GREENETWORK – APRIL 2012 GreeNetwork is a free electronic newsletter sent every 4-6 weeks by Iowa Economic Development Authority Community Development Division staff to 3,000+ recipients. Past issues are available at http://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/community/green_initiatives.aspx. Thanks for your interest in sustainable community practices and happenings. The following information will assist you in promoting attitudes and practices in your community that are socially, environmentally, and economically sound. Please send GreeNetwork content suggestions to [log in to unmask] You are also encouraged to forward this update to others and to reprint GreeNetwork material. To sign up to receive GreeNetwork please visit http://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/ and click on "Login" located in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. Updates: Sustainability Metrics in Dubuque Keep Iowa Beautiful Photography Contest Get Energized, Iowa Challenge! New Webpage for Community Grant Resources Resources and Models: Urban Waters Federal Partnership Communities Information Digest from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Reconnecting America's Funding Matrix Lists Sustainable Communities Grant Opportunities Clean Cities Plug-In Electric Vehicle (PEVs) Handbook for Fleet Managers Designing Healthy Communities - Book and 4-part video online Clean Cities 2012 Vehicle Buyer’s Guide Upcoming Workshops, Trainings and Events: Iowa Western Community College Go Green Classes Keep Iowa Beautiful Annual Conference SMART Economic Development Conference Rec ycling Old Buildings with Peak Performance Energy Efficiency Rehabilitation Training Biodiesel Workshops for Retailers and Fleets – RSVP by May 3 Iowa Certified Construction Site Pollution Prevention Inspector Training National Brownfields Conference 2012 Rural Grocery Summit III 2012 Sustainability in Public Works Conference Iowa Downtown Summit 7th Annual Land Bank Conference Funding and Assistance Opportunities: Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Programs Opportunity – due June 8, 2012 Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program – accepted quarterly Iowa Energy Center Conference and Events Grants Iowa Energy Center Technology Demonstration and Education Grants Updates: Sustainability Metrics in Dubuque http://www.urba n.uiowa.edu/content/2011-2012-Dubuque-Initiative-Project-DetailsThe city of Dubuque has partnered with a team of graduate students from the School of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Iowa to develop a set of metrics to measure Dubuque’s success in meeting its sustainability goals. The project is one of five projects the students and Dubuque are partnering on. For more information on all five projects, visit the project website. Keep Iowa Beautiful Photography Contest http://www.keepiowabeautiful.com/kib-photography-contest.cfm Governor Branstad has signed a proclamation designating April as Keep Iowa Beautiful (KIB) Month. Grab your I-phone, sure-shot or digital camera and shoot a photo of your favorite Iowa location! Keep Iowa Beautiful is pleased to announce the 2nd Keep Iowa Beautiful Photography Contest aimed at raising awareness of Iowa’s beauty. This photo contest offer s both amateur and experienced photographers an opportunity to tell Iowa’s story in a fun, engaging way. “It is a great way for ‘Iowa lovers’ to share what they like about our state,” said Gerry Schnepf, KIB Executive Director. The deadline is May 1, 2012 and entries must be submitted electronically. Entry guidelines and rules are available at www.keepiowabeautiful.com/kib-photography-contest.cfm. Get Energized, Iowa Challenge! http://getenergizediowa.org/about/ The Get Energized, Iowa! Challenge is a competition between the Iowa towns of Dike, Fairbank, Hudson and Readlyn to see which one can take the biggest steps to reduce energy consumption in residents’ homes in 2012. Strategies being employed include, but are not limited to, community education events, compact fluores cent lamp giveaways, free home energy audits, home weatherization and friendly inter-community competition. Project partners include the state of Iowa, The Iowa Policy Project, the University of Northern Iowa, Butler County REC, Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities, Green Iowa AmeriCorps and the Iowa Energy Center. New Webpage for Community Grant Resources http://www.epa.gov/ogd/training/resources_for_communities/community_grants_table.htm EPA is making it easier for communities to access community-based grant resources. The Agency now presents a calendar of upcoming 2012 grant opportunities to help communities address environmental challenges. This page will be updated periodically to reflect upcoming EPA grant programs. In addition, EPA is offering a Grants 101 Tutorial to assist communities in understanding the grants process. For a Grants 101 Tutorial, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/ogd/training/resources_for_communities/epa_grants_101.htm. Resources and Models: Urban Waters Federal Partnership http://urbanwaters.gov/ The Urban Waters Federal Partnership will reconnect urban communities, particularly those that are overburdened or economically distressed, with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating with community-led revitalization efforts to improve our Nation’s water systems and promote their economic, environmental and social benefits. Specifically, the Urban Waters Federal Partnership will: • Break down federal program silos to promote more efficient and effective use of federal resources through better coordination and targeting of federal investments. • Recognize and build on local efforts and leadership, by engaging an d serving community partners. • Work with local officia ls and effective community-based organizations to leverage area resources and stimulate local economies to create local jobs. • Learn from early and visible victories to fuel long-term action. Communities Information Digest from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) This e-news service from the U.S. EPA provides notice on a large number of funding opportunities; upcoming meetings, conferences and events; and upcoming webinars and conference calls. Several items from the digest are included in this month’s GreeNetwork. For more information or to subscribe contact Tegan Vaughn at 913-551-7326, [log in to unmask] Reconnecting America's Funding Matrix Lists Sustainable Communities Grant Opportunities Website Reconnecting America has compiled a Federal Funding Matrix providing a listing of possible funding sources for creating sustainable communities. T he Funding Matrix displays funding opportunities for states, cities, local governments and organizations, among others, for planning, implementation, site acquisition, business development, development financing, and other eligible uses. Clean Cities Plug-In Electric Vehicle (PEVs) Handbook for Fleet Managers http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/pdfs/pev_handbook.pdf The US Department of Energy’s Clean Cities program has released a new handbook titled Clean Cities Plug-In Electric Vehicle Handbook for Fleet Managers. This 20-page guide provides information on vehicles, benefits, maintenance, safety, emissions, charging equipment, and more, all tailored to the unique needs of fleet managers. The handbook also points fleets to a host of resources and information that will help them successfully incorporate PEVs into their operations. Designing Healthy Communities - Book and 4-part video online http://designinghealthycommunities.org/ In Designing Healthy Communities, a 4-hour series available on DVD, host Dr. Richard Jackson looks at the impact our built environment has on key public health indices - obesity, diabetes, heart disease, asthma, cancer and depression. Dr. Jackson, recent plenary speaker for the 2012 Iowa Governor’s Conference on Public Health, connects bad community design with burgeoning health costs, then analyzes and illustrates what citizens are doing about this urgent crisis by looking upstream for innovative solutions. Clean Cities 2012 Vehicle Buyer’s Guide http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/pdfs/51785.pdf The Clean Cities 2012 Vehicle Buyer’s Guide is now available. This helpful guide provides a comprehensive list of this year’s light-duty hybrid electric vehicles and vehicles powered by propane, compressed natural gas, electricity, E85, or biodiesel. The guide contains model-specific information on engine size, price, fuel economy, and emissions. It also provides short backgrounds on each fuel and helpful tips to improve fuel economy, compare and offset costs, and find alternative fueling stations. Fleet managers, public officials, consumers, and business owners can use this guide to become familiarize with the wide array of options now in the marketplace. Upcoming Workshops, Trainings and Events: Iowa Western Community College Go Green Classes Council Bluffs, IA - variety of topics and dates from micro-farming to rain barrel construction http://www.iwcc.edu/ce/classes/GoGreen.asp Keep Iowa Beautiful Annual Conference May 2, 2012 – Boone, IA http://www.keepiowabeautiful.com SMART Economic Development Conference May 3, 2012 &ndas h; Des Moines, IA http://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/calendar/displaycalendar.aspx?id=117 Recycling Old Buildings with Peak Performance May 3, 2012 – Webinar https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?llr=zkvjr4bab&oeidk=a07e5sjqxnzfc548b81&oseq=a023koglb2od96 Energy Efficiency Rehabilitation Training May 4-5, 2012 – Fairfield, IA http://icosc.com/ Biodiesel Workshops for Retailers and Fleets – RSVP by May 3 May 8, 2012 – Sioux City, IA http://www.communication-insight.com/client/biodiesel/rsvp html Iowa Certified Construction Site Pollution Prevention Inspector Training May 8, 2012 – Ankeny, IA http://www.iowastormwater.org/index.php?option=com_jevents&task=month.calendar&Itemid=54 National Brownfields Conference May 15-17, 2012 — Atlanta GA www.brownfieldsconference.org Urban Drainage and Stormwater Conveyance Design May 30, 2012 – Ankeny, IA http://www.iowastormwater.org/images/stories/calendar/upcoming_events/upcoming_training_spring2012.pdf 2012 Rural Grocery Summit III June 5-6, 2012 – Manhattan, KS http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/ ruralgrocery/ 2012 Sustainability in Public Works Conference June 25-27, 2012 – Pittsburgh, PA http://www.apwa.net/Media/2011/10/31/2012-Sustainability-in-Public-Works-Conference Iowa Downtown Summit August 21-22, 2012 – Keokuk, IA http://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/register/ (information available in mid June) 7th Annual Land Bank Conference October 14-16, 2012 – Kalamazoo, MI http://www.communityprogress.net/national-2012-conferences-pages-119.php?id=260 Funding and Assistance Opportunities: Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Programs Opportunity – due Jun e 8, 2012 http://www.eda.gov/ Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program – accepted quarterly http://www.iowaagriculture.gov/agMarketing/IRFIP.asp Iowa Energy Center Conference and Events Grants http://www.energy.iastate.edu/Funding/index.htm Iowa Energy Center Technology Demonstration and Education Grants http://www.energy.iastate.edu/Funding/index.htm - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp