UBCM has launched its third intake for the Strategic Priorities Fund (SPF) for the first time in many years. The SPF Capacity Building Stream provides 100% grant funding for local government capacity building projects including integrated community sustainability planning (ICSP) that supports national objectives and are large, regional in impact, and/or innovative.
In partnership with Climate Caucus, WCS is looking for up to three communities or regions that want to be part of innovating the next generation of ICSP. The project will be designed to help your community or region develop an ICSP to address the intersecting priorities of climate, justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, Truth and Reconciliation, affordability, and mobility — and to navigate the uncertainty, complexity, and trade-offs involved in bringing about the needed transformation.
WCS team members developed the first ICSP in Canada, and since then have created ICSPs for over 20 communities across BC. Climate Caucus (BC Chapter) has its finger on the pulse of what elected leaders and their communities need to go beyond business-as-usual and lead the charge on climate. Together, and with the support of UBCM funding, we’re going to help three pilot communities or regions envision what sustainable and thriving means to them, as well as identify the transformative pathways to get there. Learning drawn from the three pilot communities will then be adapted to other small and medium communities across Canada.
Proposed Approach
- Integrated, comprehensive, systems-based – ensure that solutions in one system support other systems and avoid unintended consequences
- Multi-solving – identify strategies that address multiple challenges at once
- Justice and equity-lens – transformation is needed to equitably distribute the costs and benefits of climate action while transforming systems to make them more just
- Meaningful community engagement
- Building on leading practices
ICSP Elements
- Vision and goals that clearly articulate what community transformation might look like in a sustainable and thriving future.
- Strategies and actions to move from visions and commitments to actual change and implementation across systems
- Decision framework(s) to facilitate ongoing transformation toward the vision and goals
- Indicators to track performance
Funding details
- Application deadline – June 30
- To be eligible, communities cannot already have an ICSP and must be outside of Metro Vancouver.
- Each local government may submit one (1) application under the Capital Infrastructure Stream and one (1) application under the Capacity Building Stream for a total of two (2) applications.
- The SPF program can contribute up to 100% of the cost of eligible activities
Contact Shannon or Cheeying to learn more about this opportunity: sgordon[at]whistlercentre.ca or cho[at]whistlercentre.ca