As the practitioner network for local government sustainability directors and staff, USDN generates substantial new knowledge that advances the urban sustainability field.
Equity and Buildings
The Equity and Buildings Framework walks government staff and practitioners through the emerging practice of centering equity in sustainable buildings policies and programs. It outlines strategies for interdisciplinary approaches that are guided by specific community needs. The framework examines critical equity intersections including health, housing, and economic opportunity.
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Resilience Hubs
The USDN Resilience Hubs project is an opportunity to effectively work at the nexus of community resilience, emergency management, climate change mitigation, and social equity while providing opportunities for communities to become more self-determining, socially connected, and successful before, during, and after disruptions.
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Grant Programs
USDN members spur and scale innovations in urban sustainability by collaboratively developing policies, practices, tools, programs, performance standards, or organizational models, through member grant programs.
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Innovation Products
Hundreds of products developed as a result of USDN grants ranging from climate change preparedness to energy, professional development, transportation, and more.
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Urban Sustainability Bulletin
Highlighting our members’ work on the cutting edge of urban sustainability innovation.
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High Impact Practices: Catalyzing Sustainability Impact
USDN member communities have led a process in 2017-18 to identify High Impact Practices (HIPs) to help USDN and its partners increase impact through more strategic investments.
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The USDN Innovation Fund is supported by generous foundation grants.