By Ann Fowler Wallace, TFN Director of Programs

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 13 of the Partners for Places grant program.

Partners for Places is a successful matching grant program that improves U.S. and Canadian communities by building partnerships between local government sustainability leaders and place-based foundations. National funders invest in local projects developed through these partnerships to promote a healthy environment, a strong economy and well-being for all residents. Through these investments, Partners for Places fosters long-term relationships that make our communities more prosperous, livable and vibrant.

In addition to the general grant program, Round 13 also includes dedicated funding to support green stormwater infrastructure projects that advance water-related sustainability goals.

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.

To date, Partners for Places has awarded nearly $6 million across North America in this successful matching grant program, leading to nearly $12 million in investments.
p4p la sustainability office
Los Angeles County will use its Partners for Places grant to help engage and uplift local voices in sustainability efforts.

Creating a Successful Proposal

Partners for Places now accepts proposals for the creation of a community-focused sustainability, climate action, adaptation/resilience, or comprehensive plan that specifically addresses sustainability 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 Planning Process Guide 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.

The application deadline for Round 13 is July 31, 2018 (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), and access our Proposal Form and Budget Form. You may also consult our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for Round 13 document.

Additional Resources

Info Webinars

TFN and USDN will host a series of Partners for Places Round 13 Info Webinars. (Partners for Places will also be featured in our June TFN Learning Network Webinar.) Please visit here for the full schedule of upcoming learning opportunities.

In the News

Partners for Places was the subject of a recent feature by Inside Philanthropy: The Latest Push for Cities That Are Both More Sustainable and Equitable.
p4p honolulu claire bonham-carter via twitter josh stanbro resiliency workshop.jpg large
Honolulu’s sustainability officer, Josh Stanbro, meets with residents at a resiliency workshop. Honolulu was recently awarded a Partners for Places matching grant.

Funder Investors

Partners for Places general grant program is supported by The JPB Foundation, Kendeda Fund, New York Community Trust, The Summit Foundation, and Surdna Foundation.

Support for the dedicated stormwater matching grant funding is provided by The JPB Foundation,The Kresge Foundation and the Pisces Foundation.

Selection Process

A selection committee comprised of foundation representatives and urban sustainability directors makes grant selection decisions on behalf of Partners for Places. Awards will be announced on Nov. 8, 2018.

Any Questions?

If the RFP and FAQ documents don’t answer all your questions, please contact Ashley Quintana at ashley@www.fundersnetwork.orgor Ann Wallace at ann@www.fundersnetwork.org for more information.