The LEED for Cities and Communities Grant Program was created by USGBC and Bank of America Charitable Foundation to provide support to a cohort of local governments pursuing certification under the LEED for Cities and Communities rating system. This year, up to 20 U.S. local governments committed to accelerating progress on climate change, resilience and social equity will be selected to participate, according to the association. With the direct support of USGBC staff and partners, they will collaborate and exchange ideas with peers as they get organized, set goals, collect data and apply for certification.

Each grant recipient will receive an award package including:
• One annual USGBC Silver membership;
• Registration in LEED v4.1 for Cities and Communities;
• Certification review fees, for LEED v4.1 for Cities and Communities;
• Access to the Arc performance platform, to encourage continuous improvement and benchmarking;

 
• A two-day, in-person orientation workshop with other selected communities for two local government officials/staff;
• Access to online education resources, project management tools and monthly conference calls; and
• A dedicated USGBC staff liaison for ongoing programmatic and technical support.

Applications to the 2020 LEED for Cities and Communities Grant Program will be evaluated through various criteria, including demonstrated need, leadership support, commitment to data-driven decision-making, staff capacity and coordination with other local initiatives. Local governments that best meet the criteria will be selected.

The application schedule is as follows:
• Jan. 10, 2020 at 2 p.m. EST: Webcast for interested applicants
• Jan. 31, 2020 at 5 p.m. EST: Deadline to apply
• Feb. 7, 2020: Grant recipients notified
• Feb. 21, 2020: Public announcement of communities
• Mid-March 2020: Orientation program in Washington, D.C.
• Dec. 31, 2020: End of formal program year

For more information on the application process: https://tinyurl.com/v4qnnzp.

To download the 2020 grant application: https://tinyurl.com/ukjdely.