Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities
- Background
- 2016-2017 Request for Letters of Interest
- Past Recipients of Building Blocks Assistance
- Assistance From Grantees
Background
Many communities around the country are asking for tools to help them achieve their desired development goals, improve quality of life, and become more economically and environmentally sustainable. In response to this demand, EPA developed the Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Program in 2011.
Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities provides quick, targeted technical assistance to selected communities using a variety of tools that have demonstrated results and widespread application. The purpose of delivering these tools is to stimulate a discussion about growth and development and strengthen local capacity to implement sustainable approaches.
A tool includes:
- An agenda, presentations, and exercises that help facilitate discussion around a given topic.
- Data or information from the community that can be analyzed, helping to drive a conversation.
- An action-oriented process that leads to a set of potential next steps.
Technical assistance is delivered by EPA staff and EPA-hired consultant teams. Each technical assistance project includes:
- Public engagement through a one- to two-day workshop.
- Direct consultation with relevant decision-makers.
- A memo outlining specific steps the community could take to implement the ideas generated during the workshop.
See the Frequently Asked Questions About Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities for more information.
2016-2017 Request for Letters of Interest
The 2016-2017 Request for Letters of Interest closed on October 12, 2016. EPA expects to select recipients by November 2016 and will notify applicants who were not selected.
Past Recipients of Building Blocks Assistance
EPA has conducted more than 150 Building Blocks projects in 45 states. See the list of communities that received assistance.
Assistance From Grantees
In addition to the EPA Building Blocks assistance described on this page, EPA provides grants to nonprofit organizations to provide similar assistance to communities. Learn more about assistance from the grantees.