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Our Mission
The Emerald Cities Collaborative (ECC) pursues a high-road approach to greening our cities, building resilient regional economies and strengthening our democracy. By building cross-sector collaborations, acutely focused on those historically left out of the economic and community development process, we help communities unleash their capacity to build high-road economies that are more sustainable, economically just and democratic.
Our Impact
System Reform
Program/Project Development
Community Impact
6 Title I High Schools
In South/Southeast Los Angeles County now have a community college STEAM experiential learning program spearheaded by ECC to create pathways for underrepresented students into architecture, engineering, construction, and environmental careers.
360 Title 1 high school students
Completed energy, green building courses and industry certifications
$250 B
Invested to develop high-road energy efficiency, water and solar projects thanks to ECC leadership. Includes 17 government buildings, two water infrastructure projects and over 20 affordable housing projects.
1 Place-based Community Resilience Project
Initiated and co-sponsor a multi-stakeholder collaborative to leverage the buying power of Anchor institutions with community assets to invest in community climate resilience initiatives.
$20 M
Sustainable food processing facility spearheaded by ECC in the San Francisco Bay Area will employ 150 local workers into union jobs and worker cooperative, and utilize Black and Brown urban growers as suppliers.
12 Community College Training Programs
In community organizing co-sponsored with the Community Learning Partnership preparing the next generation of community change agents through experiential learning and credentials.
80%
Of ECC projects pay union or prevailing wages.
$19 M
In energy efficiency, clean energy and green infrastructure contracts have been awarded to MWDBE contractors as a result of ECC leadership.
3 RENEW Affordable Housing Programs
Established to help affordable housing developers audit, finance, and retrofit their buildings to be energy and water efficient in San Francisco, Seattle and Boston.
260 MWDBE
Completed E-Contractor Academy
Energy & Water Equity Policies
Successfully passed In building electrification, building performance standards local, net metering, water affordability working in local and national coalitions
Our Impact
System Reform
Program/Project Development
Community Impact
6 Title I High Schools
In South/Southeast Los Angeles County now have a community college STEAM experiential learning program spearheaded by ECC to create pathways for underrepresented students into architecture, engineering, construction, and environmental careers.
$250 B
Invested to develop high-road energy efficiency, water and solar projects thanks to ECC leadership. Includes 17 government buildings, two water infrastructure projects and over 20 affordable housing projects.
$20 M
Sustainable food processing facility spearheaded by ECC in the San Francisco Bay Area will employ 150 local workers into union jobs and worker cooperative, and utilize Black and Brown urban growers as suppliers.
$19 M
In energy efficiency, clean energy and green infrastructure contracts have been awarded to MWDBE contractors as a result of ECC leadership.
260 MWDBE
Completed E-Contractor Academy
10 High Road Policies
Organized and implemented labor and community standards – community workforce agreements, community benefit agreements, local hire and local procurement – within public and private sector policies and projects in LA County, San Francisco, Oakland, Seattle, Portland, Chicago, Boston, and Cleveland/Cuyahoga County that connect hundreds of thousands low-income residents to high wage careers.
5 Contractor Training Programs
Custom designed and conduct 7-12 week green building training and coaching programs for small and minority, women, veteran and disadvantaged contractors in LA County, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland and Cleveland.
360 Title 1 high school students
Completed energy, green building courses and industry certifications
1 Place-based Community Resilience Project
Initiated and co-sponsor a multi-stakeholder collaborative to leverage the buying power of Anchor institutions with community assets to invest in community climate resilience initiatives.
12 Community College Training Programs
In community organizing co-sponsored with the Community Learning Partnership preparing the next generation of community change agents through experiential learning and credentials.
80%
Of ECC projects pay union or prevailing wages.
3 RENEW Affordable Housing Programs
Established to help affordable housing developers audit, finance, and retrofit their buildings to be energy and water efficient in San Francisco, Seattle and Boston.
Energy & Water Equity Policies
Successfully passed In building electrification, building performance standards local, net metering, water affordability working in local and national coalitions
2 Skills Workforce Training programs
Custom designed and sponsor 2 industry certified skills training programs in HVAC and operating engineers to connect BIPOC residents to green building careers
204 disadvantaged youth
Entered union apprenticeship programs
Our Work
ECC has proven that multi-stakeholder, intersectional models work. Whether your goal is to create more opportunities for underrepresented contractors, workers and youth to participate in sustainable development projects; or you seek to engage anchor institutions in local climate resilience efforts; or you need help building an inclusive local corps of environmental/ climate/economic justice advocates, ECC offers programs that can help guide your community along the high road.
What's New?
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Equity Pledge & Implementation Guidance For Renewable Energy Developers & Investors Now Available
PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Hunter Jones, Eco Communicator, Emerald Cities Collaborative
Email: hjones@emeraldcities.org | Phone: (240)-350-7382
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
9/26/2023
EQUITY PLEDGE & IMPLEMENTATION GUIDANCE FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY DEVELOPERS & INVESTORS NOW AVAILABLE
On September XX, 2023, the Just Transition PowerForce, a network of environmental and climate justice leaders facilitated by Emerald Cities Collaborative, announced the release and publication of the Equity Pledge & Implementation Guidance for Renewable Energy Developers & Investors to support the implementation of equitable projects to advance a regenerative energy economy and energy democracy.
“In taking the Equity Pledge, investors and developers leading the transition to a new energy future can proactively proclaim to center people and the planet,” said Meishka L. Mitchell, President & CEO of Emerald Cities Collaborative, adding that “the Just Transition PowerForce has provided the framework in an easily digestible guide that leaves no room for more excuses for nonaction.”
”We developed this guide to dispel the many myths in the renewable energy sector. Communities are vital assets to becoming carbon free and must be part of the development process to ensure a healthy environment, economy equitable future for all,” said Denise Fairchild, President Emeritus of Emerald Cities Collaborative.
With the effects of climate change becoming more widespread and disproportionately threatening the health, livelihoods, and futures of frontline communities, it is more clear than ever that the energy system must make a transition to contribute to a regenerative rather than extractive economy. Our nation’s energy infrastructure requires unprecedented investment to make the switch from fossil fuels and exploitative conditions for workers and neighboring communities, to a more sustainable, equitable, democratic, and inclusive energy economy.
Developers and investors have an important role in this new energy future. As such, the Equity Pledge and Implementation Guidance for Renewable Energy Developers and Investors presents a comprehensive roadmap rooted in a justice-centered framework and grounded in core principles that resonate with and benefit local communities on the front lines of environmental racism and economic injustice. The Pledge is broken down into 11 components with associated Principles, Practices, Processes, and Projects.
Renewable development projects impact the local environment and its people, requiring a high level of awareness and responsibility in project development and execution, particularly in communities that have experienced historic harm, marginalization, and disinvestment. The public and private sectors are demonstrating more interest than ever in prioritizing equitable processes and outcomes, and the “bottom line” is no longer the only measure of a project’s success.
The PowerForce encourages developers and investors across sectors to use this resource to guide their work, share it with clients and peers, and commit to being a part of a climate solution grounded in justice. The Pledge and Implementation Guidance offers the potential to not only address the climate emergency, but also critical and intersectional health, economic, and racial inequities.
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The Just Transition PowerForce brings together environmental and climate justice leaders from across the country to align the climate commitments of corporations toward deep investments in the sustainability and climate resilience of frontline communities, enabling self-determination, economic security, and restorative and transformative justice. The Just Transition PowerForce was launched in 2020 by Emerald Cities Collaborative and the NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Program. The Just Transition PowerForce includes more than a dozen organizations leading the movement for a just transition in frontline communities across the United States and continues to be administered by Emerald Cities Collaborative.
If you are interested in partnering with the Just Transition PowerForce or receiving email updates about funding, membership, new resources, and other opportunities, please use this form.
Emerald Cities Collaborative (ECC) is a national nonprofit network of organizations working together to advance a sustainable environment while creating sustainable, just, and inclusive economies with opportunities for all — an approach we call “the high road.” ECC develops energy, green infrastructure, and other sustainable development projects that not only contribute to the resilience of our metropolitan regions but also ensure an equity stake for low-income communities of color in the green economy. This includes developing the economic infrastructure for family-supporting wages and career paths for residents of such communities, as well as contracting opportunities for women, BIPOC, and other disadvantaged businesses. www.emeraldcities.org
Members and collaborators of the Just Transition PowerForce contributing to this resource include:
Felicia Davis, Director, HBCU Green Fund
Jessica Guadalupe Tovar, Environmental Justice and Clean Energy Advocate
Erika Symmonds, Clean Energy Workforce Development and Equity Advocate
Lynn Benander, President, Co-op Power
Aaron Johnson, Just Opportunity Manager, Partnership for Southern Equity
Sterling Johnson, Just Opportunity Portfolio Director, Partnership for Southern Equity
Andrea Marpillero-Colomina, Sustainable Communities Program Director, GreenLatinos
Sandra Henry, CEO, Slipstream
Naomi Davis, Founder/CEO, BIG! Blacks in Green
Jamil Bey, President & CEO, UrbanKind Institute
Pamela Brown-Eyo, Environmental and Climate Justice Chairperson, NAACP South Dade Branch
Charles Taylor, State Political Action Chair, Mississippi State Conference NAACP
NKwanda Jah, Director, Cultural Arts Coalition
Bruce Saito, Board Member, Corps Network
Candace Hollingsworth, Programs Director, Corps Network
Marilyn Waite, Managing Director, Climate Finance Fund
Donna Hope, U-Hope Consulting
Zainab Badi, Workforce Policy Project Manager, GRID Alternatives
Michelle Wiseman, Director of Waste Diversion & Outreach, City of Atlanta / Office of One Atlanta
Chandra Farley, CEO, ReSolve Consulting
Jacqui Patterson, Founder and Executive Director at The Chisholm Legacy Project: A Resource Hub for Black Frontline Climate Justice Leadership
Wahleah Johns, Co-founder, Native Renewables
Kyra Woods, Policy Advisor, City of Chicago
Anthony Giancatarino, Director, Just Community Energy Transitions
Denise Abdul-Rahman, Great Lakes and Ohio Valley Special Project Manager, The Chisholm Legacy Project
Cicely Garrett, Former Interim Just Energy Director, Partnership for Southern Equity
Denise Fairchild, President Emeritus, Emerald Cities Collaborative & ClimateBreakthrough 2021 Awardee
Daryl Wright, Chief Strategy Officer, Emerald Cities Collaborative
Meishka Mitchell, President & CEO, Emerald Cities Collaborative
Katie Del Castillo-Beltran, Project Manager, Emerald Cities Collaborative
Sonia Kikeri, National Director of Policy and Civic Engagement, Emerald Cities Collaborative
Mandy Lee, Senior Program Manager, Emerald Cities Collaborative
Jenny Carney, Vice President of Sustainability, Energy and Climate Change, WSP USA
Ashwini Arun, Project Director for Sustainability, Energy and Climate Change, WSP USA
Danielle Decatur, Director of Environmental Justice, Microsoft
New research explores how to expand equitable access to clean energy jobs in New England
The Barr Foundation Report released An Assessment of the Clean Energy Workforce in New England. The report explores how to expand equitable access to clean energy jobs in New England. Emerald Cities conducted this research in six metropolitan areas with partners Browning the Green Space, nomada consulting and Ponder Analytics. BW Research conducted the labor market analysis. The report highlights the importance of connectivity among community-based organizations, workforce development organizations, apprenticeship programs and employers to create high-road career pathways for individuals from justice-impacted communities.
Open Position: Sr Economic Inclusion Manager
Join our team as The Senior Economic Inclusion Manager! In this pivotal role, you’ll be at the forefront of pioneering workforce programs, including our Electrical Pathways initiative, while also providing astute guidance to existing programs that champion Emerald Cities Collaborative’s mission of fostering family wage careers and empowering BIPOC communities through clean energy, affordable housing, and transformative infrastructure projects. Apply now!
Open Position: Economic Inclusion Program Manager, DC
Join our team as an Economic Inclusion Manager! Make a lasting impact by championing equity, forging collaborations, and driving positive change in the community. The Economic Inclusion Manager will be responsible for assisting in the launch of our BIPOC Contractor Initiative of BEPS. Discover an opportunity to shape an inclusive future. Apply now!
Request for Proposals – HRAMBI Business Plan Development
Join us in collaborating with ECC’s Contractor Development Working Group to develop a national strategy and business plan for a comprehensive MWDBE support program and platform. Together, we can promote high-road minority contracting in the clean energy retrofit spaces nationwide. This national business plan will serve as a guiding light for ECC’s national office, outlining strategies to support multiple geographic areas across the United States. It will identify key partners, develop advisory and capacity-building services, and create entry points into new market opportunities.
Open Position: Strategic Planning Consultant
Are you ready to make a lasting impact on cities nationwide? We are seeking a visionary Strategic Planning Consultant to join Emerald Cities, a trailblazing nonprofit organization dedicated to sustainability and equity. If you possess a passion for driving strategic initiatives and a burning desire to create vibrant, equitable communities, this is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for! Apply now to be at the forefront of urban transformation and help shape the future of our cities!
Open Position: Project Management Intern
The Project Management Intern (Intern) is a summer internship position based in Massachusetts. In this role, you would be part of a diverse program implementation team. You will report to the Community Engagement and Policy Manager and collaborate closely with other program managers at Emerald Cities. You’ll join the team at an exciting time as we work toward further developing our regional strategy for enhancing our civic engagement and economic inclusion work. The role will be a great mix of high-level strategic thinking, detailed analysis, and getting out into the field to meet with local partners directly. The Intern will provide strategic support for existing projects focused on prioritizing low-income and BIPOC communities in the transition to a clean energy economy.
Testimonials
Joel Rogers, J.D., PhD.
COWS Director, University of Wisconsin & Co-Chair, ECC Board
“In 2009, our idea of a high-road economy was considered “interesting,” but untested. We spent a year building the vision and the partnerships, and the next decade turning our vision into action. Today, we have proven models of multi-sector collaboration focused on creating a more sustainable, equitable and democratic future.”
Sunia Zaterman
Executive Director, Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA)
“[ECC] brings together a wide array of sectors to solve the problems of greening our cities, building our communities, and of economic justice.”
Gerald (Gerry) Hudson
SEIU Secretary-Treasurer and Co-Chair, ECC Board
“We are excited to see the growth of this vision and movement toward an equitable, clean economy. It is this dynamism and our results to date that inspire us to head confidently into the next decade.”
202-449-9780
admin@emeraldcities.org
www.emeraldcities.org