SFI SUPPORTED PROJECTS
Solar Installer Certification Program
New Sun Rising, Community College of Allegheny County, Triboro Ecodistrict
By connecting community leaders with training, technical assistance, and investment, the Sustainable Futures Initiative seeks to ensure that each of the communities we serve has the opportunity to thrive, adapt to changing conditions, and build a more secure and prosperous future.
HOW DOES SFI SUPPORT COMMUNITY-DRIVEN PROJECTS?
Advisory Groups
Representatives from frontline EJ communities and sustainable development intermediaries inform program design and provide technical assistance to project leaders.
Education + Project Development
Community projects receive support through ignite educational workshops and launch incubator cohorts.
Technical Assistance
Community leaders receive direct support from the EJ Project Manager, NSR, RiverWise, and professional consultants to develop, fund, and implement their projects.
IN WHAT TYPE OF COMMUNITIES DO WE WORK?
The Sustainable Futures Initiative directs support to communities that have experienced long-term economic disinvestment, often alongside infrastructure and industries that have shaped environmental health challenges for generations. Data shows that such historically disadvantaged communities face higher rates of economic hardship, poorer health outcomes, and greater climate burdens. To overcome the impact of historic boom and bust cycles, we must strategically prioritize investment in local nonprofits and small businesses that are the foundation of these communities.
For many decades, institutional financial investment has been difficult to obtain in the disadvantaged communities that the Sustainable Futures Initiative supports. As a result, people in these places often face significant challenges, including low-wage work, energy burden, poor watershed management, excessive pollution, food insecurity, unhealthy and unaffordable housing, and a lack of transportation. Addressing these long-standing issues through innovative, community-driven solutions presents a significant opportunity to rebuild local economies, improve health outcomes, and strengthen regional resilience.
As we consider resource allocation strategies with our partners, we regularly think through a common-sense set of priorities that must receive attention and investment in any vibrant community. This encompasses a wide range of quality of life areas, including food, water, air quality, mobility, energy, and overall community well-being. These priorities have been central to the work of New Sun Rising and RiverWise for years, helping communities like the Millvale Ecodistrict and Triboro Ecodistrict gain access to the resources they need to build a stronger, more resilient future.
Common sense and community-driven investment in these hardworking communities presents a chance to rebuild local economies, create good-paying jobs, and restore strength throughout the Rust Belt region. For too long, these communities, once the backbone of American industry, have been overlooked. The Sustainable Futures Initiative aims to reverse this trend by collaborating with community stakeholders to create the conditions necessary for new investment in economic growth, infrastructure, and energy, thereby paving the way for more resilient, prosperous, and vibrant communities for all.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
America has historically utilized its vast resources to invest in the development of certain communities and industries more than others. The result has been incredible opportunity, growth, and wealth for those receiving these investments. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, the federal government initiated the Justice 40 initiative to direct grant funding to communities and industries that had not received substantive investment throughout our nation’s history. The Sustainable Futures Initiative’s predecessor, the Justice 40 Opportunity Navigator, was designed to create a pipeline of investment-ready projects, building their capacity to manage funds and accelerate implementation.
While federal policy under the Trump administration has dramatically changed environmental policy and financial incentives for local sustainable development, our commitment to supporting communities that have experienced generational disinvestment alongside the consequences of extractive industries has not wavered.
With nearly three decades of combined community development experience behind us, New Sun Rising and RiverWise have seen firsthand how community-driven solutions can inspire economic growth. Community development has the most significant potential when supported by all community stakeholders, like nonprofits, for-profit organizations, governmental institutions, and community members. Through our shared mission and values, New Sun Rising and RiverWise are committed to working alongside communities to support community development and economic growth.
Interested to partner or support the Sustainable Futures Initiative? Email scott@newsunrising.org or daniel@getriverwise.com.
Pictured: Members of the EJ Genius Advisory Group, NSR, and RiverWise at the Partnership for Southern Equity SURJE Summit in Memphis
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