RFP Now Available for Partners for Places Round Eleven
Proposals Due July 31, 2017
In partnership with the Urban Sustainability Directors Network, the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities (TFN) is pleased to announce the opening of Round Eleven of the Partners for Places grant program.
Partners for Places is a successful matching grant program that creates opportunities for cities and counties in the United States and Canada to improve communities by building partnerships between local government sustainability offices and 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. The grant program provides partnership investments between $25,000 and $75,000 for one year projects, or $50,000 and $150,000 for two year projects, with a 1:1 match required by one or more local foundations.
Creating a Successful Proposal – Be Sure to Review Guidance Documents
As of Round Nine, Partners for Places accepts proposals for the creation of a Sustainability or Climate Action Plan, as long as the plan meets our minimum requirements or addresses an area identified for performance improvement or implementation for Certified STAR Communities. If your proposal requests funding for the creation of one of these plans, please closely review our minimum requirements document linked here before preparing your proposal.
In addition, all proposals are scored on the extent to which projects include meaningful involvement of priority audiences/stakeholders in program development and implementation. To review our guidance document on meaningful engagement, click here.
Green Stormwater Infrastructure Projects
In addition to the existing sustainability priority areas, there is dedicated funding in Round Eleven to support green stormwater infrastructure projects that advance water-related sustainability goals. The Green Infrastructure Leadership Exchange, a new practitioner network supporting green infrastructure communities, is a new partner to USDN and TFN for the green stormwater infrastructure projects.
Proposals Due July 31, 2017
The application deadline for Round Eleven is July 31, 2017 (by 11:59 p.m., any time zone). Please visit the Partners for Places webpage for more information. Here you can view our promotional video download the Request for Proposals (RFP), access our Proposal Form and consult our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document. You may also want to visit our Idea Bank which has summaries of all the proposals submitted in prior rounds. TFN will host a webinar to answer any questions about the grant program on June 15, at 1:00 p.m., Eastern Time. Please register for the webinar here. A recording of the webinar will be made available through our website for those of you unable to participate.
Investors in Partners for Places
Partners for Places general grant program is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, The JPB Foundation, Kendeda Fund, New York Community Trust, The Summit Foundation, and Surdna Foundation, with support for green infrastructure projects provided by the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation and the Pisces Foundation . A selection committee comprised of foundation representatives and urban sustainability directors will make grant selection decisions on behalf of Partners for Places, and awards will be announced on November 2, 2017. If the RFP and FAQ documents don’t answer all your questions, please contact Ashley Quintana at ashley@www.fundersnetwork.org or Ann Wallace at ann@www.fundersnetwork.org for more information.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Best,
The Partners for Places Team