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SCALE UP: Small Communities Advancing Local Environmental Action

USDN and ICMA have organized a small communities cohort program called SCALE Up that will provide training for local government participants to build their capacity to advance environmental health, energy affordability, and emergency preparedness priorities in their communities. Training will be rooted in understanding the landscape of project funding and financing mechanisms, supporting workforce development, developing enabling policy, and identifying actionable strategies and partnerships to scale local impact. 

This effort is intended to set small local governments up for success to directly and indirectly leverage existing and future funding and financing opportunities. We aim to use the key learnings from the cohort to engage, educate, and collaborate with public, private, and community stakeholders.

This cohort is supported by the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) and the International City County Management Association (ICMA) through the Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center (TCTAC).

Target Audience

This cohort aims to support 15-20 small to medium sized local governments (population <250,000). This will include local governments who are interested in diverse funding and financing mechanisms, but need additional support building cross-sectoral partnerships, understanding implementation pathways. This opportunity is open to USDN member communities, non-members, and their local partners.

Format

This is a three-part program that kicks off May 2025. Each part will include three sessions (one/month) and monthly optional office hour sessions. The expectation is that program participants register for at least two of the three program parts. 

  • Part One: Understanding Local Priorities and the Funding Menu for Local Governments (May 2025 -July 2025)

  • Part Two: Developing a Project Implementation and Funding Roadmap (September 2025 -November 2025)

  • Part Three: Creating an Enabling Landscape for Project Implementation (December 2025 -February 2026)

Participants will hear from peers and technical experts on monthly online learning sessions. SCALE Up’s monthly learning sessions, webinars, place-based technical assistance, and grant support will help local governments access funding and financing programs either directly or indirectly, as well as build capacity and knowledge to apply to future opportunities.

Cohort participants will meet once a month for a learning session that will include curriculum content and peer learning time. The program will also offer optional monthly “Office Hours” to provide additional one-on-one and small group support. 

Outcomes

Through this cohort, participants will:

  • Be able to tell the story of local needs in their community, using data and visualization tools 

  • Develop project/program proposals to support environmental action

  • Be able to assess and strengthen the capacity of their local government to make more strategic short-, mid-, and long-term decisions around funding and financing, capacity, and partnerships 

  • Be better prepared to access future public funding, philanthropic grants, and other sources of capital 

Apply

If you are interested in participating in this cohort, please fill out this intake form by Wednesday, April 16 at 11:59pm PST!

Helpful Links

  • Learn more about the Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center (TCTAC).

  • Learn more about the USDN Federal Funding Program and browse our federal funding resources (open to USDN member communities).