The Center for Community Investment (CCI), with support from the Wells Fargo Foundation, is launching a Sustainable Communities Investment Accelerator (SCIA). Beginning in May and running for two years, the Accelerator will support the rollout of Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF)-eligible projects in low-income, disadvantaged communities in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Minneapolis.
Accelerator participants will learn and implement CCI’s Capital Absorption Framework, a systems approach that will enable them to: move their Accelerator projects forward more efficiently and effectively; ensure that the equity dimensions of those projects are direct, substantial, and long-lasting; and influence the overall climate solutions system as they address local climate impacts.
The Accelerator will provide grants, coaching, technical support, and opportunities for peer learning to a team comprised of a project developer, community partner(s) and other key organizations in each city. It will also support and facilitate coordination with a financial intermediary awarded GGRF dollars to smooth the financing of projects, refine product features, and leverage private capital. The participant selection process will prioritize projects that the Accelerator can help advance toward completion within 18 months.
The Accelerator is also designed to support a deeper field-level understanding of what it takes to create, fund, and build successful bricks-and-mortar climate solutions. We will be sharing our emerging knowledge about resident engagement and ownership, capital deployment, equity impacts, and effective multisector collaboration with the community development and climate solutions fields.
- Download the prospectus to learn more about the accelerator, expectations for applicants, and the application process.
- The application can be found here and should be submitted as a PDF, Word Document, or Google doc via e-mail to [email protected].
- A webinar on the initiative including a Q&A segment will be presented on February 14 at 2:00 PM EST and recorded – register here.
- Office hours for applicants will be offered on February 28 and March 5 between 12:00 and 3:00 PM EST – register here.
