Author: Scott Wolovich

SVP Full Circle Program Partners with New Sun Rising to Accelerate Non-profit Impact

Posted on by Scott Wolovich

Social Venture Partners (SVP) Pittsburgh has partnered with New Sun Rising to manage operations of their core program, the Full Circle Nonprofit Impact Accelerator.  The program provides support for the region’s most innovative nonprofits through engaged philanthropy, where SVP Partners contribute their expertise, skills, networks, and finances to help tackle our community’s greatest challenges.

Starting with the Fall 2018 cohort, management of the SVP Full Circle program will officially transition to New Sun Rising. The two organizations have worked together to empower nonprofit sustainability and innovation since their first workshop together in 2015.

Leigh Solomon Pugliano, SVP Full Circle Program Manager and New Sun Rising’s Director of Opportunity, says, “I am very excited to manage the Full Circle program.  New Sun Rising will provide an additional layer of support to SVP and the nonprofits they support. We hope to increase the awareness and accessibility of the program, as well as connect networks of communities and organizations that may otherwise be operating in silos.”

Each Fall and Spring, a Full Circle cohort accelerates five nonprofits through an intensive 14-week program of workshops, seminars, networking, and pitch events. Participants are paired with teams of SVP Partners, who are private sector leaders serving as executive coaches and working directly with them throughout the program.

Cynthia Closkey, an SVP Partner and chair of the organization’s board, says, “SVP is working to help nonprofits in our region increase their effectiveness and capacity, so they in turn can help people in a range of ways in the community. Each SVP Partner has the chance to engage with the nonprofits they coach, and with all the nonprofits we work with. It’s a focused, intensive opportunity to make significant impact on the problems that matter most. I find it the most rewarding way possible to give back.”

The current Full Circle cohort kicked off on September 22nd during a workshop at Ascender and includes Neighborhood Legal Services Association, No Crayon Left Behind, Orenda Health, Providence Connections, and Ruth’s Way. The public is invited to learn more about the mission and impact of these organizations during a pitch event on December 12th. More details will be announced soon.

For more details on how to become an SVP Partner, upcoming opportunities to accelerate your nonprofit, or to financially support Full Circle, please email leigh@svppittsburgh.org.

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About Social Venture Partners Pittsburgh

Social Venture Partners (SVP) Pittsburgh is a community of engaged philanthropists who contribute their expertise, skills, networks and finances to grow the impact of nonprofits and tackle our community’s greatest challenges. SVP Pittsburgh’s core program is the Full Circle impact accelerator, which connects SVP Partners as executive coaches to accelerate the impact of Pittsburgh’s most innovative nonprofits. For more information, visit SVPPittsburgh.org.

About New Sun Rising

New Sun Rising  (NSR) is an innovative 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to build vibrant communities through culture, sustainability and opportunity. NSR provides programs and services that create equitable opportunity, solve social challenges, and strengthen the vibrancy of place. Each year, over 150  individuals, organizations, and funders work with NSR to launch their nonprofit projects, social businesses, and economic development initiatives throughout the Greater Pittsburgh region. For more information, visit NewSunRising.org.

Contact

Leigh Solomon-Pugliano, Full Circle Manager, leigh@svppittsburgh.org

Scott Wolovich, Executive Director, New Sun Rising, scott@newsunrising.org

One Northside Mini-Grant Program Accepting Applications Through November

Posted on by Scott Wolovich

October 2, 2018

Pittsburgh, PA – With support from The Buhl Foundation, New Sun Rising’s One Northside Mini-Grant Program awarded $1,000 to 20 projects over the summer that focus on empowering community engagement and social impact in Northside neighborhoods. Grants are available for 30 more projects with two upcoming application deadlines this year: October 25 and November 19.

The Mini-Grant Program supports projects that strengthen community connections and increases accessibility to resources with the potential to become larger initiatives. Those submitting applications are encouraged to focus on elevating the Quality of Education, Employment, Place, and Safety and Health for fellow Northside residents, and previous mini-grant recipients are welcome to apply.

Ginger Underwood says the reason she joined the One Northside Mini-grant Street Team Ambassadors, “is to make more people aware of what’s going on over here on the Northside, and to promote the great work that is being done to help make the quality of lives better for each person, whether you are a child, teenager, adult or senior citizen. We have great assets and people have great ideas to share. The mini-grant program is a great way to put these ideas in motion. We all depend on each other to make this a great community, and the more engagement we have from residents, the better our community will be for all who live, work, and play, here on the Northside.”

Some current projects funded through the program include: Senior Citizens Craft Education, an initiative to combat social isolation and reconnect older adults through development of floral crafting skills, and The Comic Book Shop, an afterschool reading program that incorporates graphic novels every week to master reading fluency during the 2018-2019 school year.

Applicants are able to receive support during and after the application process from Street Team Ambassadors and New Sun Rising, who are available to schedule informal meet-ups in community locations as requested. The team is comprised of four Northside residents who received training from Levels Creative Empowerment + Consulting Group and are qualified to assist with project development and secure additional resources.

Printed applications are accepted at the Allegheny and Woods Run Carnegie Libraries during normal business hours and by postal mail addressed to New Sun Rising, attn. One Northside Mini-Grant, P.O. Box 58005, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15209.

You may also submit your application here or send as attachments to grants@newsunrising.org. Contact New Sun Rising staff with inquiries or other questions by phone (412) 407-9007 or email info@newsunrising.org.

New Sun Rising is committed to supporting leaders of community projects to create local, sustainable and measurable impact, and the mini-grant program is the continuation of the organizations Ignite Northside program. The One Northside Mini-Grant Program was previously managed by The Sprout Fund and known as the Neighbor to Neighbor grant program.

 

About One Northside Mini-Grants
To support community members in their efforts to advance the One Northside vision, One Northside Mini-Grants of up to $1,000 (taxable if not a 501(c)(3) are awarded to support small-scale community projects.

 

About One Northside
One Northside is a community-driven initiative to improve the quality of life in all 18 Northside neighborhoods of Pittsburgh. Since 2016, through the support of The Buhl Foundation, New Sun Rising has helped 92 Northside residents and community members put their ideas into action through the One Northside Consensus Plan’s focus on Quality of Education, Employment, Place, Health, and Safety. For more information, visit OneNorthsidePGH.org.

About New Sun Rising

New Sun Rising  (NSR) is an innovative 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to build vibrant communities through culture, sustainability and opportunity. NSR provides programs and services that create equitable opportunity, solve social challenges, and strengthen the vibrancy of place. Since 2005, over 400 individuals, organizations, and funders have worked with NSR to launch their nonprofit projects, social businesses, and economic development initiatives throughout the Greater Pittsburgh region with $5 million of support. For more information, visit NewSunRising.org.

Contact:

Scott Wolovich, Executive Director, New Sun Rising, scott@newsunrising.org

Daniel Striker, Director of Culture + Operations, New Sun Rising, dan@newsunrising.org

New Sun Rising Launches First Sustainability Cohort

Posted on by Scott Wolovich

Millvale, PA, October 2nd, 2018  – New Sun Rising announces their newest Vibrant Communities Incubator cohort: Launch Sustainability, serving the greater Pittsburgh area. The program will begin with the first of 6 monthly workshops on Wednesday, October 3rd. The 6 selected participants, including businesses, nonprofits, and community initiatives, will receive support to develop their ventures through monthly learning workshops with their peers, one-on-one mentoring, and access to funding to grow the impact of their work with customers and community.

The Vibrancy Funds support people building culture, sustainability, and opportunity within their community. New Sun Rising announced Launch Sustainability as a new funding opportunity for organizations and collaborations who build Vibrant Communities through sustainability, as defined by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The program encouraged proposals which further promoted innovation, engagement, and equity in the Pittsburgh region. New Sun Rising sustainability programs empower the community software (people + connections) and hardware (physical infrastructure) to enhance natural systems and quality of life in the region. Six projects out of twenty-four applications were selected to receive $5,000 to $8,000 grants to help early stage projects improve sustainability in their community.

Leading one of the selected projects, Donna Pearson of Millvale is working with residents and businesses, in partnership with the Allegheny Watershed Alliance as a fiscal sponsor to launch the first ever Girty’s Run Watershed Association. “We applied for the grant to help build the foundation of the organization. This grant helps us to share information, raise awareness, and build capacity for change in unifying the six communities of the watershed. We hope to build upon the many opportunities, strengths, and resources already available in these strong communities,” said Pearson.

Launch Sustainability is a Vibrant Communities program of New Sun Rising, held in partnership with the generous support of the Henry L. Hillman Foundation.

 

Communities impacted by the selected project include: The City of Pittsburgh neighborhoods, Millvale, Wilkinsburg, Aliquippa, Shaler, Ross, West View, Penn Hills, Clairton, Homestead.

Selected Projects include:

Sustainable Packaging Group Purchasing Project; seeking to eliminate the use of non-recyclable food container use in small business district settings through cooperative purchasing to drive down individual business costs.

The Wilkinsburg Gateway Project; seeking to use creative placemaking, including public art, landscape design, and solar power, as a platform to build community pride and introduce tangible community sustainability concepts.

PearlArts Studios Extensions After School Programs; seeking to implement new after school outreach programs as in collaboration with Gwen’s Girls, MUSA, and the Wilkinsburg School District, challenging participating youth both mentally and physically, as well as introducing them to broader world views through dance.

Activating a Sustainable Bicycling Infrastructure in Downtown Aliquippa; seeking to activate an equitable and adaptive bicycling culture in the heart of Aliquippa through installing new bike racks and support a free bike sharing initiative, spurring inclusive mobility and economic activity in the heart of our downtown, in partnership with Communicycle Beaver County.

The Girty’s Run Watershed Association; seeking to launch a first of its kind watershed organization within the Girty’s Run Watershed, creating greater collaboration between residents, businesses, and municipal leaders and increasing opportunities for further implementation of community led educational programming and increasing funding opportunities for stormwater infrastructure.

The Regional EcoDistrict Collaborative; seeking to connect and strengthen Ecodistrict practitioners who have been discussing collaborative opportunities to leverage respective organizational strengths to accelerate the implementation of community scale sustainable development utilizing a locally defined version of the EcoDistricts Protocol.

About New Sun Rising

New Sun Rising  (NSR) is an innovative 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to build vibrant communities through culture, sustainability and opportunity. NSR provides programs and services that create equitable opportunity, solve social challenges, and strengthen the vibrancy of place. Since 2005, over 400 individuals, organizations, and funders have worked with NSR to launch their nonprofit projects, social businesses, and economic development initiatives throughout the Greater Pittsburgh region with $5 million of support. For more information, visit NewSunRising.org.

Transformative Teaching Artist Awards Selection

Posted on by Scott Wolovich

The New Sun Rising is pleased to announce the awardees of the Transformative Teaching Artist Awards. These awards are made possible through the generous support of The Heinz Endowments’ Transformative Arts Process (TAP). The goal of this initiative is to move towards a more Just Pittsburgh by invigorating the field of teaching artists and arts organizations that have a demonstrated practice of challenging structural inequities, bringing transformative arts centered experience to youth and teaching artists in and from traditionally underserved African American and black communities.

The Transformative Teaching Artist Awards from New Sun Rising believes that quality teaching artists should be recognized for the important work they do in Pittsburgh’s African American and black communities. Teaching artists play critical roles in the lives of the youth they serve, providing not only artistic skill building, but caring, support, and mentorship. Yet those teaching artists who have chosen this as their life’s work face great challenges in building teaching artist careers. Most of our teaching artists are underpaid and under-recognized. The delivery system for teaching artist instruction is fragmented; and arts instruction is often not assigned a high priority in public or out of school time programs.

All 23 applicants who were considered have an extensive track record of combining artistic skill and the complementary skills of an educator. The selection committee consisted of peer artists and determined the 10 finalists after a thorough review and discussion of their skills, eligibility, and dedication.

Congratulations to the Transformative Teaching Artist Award Recipients:
Sister IAsia
Khalillah Shabazz
Kontara Morphis
Brett Wormsley
Christian Nowlin
Junyetta Seale
Jayla Patton
Ira Cambric III
Geña (Maria) Escoriaza
Maggie Lynn Negrete

The ten award recipients will each receive an award of $5,000. These awards are recognition awards which may be used in any way the recipient deems fit. The Transformative Teaching Artist Awards add validation, strengthen networks, and increase visibility for the artists who choose to do this important work. It is our hope that these recognition awards can play a part in acknowledging teaching artistry as an impactful and recognized profession.

For more information please visit https://www.newsunrising.org/our-programs/vibrancy-funds

About New Sun Rising:
Since 2005, NSR has empowered more than 400 community leaders, supporting innovative organizations that create economic opportunity, solve social challenges, & strengthen the vibrancy of place. NSR’s vision is to promote equitable development in collaboration with the neighborhood partners we serve.

The New Sun Rising Vibrancy Fund invests in leaders through a series of targeted challenges. Funds are distributed through a number of flexible mechanisms, including: Traditional Grants and Awards, Recoverable Grants, Crowdsourcing Matches, and Loans. The Vibrancy Fund provides support for businesses, community projects, and collaborations with innovative solutions to our seven interrelated strategies for developing equitable, vibrant communities. New Sun Rising’s core strategies for building vibrancy include: Culture, Sustainability, and Opportunity.

About the Heinz Endowments:
The Heinz Endowments is devoted to the mission of helping our region prosper as a vibrant center of creativity, learning, and social, economic and environmental sustainability. Core to its work is the vision of a just community where all are included and where everyone who calls Southwestern Pennsylvania home has a real and meaningful opportunity to thrive.

Press contact Jamie Johnson, Manager of Performance Improvement, jamie@newsunrising.org, 412-407-9007

The Bright Spot: Kenny’s

Posted on by Scott Wolovich

Shining a light on the projects and businesses supported by the Vibrancy Funds

 

Neighborhood: Pittsburgh, Homewood

Program: Launch Culture

Grant Awarded: April 2018

A once vacant lot in the center of Homewood is now home to a vibrant, active space. Depending on the day of the week and time, you may find yogis lined up for a pay-what-you-can yoga session, a neighborhood birthday potluck for one of the young residents, or a late-night dance party with DJ spinning motown and local vendors selling their creative wares and art.

“Kenny’s exists to give residents a new and different experience while allowing people from outside the neighborhood an avenue to experience the greatness that is Homewood,” said Demi Kolke, the Founder and Owner of Kenny’s.

Demi built deep roots and connection with the community, through years of working with the local community development group, Operation Better Block. During her time working on various community development projects, she kept hearing the same thing from the residents of Homewood; they wanted to return their neighborhood to its former glory. They would reminiscence about the how Homewood used to be – a neighborhood with a thriving business district, strong community ties, and neatly maintained rowhomes.

The story of Homewood is not unique to the City of Pittsburgh. Currently, the neighborhood’s population is just 17% of its peak of 35,000, leaving nearly 2,000 vacant lots and 600 empty buildings in the majority Black neighborhood. The blight has been more persistent than in other neighborhoods due to structural racism, elevated crime activities, and lack of investment, leaving Homewood slower to rebound than other neighborhoods within the City.

That didn’t stop the neighbors from taking action on their own. Kenneth Stubbs was one such neighbor dedicated to changing the narrative of the neighborhood he was so proud of. At first, he was weary of Demi, a young woman originally from North Dakota. His hesitation soon faded and they formed a strong and unlikely friendship.

Tragically, that friendship came to an end when Kenneth was murdered in 2014.

In his honor, Demi purchased a vacant lot that he had owned and turned into a safe, accessible, informal outdoor gathering space: an idea born from countless conversations with him. She named it Kenny’s in his honor.

“I named the space Kenny’s to keep Mr. Stubbs’ dedication to the community giving and service alive,” explains Demi, “Every time a person asks me ‘Why the name Kenny?’ I get to tell them about my friend and they work he did in the community.”

Kenny’s website describes the space as a “community and cultural gathering space”.  The intent is to give a platform for the great activities that are going on in the neighborhood.

One night in June, Demi’s former employer, Operation Better Block, hosted a summer kick off potluck. Residents brought dishes, kids chased each other on the grass and neighbors met one another, many for the first time.

For Robert Bey, resident and former friend of Kenneth, Kenny’s space means an opportunity to get to know his neighbors. He is thankful for the access to the space so he can program it for the kids in his neighborhood.  

“If I want to host barbecue or something like that, all I have to do is contact Demi and ‘BOOM!’ – we bring the barbecue grills out here and cook hamburgers and hot dogs for the kids and have something for them to do.”

The Vibrancy Funds will be used to continue such programming the space throughout the summer so everyone will be able to participate in the events on site.

Kenny’s sits on a corner, with a bevy of energetic children to one side, and the older residents who remember what Homewood once was on the other. In addition to the Vibrancy Funds, Demi has secured funds from Lively Pittsburgh to offer additional programming centered around building connections between the generations.

Kenny’s is always going to be about resident-driven ideas and programming, Demi vows. It’s about giving the neighborhood a positive, open atmosphere to promote health and wellness, art and culture, entrepreneurs and existing businesses

Much like Mr. Stubbs himself, Kenny’s the space, is not there to work for the community, but rather with the community.

You can check out a full list of upcoming events at Kenny’s here.

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The Vibrancy Funds are made possible by a gift from the Henry L. Hillman Foundation.

Interested in finding out how we can help bring your idea to life? Contact us.

New Sun Rising Supports Resident-led Projects through the One Northside Mini-grant Program

Posted on by Scott Wolovich

The One Northside Mini-grant Program, supported by The Buhl Foundation, will invest $50,000 in awards and development support for community-driven projects. The 2018 program seeks to strengthen connections and create opportunity throughout the 18 Northside neighborhoods, and was previously known as ‘Neighbor to Neighbor’ when managed by our friends at the The Sprout Fund.

One Northside Mini-Grants of up to $1,000 will be awarded for projects that enjoy the support of their community and advance the vision of One Northside – focusing on improving the Quality of Education, Employment, Place, Safety, and Health for all Northside residents.

Grant recipients will receive additional project development support through New Sun Rising and the Mini-grant Street Team Ambassadors. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and reviewed monthly with decisions announced around the end of each summer month (June, July, and August), as well as a winter cycle (October, November, December).

New Sun Rising, whose mission is to build vibrant communities through culture, sustainability, and opportunity, will facilitate the mini-grant program as a continuation of their Ignite Northside program. Joining them are the Mini-Grant Street Team Ambassadors including four residents (Kate Kelley, Maria Searcy, Ashlyn Taylor, Ginger Underwood) who received training from Levels Creative Empowerment + Consulting Group to recruit and support applicants for the duration of the mini-grant process.

While previous mini-grant recipients are encouraged to apply, New Sun Rising also seeks to broaden the support for long-time residents with projects, creatives, and business leaders making social impact. Applicants who live and work in underserved Northside neighborhoods are encouraged to submit proposals supporting One Northside’s expanded focus on Safety and Health, as well as those which strengthen connections, increase accessibility to resources, and activate significant places to build vibrancy with their neighbors.

Northside community projects seeking financial and development support are encouraged to attend an information session to learn more about the One Northside Mini-Grant process in advance of preparing an application. A public call for applications will be made in June and accepted on an ongoing basis until funds are expended.  See www.newsunrising.org/project/ignite-northside for application details, meeting locations, dates, and times, or contact New Sun Rising staff by phone (412) 407-9007 or email info@newsunrising.org to request an informal meeting.

 

About One Northside

One Northside is a community-driven initiative to improve the quality of life in all 18 Northside neighborhoods of Pittsburgh. Since 2016, through the support of The Buhl Foundation, New Sun Rising has helped 92 Northside residents and community members put their ideas into action through the One Northside Consensus Plan’s focus on Quality of Education, Employment, Place, Health, and Safety. For more information, visit OneNorthsidePGH.org.

 

About New Sun Rising

New Sun Rising  (NSR) is an innovative 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to build vibrant communities through culture, sustainability and opportunity. NSR provides programs and services that create equitable opportunity, solve social challenges, and strengthen the vibrancy of place. Since 2005, over 400 individuals, organizations, and funders have worked with NSR to launch their nonprofit projects, social businesses, and economic development initiatives throughout the Greater Pittsburgh region with $5 million of support. For more information, visit NewSunRising.org.

 

NSR Seeks Applicants for Equity + Capacity VISTA Position

Posted on by Scott Wolovich

New Sun Rising is now accepting applications for their 2018-19 AmeriCorps VISTA program. The NSR Equity + Capacity VISTA will help improve conditions which alleviate poverty by supporting local leaders who build culture, sustainability, and opportunity in their neighborhood. NSR encourages emerging leaders who value innovative, creative thinking in a flexible team dynamic while achieving their own professional and personal development goals to apply by contacting us at info@newsunrising.org. Candidate selection deadline is June 18th for a start date of August 2, 2018.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

New Sun Rising’s Vibrant Communities program promotes culture, sustainability, and opportunity in underserved neighborhoods throughout the Pittsburgh region. Program participants include social entrepreneurs, non-profit, and main street business leaders who catalyze regenerative community development grounded in equity, entrepreneurship, and place. Program investments are led by the community voice to ignite, launch, and grow organizations and collaborative initiatives. Core strategies include planning, connectivity, and resources to promote an authentic civic identity.

New Sun Rising programs support mission aligned partners in order to activate the vision and plans of underserved communities. Mounting evidence demonstrates that community revitalization does not typically benefit legacy stakeholders. By connecting and training local leaders, New Sun Rising helps the community prepare to benefit from the opportunities resulting from development.  The Vibrant Communities program focuses on building the software of communities, people and connections, in order to create economic opportunity. New Sun Rising and our network of partners create the following outcomes towards equitable community revitalization: increased skills and knowledge, financial resources, leadership capacity, support networks, cultural and sustainability impacts, and a replicable and scalable model for authentic community revitalization.

MEMBER DUTIES

The New Sun Rising Equity + Capacity VISTA will

  1. Research and develop methods for measuring and communicating program impact
  2. Research and submit grant applications for current and future poverty reduction programs
  3. Assess Vibrant Communities partners through analysis and asset mapping
  4. Develop systems and programs to build organizational capacity of small businesses and community organizations
  5. Develop systems and programs to engage and support community residents

REQUIREMENTS

Education level: College Graduate

Desired skills: Recruitment , Fundraising/Grant Writing , Non-Profit Management ,  Writing/Editing , Leadership, Business/Entrepreneur , Community Organization , Communications , Public Speaking , Computers/Technology, Teamwork

The New Sun Rising VISTA program is supported by the Henry L. Hillman Foundation and held in partnership with Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group.

Vibrancy Funds initiative launches to fuel community-led projects and businesses

Posted on by Scott Wolovich

 

New Sun Rising commits $300,000 to accelerate ideas aimed at addressing social and economic inequities in neighborhoods across Southwestern Pennsylvania

 

PITTSBURGH – In the Greater Pittsburgh region there is a persistent opportunity gap that exists amongst neighborhoods. New Sun Rising, a nonprofit based in Millvale and serving Southwestern Pennsylvania, aims to address these inequities through their latest initiative, the Vibrancy Funds. Throughout 2018, New Sun Rising will be administering loans, grants, and financial awards to applicants from across the region with ideas that promote innovation, engagement, and equity through the generous support of the Henry L. Hillman Foundation. People who run social businesses, nonprofit projects, and collaborative initiatives in areas of Culture, Sustainability, and Opportunity are encouraged to apply.  

“We truly believe that citizens are the experts in their communities, and hold the wisdom and talent to develop their own opportunities,” said Scott Wolovich, founder and Executive Director of NSR. “With the Vibrancy Funds initiative, NSR will partner with cross-sector leaders on all levels who are addressing priority issues in their neighborhood – from those who have an idea that they need help getting off the ground to established organizations who want to grow their impact and reach.”

Successful applicants will receive both financial and development resources as part of the initiative. Although everyone is invited, leaders focused on building Vibrant Communities in Allentown, Beltzhoover, Etna, Knoxville, McKees Rocks, Millvale, Northside, Sharpsburg, Stowe Township, and Wilkinsburg are strongly encouraged to apply.

The first round of Vibrancy Funds will be issued through $5,000 in total awards during the Ignite Culture mentoring workshop on March 24, 2018. Individuals creating culture with their community will receive support to develop a plan, identify resources and make connections to get to action.  Registrations are due on March 16, 2018  and interested individuals can visit www.newsunrising.org/project/ignite-culture, space is limited

In the coming weeks, New Sun Rising will post a calendar of information sessions and deadlines related to additional opportunities for funding in the areas of Culture, Sustainability, and Opportunity.

About New Sun Rising

New Sun Rising  (NSR) is an innovative 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to build vibrant communities through culture, sustainability and opportunity. NSR provides programs and services that create equitable opportunity, solve social challenges, and strengthen the vibrancy of place. Since 2005, over 400 individuals, organizations, and funders have worked with NSR to launch their nonprofit projects, social businesses, and economic development initiatives throughout the Greater Pittsburgh region with $5 million of support.

Manufacturing Vibrancy

Posted on by Scott Wolovich

Preparing for crisis is 90% psychological. Experts say that developing a plan, gathering resources, and communicating with others in advance are common sense strategies to increase your chance of survival. Assuming that you’re paying attention in the first place.

The check engine light is on

As living organisms we’re predisposed to work towards balance or homeostasis. So why aren’t we acknowledging indicators which predict a less certain future? It’s like we’re watching a movie, where the inhabitants of a blue marble speeding through the galaxy are heading towards disaster of their own making. You’re yelling to the one person that can save them, but she can’t hear you.

In our hyper-connected, accelerating, Darwinian society; survival of the fittest leaves the majority of our neighbors behind. Together, the world’s 8 richest people now hold more wealth than the 3.6 billion people representing the bottom half of our global village (Oxfam). The gap in economic opportunity between prosperous and distressed communities continues to grow.(Economic Innovation Group). And, the number of startup companies has decreased 48% in the midst of a 30 year decline in the US (Kaufmann Foundation).

Read our entire article on Medium to learn why social equity, entrepreneurship, and a renewed sense of place are critical for our survival

New Sun Rising Announces Director of Sustainability

Posted on by Scott Wolovich

New Sun Rising is excited to welcome Zaheen Hussain to his new position as Director of Sustainability. Still serving as the Millvale Sustainability Coordinator, this position will continue to fill the role as a shared community resource working to implement Millvale’s EcoDistrict Pivot Plan with the Millvale EcoDistrict Collaborative (Millvale Community Library, Borough of Millvale, Millvale Community Development Corporation, and New Sun Rising).

Previously sponsored through a Neighborhood Allies Catalytic Grant, his work at the Millvale Community Library over the years has also been funded by the Hillman Family Foundation and the Heinz Endowments. The transition to New Sun Rising from the Library has been seamless and continues to facilitate his ability to serve the collaborative partners, as has been the case since his start in June of 2015. Hussain has studied Environmental Science and Natural Resource Economics and is excited to be given the opportunity to implement “big picture” approaches to sustainability in his new position.

Hussain first came to love Millvale in 2012 when he was working for GTECH Strategies and partnered with Millvale to develop a comprehensive energy efficiency outreach plan through a neighborhood Ambassador program. In this role, he partnered with residents to develop educational programming surrounding energy efficiency and provided residents with tools to improve their own personal and household energy efficiency. During this time, there was a competition between neighborhoods in their pursuit of efficiency; Hazelwood, Homewood, and Millvale all participated and Millvale wound up winning the competition. As a result, they were awarded funds which were then used to create an outdoor kitchen at the Millvale Community Library that is now free for all neighborhood residents to use.

Hussain’s first big project when he started working in Millvale was the recalibration of the EcoDistrict plan. When he started, Millvale had already accomplished ~70% of the goals that they had set out to achieve in the areas of Food, Water, and Energy. It was a time to celebrate those accomplishments but also to revisit the EcoDistrict Pivot Plan. It was then that they added the areas of Air, Mobility, and Equity and extended the pursuit of these goals to 2030. The success of these early initiatives started small, were attained, and paved the way to take the community planning to a much larger scale, a task that Hussain is poised to facilitate. A number of the milestones and programs that Hussain has been elemental in the attainment of are listed below, by area:

Food – Partnership with the Pittsburgh Food Bank and the Green Grocer weekly market presence at GAP park, as well as the Launch Millvale Food Systems incubator with NSR

Water – The State of the Watershed meetings in which neighborhood partners from communities upstream combined efforts to alleviate the effect of stormwater runoff on Girty’s Run.

Energy – The solar array installation on the Millville Community Center; The installation of solar panels on the Millvale Community Library (managed by Brian Wolovich over the course of 3 years, resulting in a now self-sufficient building); The Millvale Teen Solar Fellowship.

Air – The collection of a baseline spread of air-quality data that was then compared to regional averages. It was found that industry activity in other neighborhoods has a direct impact on local air quality in Millville. That data is now being put to use in a partnership with Heinz to communicate these findings. Additionally, to pursue proactive steps to reduce the impacts on individuals through low cost and accessible interventions.

Mobility – Working with the Millvale Borough Bike-Ped committee for safer connectivity and to improve transportation options within the neighborhood and facilitating better connectivity to communities outside of Millvale.

Equity – Efforts to increase fairness in the future development of Millvale; to be sure that those who have been living in the community longest are not pushed or priced out. Teaching local teens new technology in an evolving industry landscape (the Solar Teen Fellowship, for example), affordable housing initiatives and the creation of partnerships with neighborhoods and organization outside of Millvale in the pursuit of this goal.

Sustainability is one of NSR’s core Vibrant Communities strategies, along with Culture and Opportunity.  Since joining the NSR team Zaheen has already accomplished a handful of great steps forward. He has been instrumental in the Millvale EcoDistricts being awarded a Heinz grant that will fund educational initiatives, proactive interventions, and public visibility projects surrounding the area of air quality. Additionally, we were honored to host the regional EcoDistrict Training Conference at the Moose and also received a grant to reconvene the Millvale EcoDistrict team in the near future — Hussain was indispensable in the coordination of this programming. The team is comprised of resident leaders, all focusing on the 6 different planning areas (Food, Water, Energy, Air, Mobility, Equity). The Millvale residents will be meeting to come up with strategies to attaining the goals set forth in each of those areas while also partnering with nearby communities (Etna and Sharpsburg) as a part of the Triboro Ecodistrict initiative. Through this work, Hussain hopes to better poise Millvale to be connected to regional initiatives that deepen his work here through the augmentation of shared resources.

 

 

Ignite Northside Profile: Kate Kelley of Brighton Arts fights for a kid-friendly community

Posted on by Scott Wolovich

Written by: Brian Conway

When Kate Kelley moved to Brighton Heights from Bethesda, MD 15 years ago her new neighborhood  was a very different place.

At the time, the median age was somewhere in the mid-60s; today, it’s in the mid-30s, thanks to an influx of young people who, like Kelley, moved to the Brighton Heights and started a family.

“When I moved in I was not married and had no kids, so it was the perfect, cheap, close to the city place to live,” she says. “Then suddenly I’m married and I have kids and I have to start thinking of schools.”

Today, Kelley, is one of three community leaders behind Brighton Arts, a project of the Families, Youth and Children’s Committee of the Brighton Heights Citizens Federation.

“Brighton Arts is a collaboration between some artists and parents in Brighton Heights to try to provide some creative experiences for the youth in our neighborhood, because it’s largely a desert when it comes to activities for kids in our neighborhood,” says Kelley.

Some 800 area children go to schools outside of Brighton Heights, including her own, and Kelley feels strongly that there is  a need for enriching after-school experiences for all local kids, regardless of where they receive their education.

“All the kids need something creative and productive to do,” she says.

Before forming Brighton Arts, Kelley, a grant writer, successfully secured $3,000 in funding from a Seattle nonprofit to pay for drums for children at Pittsburgh Morrow, the local K-8. She then secured another grant to pay for indoor playground equipment, like basketballs and volleyballs.

Another grant helped to secure a school garden, which was eventually overseen by Grow Pittsburgh. There was a community arts night at John Morrow in 2015, and in 2016, her work helped to secure a KaBoom! Playground right by the school.

Kelley is the first to say that her work is a group effort. She serves as Executive Director for Brighton Arts, alongside Program Director, Stacey Roa, and School Programs Coordinator, Donna Nyambe, who also happens to be President of Pittsburgh Morrow PTO.

Their top priority is to create a community space, somewhere that is permanent, visible (so kids know where to go), and walkable.

“There are a lot of creative experiences down in the Northside at the Mattress Factory, or the Carnegies or whatever,” she says, “but if you can’t get there on your own, if you’re 8 or 10 years old you’re not taking the bus down there by yourself.”

They thought they had found that permanent home, but after talks with mentors at Ignite Northside, realized it was too big a risk.

“[Ignite Northside Program Manager Ebony McQueen-Harris] is a coach but she’s also a business expert. She made us realize taking on that big of a building on our own would be a huge liability and not sustainable.”

One option for a permanent home may be the underused, 20,000 sq. ft.  Brighton Heights Senior Community Center.

On Saturday, August 21, 120 Pitt students and other volunteers helped to clean the structure. Kelley laughs that the building is covered in vines “like the temples in Cambodia,” and that revealing the historic architecture and obscured murals, in a symbolic way, represent the reclamation of a neighborhood at large.

In the meantime, Kelley, who also owns a vintage store, Mustard & Relics, on Brighton Road, will persist. Two new Sprout Fund grants will pay for a pair of programs for middle and high school students: one focused on cooking and crafts, the other photography.

And she will continue to seek advice and mentorship from her peers and facilitators at Ignite Northside.

“For a fledgling business or organization, this is crucial,” she says. “We can’t pay for professional advice.”

For more information on the workshops and how to get involved, visit www.newsunrising.org/ignite-northside or email ebony@www.newsunrising.org. 

Ignite Northside is an initiative by New Sun Rising in partnership with the Buhl Foundation and One Northside, working together to help neighborhoods gain control of their narratives and opportunity.

NSR Projects hit the 2017 Maker Faire

Posted on by Scott Wolovich

This past weekend, the annual Maker Faire took place on the lawn of the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh and spilled over into the Buhl Community Park at Allegheny Square. Over 100 organizations and small businesses participated as exhibitors with projects ranging from fiber-arts and screen printing, to drone racing and VR dream illustration.

From the Maker Faire website regarding this year’s Pittsburgh installment:

“Maker Faire is a gathering of fascinating, curious people who enjoy learning and who love sharing what they can do. From engineers to artists to scientists to crafters, Maker Faire is a venue for these ‘makers’ to show hobbies, experiments, projects.

We call it the Greatest Show (& Tell) on Earth – a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity, and resourcefulness.

Maker Faire Pittsburgh is produced by Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, and made possible by Presenting Sponsors Chevron, The Grable Foundation and MAKE.

Maker Faire originated in 2006 in the San Francisco Bay Area as a project of the editors of Make: magazine.  It has since grown into a significant worldwide network of both flagship and independently-produced events.  Read more on Maker Faire history, the Maker Movement, as well as how to start a Maker Faire or a School Maker Faire where you live.”

Deco Resources, a graduate of New Sun Rising’s Launch Hilltop cohort, exhibited at the Maker Faire. Their mission is “to integrate sustainability into a project or organization from the original design through full implementation. We help guide eco-conscious choices through engineering and construction. We facilitate green practices in the commercial setting and improve metrics in energy, water, transportation, and air quality.” Anthony Stewart of Deco reported that “At maker fair, we were demonstrating our green tech solutions that demonstrate how we support gardening and urban agriculture. We displayed a solar panel and asked guests to use a pump to move water using solar power.” Check out their website here.

Prototype, a NSR fiscally-sponsored project, was also an exhibitor. Prototype is a “feminist makerspace with shared tools, space, events, knowledge, and support. All genders and disciplines are welcome to join.” They report that over the weekend, “We had a lot of fun at Maker Faire showing kids and adults how to use our CNC vinyl cutter, 3D printer, and laser cut stamp kit.” Check out their website for upcoming Open Swim nights and volunteer training sessions here.

Source: PrototypePGH Instagram