Introductions and Agenda Check
- Update: DCP Climate Corps members have started service. Tentative launch planned for later this month when all members have started service.
- Follow-up on Participatory Grantmaking (May guest speaker): What lessons resonated with you? What would you like to see applied to Climate Corps’ work?
- Value of deep relationships between planners, grantees, participants in the process.
- Action item: Ongoing communications with those who participated in scoping meetings and Climate Corps Report. However, staying in touch to stay in touch can wear welcome quickly. Focus on continued information exchange, funding- be strategic about how that is done with so much going on. Goals for outreach to participants: potential host sites, support in legislature, getting word out about member positions.
- Kate shared: participants wanted to know when funding would be available, how they could help in the ways that we can. Opportunity to engage with bill for next session.
- Outdoor Equity Fund has no reporting requirements for their grantees. It is an opt-in for grantees to tell story. The fund provides access to photographer.
- Challenge for Commission to eliminate reporting requirements. Programs must demonstrate evidence of impact. Currently reporting on performance measures including: homes audited, communities reached. We provided suggested performance measures in the RFA, but do not require any. We do ask additional questions: how many volunteers, demographic data on members (that is voluntary and anonymous for members to share). However, we do pay for staff time – to be an expert in that. Justice 40 is a proxy for equity measures. Let us know where the weatherization took place and then can compare to Justice 40 data. Could support the grantee on calculations if the grantee can provide specific locations. Data is important for attracting future funding to the program. Common with AmeriCorps grants – 3 year grant and then re-compete, will make their application stronger if they have collected evidence over the past 3 years.
- Action item: Offer assistance for the reporting. It is a burden on time for the grantee. Could do things such as come to them, bring info and make it as easy as possible. Could also pull in experts in evaluation for future competitions. Also align with evaluation criteria from the Climate Council.
- We never actually brought a mission statement to the full Commission for approval.
- Final version from task force: The Task Force will oversee the development and implementation of the state-wide Maine Climate Corps, with a focus on implementation in marginalized communities. The Maine Climate Corps takes direct climate action, develops and trains the members who serve, and engages the community through volunteerism.
- External Funding:
- Submitted funding request to USDA Rural Development to fund 1 Fellow per year for 3 years. Fellows will help communities develop “essential community facilities” and associated services. Wide range of projects that could address climate and other needs, from a cooling/warming center, to EV charging, to a retrofit of a public facility.
- Funding opportunity through NOAA – Climate Resilience regional challenge. Inflation reduction. $575 m. Letters of intent due Aug 21st. Natural resource agencies, DOT have participated. Maine Climate Corps could be 1 funded piece of this larger program with goals to increase coastal resilience.