New Sun Rising Launches First Sustainability Cohort
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.