Key Project Information
Funder
Period of Performance
Location
United StatesICMA's Role
Project Details
Funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers Program (TCTACs) will support communities, particularly those adversely and disproportionately affected by environmental, climate, and human health harms and risks, to identify, access, and deploy resources to create transformative change for communities and individuals.
Collectively, we are building the Thriving Communities Network that connects and supports the local and regional leaders advancing environmental action in their communities across the country.
Regional Technical Assistance Centers
A network of regional Technical Assistance Centers will provide technical assistance, training, and resources to help communities, including local governments, nonprofit organizations, and other community-serving institutions, to access the resources they need to succeed. The Technical Assistance Centers will build the capacity of communities to navigate federal grant application systems, write strong grant proposals, and effectively manage grant funding. Support may include guidance on community engagement, meeting facilitation, and translation and interpretation services for limited-English-speaking participants. Each Regional Technical Assistance Center will be tailored to meet the needs of their region.
National Technical Assistance Centers
ICMA and two other organizations have been selected to support the Thriving Communities Network at the national level. Together, our organizations will:
- Leverage our networks of local governments, state and tribal governments, nonprofits, community leaders, and public health and environmental action advocates to scale solutions nationally.
- Support the Regional Technical Assistance Centers with training, resources, technical assistance, and opportunities for peer learning.
- Provide additional technical support to communities in ways that supplement and support the regional centers.
- Raise awareness and engagement by engaging key stakeholder groups through our online platform, conferences, events, resources, and trainings.
- Accelerate the dissemination of successful tools, models, and resources.
Contact
For additional information about TCTACs, visit the EPA website, or contact tctac@icma.org.
Local Government Leadership for Economic Mobility and Opportunity
ICMA offers a series of learning and training opportunities on boosting upward mobility in local communities. Previous sessions are available with additional resources below. Check back here for information on future offerings and registration.
- Data Resources
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Mobility Metrics
Data for U.S. cities and counties on evidence-based predictors of mobility from poverty
Opportunity Insights
Research and data to identify and dismantle barriers to economic opportunity
Best Practices for Optimizing Data to Advance Economic Mobility
Do you have data that uncovers key barriers to economic mobility in your community, but need an impactful way to translate that data to a wider audience? To help you bring your data to life, this course dives into the basics of data and information visualization, covering various ways to visualize data and make it more palatable- through charts, maps, graphs, infographics, and combinations of these options.
Beyond the Data: Charting a Path to Economic Opportunity Through Storytelling
What story of your community does your data tell? Is it a story of a community where everyone thrives, or maybe one where disparities in housing, education, and job opportunities persist? This course will foster better understanding of how to harness data to tell stories about the realities of your community in a way that meets audiences where they are, gives them the information they need (and nothing they don't!), and inspires them to take actionable steps with the information being presented.
- Planning Guidance
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- Planning Guide for Local Action: Urban Institute's comprehensive framework and guidance for developing a mobility action plan
- Tools and Resources for Promoting Upward Mobility from the 2023 3rd Annual ICMA Equity Summit
- Strategy and Case Study Examples
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- Results for America's Economic Mobility Catalog: a searchable library of evidence-based strategies and implementation guidance.
- County Leadership in Dismantling Barriers to Economic Opportunity (PM magazine)
- Affordable Housing: Open the Door to Economic Mobility for Your Residents (ICMA podcast)
- Getting Out of Your Own Way: Enabling Community-Driven Policy Change (PM magazine)
Thriving Communities: Federal Funding for Economic Mobility and and Resilient Communities
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act are massive federal investments in new and existing programs designed to advance transformational change toward a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient future. This webinar will provide information on forthcoming federal funding opportunities from various departments and agencies that support local community priorities including increased economic mobility and opportunity. Further, viewers will learn about useful strategies to successfully position their communities for funding in 2024, including ideas for developing resource roadmaps to meet each community's specific needs. You can view this webinar through our ICMA Learning Lab.
