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