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Are Municipal Sustainability Programs…Sustainable?

In these budget-challenged times, will local governments’ sustainability programs survive and thrive? Sustainable, diversified funding approaches are key. In our effort to help local governments share best practices, ICLEI asked its members to submit their approaches to funding sustainability staff and operations. We compiled responses from 38 local governments across the country.

A quick analysis of the responses found that local government employ a mix of strategies, though many relied exclusively on their General Fund.

• 55% funded staff and operations through their General Fund (fully or partially)
• 37% through special fees, such as solid waste fees
• 24% through foundation grants or partnerships
• 29% through the federal Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) or other stimulus-related funding
• 16% through cost savings

Some staff expressed concern about how to maintain funding after general funding cuts or after EECBG funds run out. Keep reading for the full explanations from local government staff* or download the pdf fact sheet.

Download the Fact Sheet (pdf)

*When local governments asked not to be identified, we listed only their geographic region. Most respondents are ICLEI members, but not all.

STAR Beta Communities Gather to Define a New Sustainability Tool

Details are coming into focus on the design of the forthcoming STAR Online Platform. This online sustainability performance management system will be a key to success for the STAR Community Index, the forthcoming national sustainability framework and rating system.

On March 21-22, 2011, staff from 10 leading local governments—the STAR Beta Communities*, which have agreed to help develop and road-test the platform—met in Washington, DC to share ideas and offer feedback with ICLEI and a team of software developers. The workshop, hosted by the District of Columbia Department of the Environment, marked a milestone in the STAR Online Platform development. ICLEI’s team presented concepts for how the platform could work, and local government staff brainstormed new ideas and shared their priorities and requirements for a community sustainability tool.

How the Platform Will Work

While countless details are still to be determined, the vision thus far is that the STAR Online Platform will be a web portal where local government staff can:

Delray Beach Saves Money With Smart Energy Efficiency Projects

Credit: City of Delray Beach website

With a difficult economy and tight budgets, local governments are having to find ways to do more with less, and sustainability staff in particular find it necessary to come up with innovative approaches to get projects done. I recently talked to one city that has done a lot with a little: Delray Beach, FL.