons learned will be used to make adjustments
to the toolkit. All of this will be used to support expanded use of the toolkit in other areas of government.
City leadership is embracing this effort. Lastly, in Q1 2017, the City will roll out a new open data/performance
measurement dashboard powered by Socrata. One of the themes that will frame all of the community -scale
outcomes will be equity. The City will draw on our results from STAR certification, where we scored lowest in
Equity & Engagement, to build this dashboard. This new open data platform will allow easy access to
disaggregated data for elected officials and the public, increasing transparency and the opportunity for data -
based decision making and action.
The CFGD will support the efforts in City Government by supporting a culture in the community that expects
equity and supports an inclusive community. While government can play a significant role in supporting
equity, an equitable community will emerge from the alignment of efforts from many systems and supports
across sectors. The Community Foundation is supporting the learning and partnerships required to encourage
cross -sector structural change through the Inclusive Dubuque Network. This Network has already shared
introductory equity tools and has plans to roll out additional equity tools and training to the Network through
sector groups. Additionally, in an effort similar to the City Government, the Inclusive Dubuque Network is
facilitating the development of equity plans with the Network.
9
Dubuque - P4P Equity Proposal Budget
Activity 1 - Equitable Engagement Learning Cohort
Grant
CFGD
Match
Other Project
Match Total Explanation
Authentic Engagement Training - partner/consultant
Meeting Materials
Personnel & Salaries
Inclusive Dubuque NetworkC000rdinator
CFGD VP Strategic Initiatives
CFGD Communications support
$12,500 $12,500 training for City, CFGD, and Nonprofit staff
$1,500 $1,500 meetings (venue, materials, food) 20 @ $75 each
$15,000
$20,000
$15,000
$15,000 coordinate cohort, report project progress
$20,000 CFGD VP - support of project / grant coordination
$15,000 CFGD - communications support for project
ACTIVITY 2 - Equity Plans
Development of City Dept Equity Plans
$3,500
$3,500
facilitation of development of Equity Plans
Meeting Materials
$1,000
$1,000
meetings (venue, materials, food) 20 @ $75 each
Personel & Salaries
Human Rights Director
$6,000
$6,000
ACTIVITY 3 - Climate Adaptation Plan
facilitation/engagement to support development of Climate
Development of Climate Adaptation Plan $15,000 $15,000 Adaptation Plan
Meeting Materials $1,000 $1,000
Personel & Salaries
Sustainable Dubuque Coordinator $6,000 $6,000
ACTIVITY 4 - Increase Capacity of Local Equity Experts
Evaluation and tracking of Results $10,000 $10,000 consultant for evaluation of project
Stipends for neighborhood ambassadors $2,500 $2,500
Pilot authentic engagement strategies $2,500 $2,500 materials/pilot implementation
Personel & Salaries
additional staff coordinate learning cohort, pilot engagement
Inclusive Dubuque Outreach Coordinator $25,000 $25,000 $50,000 efforts, evaluate project
Grant Administration $7,500 $7,500
GRANT TOTAL
$75,000
$80,000
$14,000
$169,000
PROJECT TOTAL
$169,000
December 13, 2016
To: Partners for Places Grant Committee
From: Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque
Re: Match Commitment
Dear Grant Reviewers,
The Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque is pleased to support the
project titled; ‘Putting Racial Equity and Authentic Community Engagement at
the Center of Climate Adaptation Decision Making ’. Our project is being
proposed in partnership with the City of Dubuque.
This letter serves as written verification of the Community Foundation’s
commitment to provide match funding in the amount of $ 75,000.
The project presented builds on our long standing commitment to community
engagement as a pillar of our community leadership work. This project will
build the capacity of the Foundation as well as our partners in government and
in the nonprofit sector to engage youth and families, especially people of color
in our most vulnerable neighborhoods.
By increasing our understanding, skills and strategies we will strengthen
community efforts to support equitable, inclusive and resilient neighborhoods.
Sincerely,
Nancy Van Milligen
President/CEO