Attendance: Kirsten Brewer, Kate Klibansky, Morgan Rielly, Nathan Robbins
Leg Update from Rep. Rielly.
- LD 142, Climate Corps bill has not been reported out of Education and Cultural Affairs Committee. Not sure when, nor if it will be roll-called or not. Maine Service Fellows is on the appropriations table.
- Last week, Rep. Rielly's op-ed was published in the Bangor Daily News.
- Question: What can we learn from other states' funding models?
Federal Funding Opportunities
- Northern Border Regional Commission Catalyst Grant. Commission will apply to fund 4 Maine Service Fellows per year for 3 years to focus on Natural Hazard Mitigation and Emergency Management, in partnership with MEMA.
- The most comparable program to our Maine Service Fellows Emergency Management focus is SBP's Resilience and Recovery Fellows; this is NOT an AmeriCorps program. They place Fellows in local government to support low-capacity communities to help them achieve long-term resilience goals. They are early to mid-career professionals. Currently has sponsorship from the Walmart Foundation.
- Call to Action: Share the MSF listings with your networks, particularly those who are within 5 years of graduation. Need to build momentum and awareness of this program to fill both current and future positions, regardless of funding source/program focus.
- USFS has opened IRA funded competition for community and urban forestry programs (State formula requests have already been submitted). Recent webinar emphasized workforce and community investments--big opportunity to access funding for youth corps programming related to tree-planting, community forests, urban tree canopy.
- Call to Action: Refer any youth conservation corps or other community/volunteer groups to Kirsten, that are operating in this space. Will aim to apply as a pass-through entity to fund our Youth Conservation Corps programs in the state. GREAT opportunity for funding to programs serving youth under 18, which AmeriCorps currently does not fund.
- Suggestion to connect with the Maine Land Trust Network to identify existing Youth Conservation Corps and potential for new Corps programs.
- Good strategy may be to rely on a State agency to identify stewardship projects that are priorities. Then, community organization like a land trust, can be funded with resources to providing admin support and project management. Could fund YCC cohorts in a region. Also work with municipal parks dept to identify projects. Parks, urban environment, all coincide with stormwater management goals, urban heat island issues. Helpful to identify key community partners, who can lead and champion. Municipal partner important to have at the table with projects, they may even be able to provide tools.
- Smaller towns might not have a whole summer of projects for a whole Corps. Better to go with a regional model. Corps could work across a watershed.
Energy Corps Partnerships/Opportunities
- K-12 energy career exploration seems very suitable for an AmeriCorps/Climate Corps program. Would fit well into the "Green Schools" vision for an AmeriCorps program.
- Discussion Question: Best to hone in and focus on energy career exploration, or develop a wider-range, "climate career exploration" program? Similar needs and goals across many sectors to deliver career exploration: broadband, forest products, etc.
- If the funding source is from energy programs, better to fully focus on energy. Could be a pilot project for a wider range of career exploration. Huge pressing need in the energy sector for labor. Big enough in it's own right. If it's wider, energy careers could be lost in the mix.
- Valuable for the students to get practical experience, in addition to career exploration curriculum. A lot of interest in schools hosting "green teams", basically environmental clubs. Need a faculty member to facilitate which is a barrier, they have a lot of demands. Climate Corps member could deliver content and facilitate hands-on experiences. Such as auditing their own school. Look at sustainability of operations. Would be a 101 course on green building.
- Weaving in an actual retrofit of the school funded by Efficiency Maine would be a real-world learning experience.
- Outcome is that students receive training and exposure to career pathways in the energy sector.
Next Task Force Meeting
- Guest Speaker, Anthony Jackson of the Nature-Based Education Consortium. NBEC recently led a participatory grantmaking process for the Maine Outdoor Equity Fund. Please plan on attending and bring your questions for Anthony about their goals for participatory grantmaking; lessons learned; and needs and opportunities facing their applicants.
Other Upcoming Events
- Climate Resilience Partnership hosting Communities Leading on Climate Conference, on May 11th.
- May 19th Summit on Maine's Economy & Climate Change, focus on businesses.
- Kate is attending and can bring materials about Climate Corps.
Homework/Call to Action:
- Share events/conferences/groups Kirsten should be speaking to for project sponsor outreach. Now is a good time to schedule outreach to prep for Fall AmeriCorps competitions, in addition to other funding opps.
- Anyone have contacts in Dover-Foxcroft or surrounding towns that I should meet with, planned visit with Climate Action Committee and other groups on May 15th?