resilient communities project · (2015–2016 partner) application timeline october 10: request for...
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Resilient Communities Project
Building Community-University Partnerships for Resilience
WebinarNovember 15, 2018
RCP TEAM
Program Associate Ashleigh Walter, Director Mike Greco, and Program Coordinator Sarah Tschida
TODAY’S AGENDA
What RCP is and how it works
Application process and eligibility
Selection process
Questions from participants (but ask anytime)
MISSION OF RCP
Connect local communities with the University of Minnesota to advance
community resilience and student learning through collaborative, course-based projects
Building Community-University Partnerships for Resilience
The capacity of individuals, institutions, communities, and natural systems to adapt and thrive in response to
changes, stresses, and shocks
WHAT IS RESILIENCE?
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
Building local capacity around community resiliency
Offering faculty ready-made applied learning projects for their classrooms
Training students to be future resiliency practitioners
Promoting a collaborative model of community–university engagement
HOW RCP WORKS
Partners competitively selectedPartner identifies 10−25 project ideas, refines with RCPRCP matches each “project” with one or more coursesStudent class projects are collaboratively scopedStudents complete class projects for creditRCP provides assistance and troubleshooting as neededStudents deliver final presentations + work products
University City/County
One Faculty + Students
Semi-formal agreement
One discipline/project
Semester-long
TRADITIONAL PARTNERSHIP
RCP
University City/CountyFormal contract + scopes of work
Multiple disciplines/project
1+ Years
RCP PARTNERSHIP
Community Development
Social Services
Administration
Corrections
Environmental Management
Public Works
Urban Planning
Law
Social Work
Public Health
Engineering
Political Science
Marketing
GIS
WHY RCP WORKSParticipation is opt-inProjects are part of current work planCollaborative project scopingMultiple students/student teams in each classContinuous contact and communicationEngagement with local residents, businesses, organizationsEveryone has ‘skin in the game’
Community partners:
§ City of Minnetonka
§ City of North St. Paul
§ City of Rosemount
§ Carver County
§ City of Brooklyn Park
§ City of Ramsey
§ Scott County
§ Ramsey County
RCP: THE FIRST SEVEN YEARS
Community Projects: 160
U of MN Courses: 290
U of MN Departments: 47
Students: 2,200 +
COMMON PROJECT ISSUE AREAS
HousingHealth and well-beingRenewable Energy Environmental managementLand useCommunity identity Public participation and engagementArts and cultureDiversity and equity
City/county administrationPublic safety Community and economic developmentTransportationEducationSocial servicesClimate changeParks and recreationAnd many more. . .
PARTICIPATING UMN DEPARTMENTSAgronomyAnthropologyArchitectureBioproducts & Biosystems EngineeringBusiness AdministrationCivil, Environmental, & Geo-Engineering Communication Studies Community Health PromotionDesignEnvironmental EducationEnvironmental HealthEnvironmental Science, Policy, & ManagementFisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation BiologyFood SystemsForest & Natural Resource ManagementGeographic Information SystemsGeography, Environment, and Society Gerontology Graphic DesignHealth, Physical Education & Recreation (UMD)HorticultureHousing StudiesHuman Resources & Industrial RelationsInterior Design
Journalism & Mass CommunicationLandscape ArchitectureLawLiberal StudiesMaternal & Child HealthOrganization Leadership, Policy & DevelopmentPolitical SciencePsychology Public Affairs Public PolicyPublic Health Administration & PolicyRecreation and Outdoor EducationRecreation & Resource ManagementScandinavian StudiesScience, Technology, & Environmental PolicySocial WorkSpanish & Portuguese StudiesSports ManagementStrategic CommunicationSustainability StudiesUrban & Regional PlanningUrban StudiesYouth Studies
Example Project—North St. Paul
Project: Living Streets Implementation
Goal: Address public opposition to implementing Living Streets Plan adopted in 2011
Urban Planning students designed prototype public engagement process for street reconstruction projects
Architecture students designed interactive tools to communicate value of green infrastructure
Public Health students documented environmental and health benefits of living streets
Example Project—Rosemount
Project: GHG Emissions Reduction and Climate Adaptation
Goal: Reduce local GHG emissions and prepare the community to adapt to changing climate
Urban Planning and Lawstudents identified best practices + policy actions among suburban communities to reduce emissions + adapt to climate change
Adult Education students created public education and outreach curriculum and materials
Sustainability Studies and Public Policy students documented baseline GHG emissions
PROGRAM ELIGIBILITYLocated within the state of MinnesotaSufficient staff capacity to support partnershipOne of the following types of organizations or agencies:
§ Municipality (city or township)
§ County government§ Tribal government§ Special district (watershed, park district, transit district, conservation district,
port authority, school district)
§ Regional government agency§ Regional partnership (may include any or all of the above applying jointly)
Carver County Departments:Administrative ServiceSocial ServicesPublic HealthPlanning and Water Management
Carver County CDA
Carver County Historical Society
City of Chaska
City of Victoria
City of Watertown
Eastern Carver County School District (ISD 112)
SouthWest Transit
Regional Partnership: Carver County(2015–2016 Partner)
APPLICATION TIMELINEOctober 10: Request for proposals issued
October–January: RCP staff available for informational presentationsNovember–February: RCP staff available to discuss project ideas **February 15: Proposals due by 11:59 pm (CST)
March 2019: RCP notifies communities selected for partnership
APPLICATION COMPONENTS1. Partner information
2. Resiliency statement
3. Administrative capacity
4. Proposed projects (10–30)
5. Public involvement
6. Next steps
7. Long-term benefits
8. Demonstration of support
9. Local financial contribution
APPLICATION PROCESS
Brad Davis, Planning Manager
for Scott County
When Scott County first considered applying for the RCP partnership, Brad reached out to the following people to introduce RCP, gauge interest, and communicate benefits:• All of the city and tribal planners• Community development
directors• Scott County CDA (Community
Development Agency)• Several county commissioners
We all agreed that the timing was right for this particular round of University of Minnesota RCP partnership because of all of the possible research projects coming out of our respective 2040 comprehensive plans.
—BRAD DAVIS, SCOTT COUNTY
• While these external partners were considering research topic ideas, I gathered a meeting of all internal county staff who had been working on different components of the 2040 comprehensive plan to solicit research topics.
• We wanted to pick research topics that we were already committing to do in the county, but maybe sooner than we had originally planned.
• It took several meetings with internal staff to hone our list of research topic ideas into workable, feasible projects that had a dedicated project lead.
• Other than the CDA, our city and tribal partners decided in the end they did not have the staff capacity to dedicate the time needed to be a project lead.
IDENTIFYING PROJECTS
Application: • Looked at previously successful applications and tried to mirror the
general format and content• Sought several outside agencies to provide a “letter of recommendation”
Project Descriptions: • I drafted the one-page template to make sure we hit all of the required
content and had a consistent look• Then each project manager filled out the template with their specific
research topic questions and background• I was the final editor to make sure there was consistency in message, etc.
— BRAD DAVIS, SCOTT COUNTY
SELECTION CRITERIA
1. Top-level support and administrative capacity2. Clear resiliency focus3. Project relevance and impact4. Community engagement5. Likelihood of match with University courses6. External partnerships
PROGRAM COSTRanges from $80,000–$180,000 Funds can come from many sourcesPartner must act as sole fiscal agent
What Does This Pay For?§ 15- to 18-month partnership§ Community outreach prior to partnership§ Project matching, scoping, and preparation§ Student work on 10–25 projects over three academic terms§ Ongoing project management and communications support§ Staff orientation, kickoff event, and end-of-year event§ Assistance prioritizing recommendations for implementation
POSSIBLE FUNDING SOURCESGeneral/department budgetsCity/county governmentRedevelopment agenciesHousing authoritiesPark districtsSchool districtsWatershed districtsUtilitiesTransit districtsNeighboring cities
Metropolitan CouncilState agencies (DNR, MPCA, DEED)
Federal agenciesNeighborhood organizations/HOAsBusinesses/business associationsChambers of commercePrivate partners/developersPhilanthropic organizationsNonprofit organizationsHigher education institutions
COMMUNITY BENEFITSIncreased capacity (1000s of hours of student time)Harnesses student creativity and energyExpands the conversationProvides increased credibility with decision makers‘Tests the waters’ for riskier solutionsOffers multidisciplinary perspectives on issues
STUDENT BENEFITS
Meaningful projects that provide a community benefit
Experience addressing real issues and problems
Opportunities to work across disciplines
Professional networking opportunities
Real-world experience for resume, portfolio, interviews
WHAT PAST PARTICIPANTS HAVE TO SAY
“[T]he word got out in Minnetonka that we were doing this, and a lot of our
residents started to ask questions about what we were doing and what issues we
were considering, and were impressed that we were partnering with the University
to do these projects. . . I wouldn’t underestimate the goodwill and the good PR that
comes from participating in the RCP program.”
—Julie Wischnack, Community Development Director, Minnetonka
“Not only did we get fantastic work, but I think its really reinvigorated city staff to be
around students and faculty who have different ways of thinking and different ways
of approaching an idea. It has been an absolutely wonderful experience.”
—Susan Thomas, Principal Planner, Minnetonka
“What I would say to a community considering RCP is that you’d be crazy not to. . .
partner with you guys. When we were first pitched this idea, there were some of us on
the city council that were like, What is this? How much is this going to cost us? What is
this going to do for us? I was one of those that was on the fence at first. But now,
seeing the results, the ideas that have come out of the partnership that we could have
never come up with, and the amount of information—I mean, 24 projects! That’s a lot
of projects that would have taken us years and years to do on our own. So, for any
community that’s even thinking about doing this, do it. It’s well, well worth it.”
—Rich Gates, City Council Member, Brooklyn Park
The value of an RCP partnership is that projects are community-identified and community-
led. As a result, students create products to inform the work that communities are doing
or want to be doing. They increase access to information [which]. . .results in local staff
who are equipped to make more informed decisions, find improved efficiencies, and
ultimately create a more responsive government.
—Nate Kabat, Planner, Carver County
QUESTIONS?www.rcp.umn.edu
@RCPumn
612-625-7501
Photos by Carissa Slotterback, Mike Greco, Steve Schneider, and Jonathan Miller