Design a Sustainable Future: The U.S. EPA, enFocus, and other Local Partners Cultivate Environmental Resilience

The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is now. This wisdom rings true as we, enFocus, and representatives of the City of South Bend welcomed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5 Administrator, Debra Shore. During her visit she met with the enFocus team to learn how we will use the recently announced $500,000 Environmental Justice Community Problem Solving (EJCPS) grant to advance sustainability initiatives in South Bend.

The grant is a part of a larger announcement in October as a part of the Inflation Reduction act. As a recipient of this grant, we will advance the federal administration’s efforts to ensure disadvantaged communities that have historically suffered from underinvestment have access to clean air, water, and climate resilience solutions. During her visit, Shore visited enFocus’ office located in Building 113 and a tree nursery site that will be the future home to trees that will be distributed throughout South Bend to increase urban forestry canopy coverage.

During her interview with ABC57 News she shared, “Environmental Justice is about making sure that the people who live and work in neighborhoods have a voice in their future and quality of life.”

Our Fellows and the enFocus team utilized skills in grant writing, Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping, program development, and program implementation to help secure grant funds. Our long standing partnership with the City of South Bend helped with obtaining the grant and demonstrates a commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 through initiatives like the Urban Tree Canopy Project and Upskill SB.

Among several enFocus members who attended the visit by Debra Shore are those who worked diligently to complete the grant application process. Former Fellow, Francie Fink, and current team members Anna McVay and William Shwartz worked with project managers Allison D’Ambrosia and Bradley Kauffman to complete requirements, spearhead local participants, and submit the grant.

Allison shares, “Fellow Anna McVay, Francie Fink, and William Schwartz provided people-centered, data driven research to unify community partners in creating an empathy-centered proposal that will have a great impact on environmental justice for decades to come.”

Creating a more equitable and sustainable future is created through community partnerships and connections. In late September, the City of South Bend and other participants were awarded $1,867,730 through a competitive USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry grant. The project will bring together City departments, the South Bend Community School Corporation, and nonprofits to rapidly scale tree production on underutilized land.

Current enFocus Fellow Anna McVay had the opportunity to also assist the City in securing the USDA  grant. Her skills in grant research, data analysis, and GIS were at the forefront of her contributions. Barbara Dale, Project Manager at the City of South Bend Office of Sustainability, elaborates on Anna’s work as an enFocus Fellow.

She shares, “It was very helpful to have enFocus’ support with the application to USDA’s Urban and Community Forestry Grant. Anna was instrumental in tying up final details and getting the proposal submitted on time. The additional help was well worth it: this project will lead to approximately 9,000 trees being planted in South Bend in the next five years!”

Both the EPA EJCPS grant and the USDA grant will advance climate resilience in South Bend communities. Other green projects and programs are also striving to help reach the City’s goals of carbon neutrality. Upskill South Bend (Upskill SB) is another program sponsored by the City of South Bend to increase renewable energy and transition to energy-efficient, low-carbon buildings. As federal funding expands jobs in these sectors, the need to provide resources for residents to secure jobs in these fields is vital. Fellow William Schwartz is working with the City of South Bend to also continue developing these programs to spur economic growth, increase job opportunities, and help educate residents about both vocational and educational resources for sustainable futures.

It is never too late to start designing a sustainable future. At enFocus, we are excited to partner with different stakeholders to provide a variety of resident resources in sustainability. Grant writing and development has made projects like Urban Tree Canopy and UpSkill SB possible. We look forward to seeing the future impact of these projects as it continues to provide new opportunities for residents to thrive in professional growth and their everyday lives.