Partner Network

Revitalization Institute's Partner Network comprises leading-edge non-profit organizations, economic development corporations, quasi-governmental funding organizations, and foundations.  They provide faculty for our workshops on an as-needed basis, and expertise that aids our development of tools for integrated revitalization. 

Many of them have also partnered with Revitalization Institute to accomplish one or more of the following goals:

• Sponsor revitalization workshops for communities and regions;

• Receive and administer funding from foundations & other donors who wish to underwrite our workshops in your area;

• Develop new educational programs or enhance existing educational programs;

• Launch new research initiatives or enhance existing research initiatives;

• Establish new revitalization-related events, or enhance existing events; and/or

• Link their members to programs that help them design and implement more-integrated approaches to community renewal or natural resource restoration.  Such programs could be from Revitalization Institute, or from one of our other partners.

Have questions about partnering with us?  If your organization's programs are related to revitalizing communities and/or restoring natural resources--or if your members have need of services related to such goals--please email us, or call us at 703-348-7878.  Click here for more information about how your organization can join our Partner Network.

Members of Our Partner Network: (see bottom of page for description of each partner)

The Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in urban areas across Canada and internationally. The CUI brings together experts from different disciplines to connect people, money and ideas to build strong communities and equitable and competitive urban areas in Canada and internationally. The CUI was established in 1990 by the City of Toronto and the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto with a mandate to: 1) Connect urban decision-makers at all levels of government, the corporate and community sectors to enhance policy making and management of urban areas; 2) Convene groups of decision-makers throughout Canada and abroad to facilitate the exchange of information between urban areas within Canada and internationally; and 3) Communicate the results of applied research and provide training in order to foster co-operative approaches to urban issues.

The North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center is North Carolina's leading resource for rural people and communities, dispensing tens of millions of dollars annually to benefit rural communities via programs such as infrastructure improvement, watershed programs, brownfield redevelopment, entrepreneurship training/microfinance, building restoration/ reuse, and more. The mission of the Rural Center is to develop, promote, and implement sound economic strategies to improve the quality of life of rural North Carolinians. The center serves the state's 85 rural counties, with a special focus on individuals with low to moderate incomes and communities with limited resources. Created in 1987, the Rural Center operates a multi-faceted program that includes conducting research into rural issues; advocating for policy and program innovations; and building the productive capacity of rural leaders, entrepreneurs and community organizations. The center is a private, non-profit organization, funded by both public and private sources and led by a 50-member board of directors.

Restore America's Estuaries' (RAE) mission is to preserve the nation's network of coasts and estuaries by protecting and restoring the lands and waters essential to the richness and diversity of coastal life.  RAE, not surprisingly, leads Revitalization Institute's coastal and estuary programs.  RAE is a federation of 11 coastal & estuary restoration organizations, representing some 250,000 individual members: American Littoral Society (www.littoralsociety.org), Chesapeake Bay Foundation (www.cbf.org), Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (www.crcl.org), Conservation Law Foundation (www.clf.org), Galveston Bay Foundation (www.galvbay.org), North Carolina Coastal Federation (www.nccoast.org), People for Puget Sound (www.pugetsound.org), Save San Francisco Bay Association - Save The Bay (www.savesfbay.org), Save The Bay - Narragansett Bay (www.savebay.org), Save the Sound - Long Island Sound (www.savethesound.org), and Tampa BayWatch (www.tampabaywatch.org).  Every two years, RAE produces the National Conference on Coastal & Estuarine Habitat Restoration, one of the most integrated restoration conferences in the world.  Coastal and estuary revitalization--almost by definition--integrates restoration of the natural, built, and socioeconomic environments, and so brings together a broad spectrum of academic, governmental, scientific, community, and business participants. With an estimated 60-70% of the world's population living in coastal zones--and with 13 of the world's 20 largest cities being on estuaries--coastal and estuary restoration is obviously of vital importance. 

The mission of Global Urban Development is to find new, innovative, and practical solutions for the world's urban problems, from conception to implementation. Global Urban Development brings together leaders in urban affairs from around the world, including well-known and highly acclaimed scholars, professionals, business executives, public officials, civic and religious leaders, and community activists representing the complete spectrum of non-governmental organizations. They discuss how best to address worldwide urban challenges from pollution, poverty, and property rights, to economic growth, social justice, human rights, and civic harmony. A key function is to be directly involved in action-oriented projects as advisors to businesses, governments, communities, and international agencies on global urban problem-solving.

Formed in 2001, the Corporate Social Responsibility Movement (CSRM) is an environmental NGO based in Tema, Ghana.   One of their primary projects is the restoration of the Chemu Lagoon, which is heavily contaminated by human, agricultural, and industrial waste. CSRM advocates four agendas: 1) For companies to contribute to the overall growth of the communities in which they operate; 2) For companies to clean when they pollute; 3) For corporate compliance to existing laws; and 4) For transparency in companies' operations and reporting. As such, CSRM integrates environmental remediation with public health and economic growth.  It does this primarily by engaging companies in stakeholder dialogues with communities and government institutions.

The Canadian Brownfields Network (CBN) was launched in March 2004, providing a national voice for brownfields redevelopment and sustainable urban revitalization in Canada. The CBN is uniquely positioned as the enabling mechanism to implement the National Round Table on the Environment and Economy recommendations to accelerate brownfield redevelopment activities across Canada. The mandate of the CBN is to raise awareness of the economic, environmental and social benefits, and to transform the market through outreach and capacity-building initiatives.

The Centre for Environmental Activities "Zrodla" is a nonprofit organization with a mission to educate students, teachers, and the general public about local environmental issues, and to expand their capacity to act for a more sustainable Poland. The members of Zrodla believe that it is important not only to work directly in conservation and welfare efforts, but to instill in people a love for their surroundings and their fellow inhabitants. Zrodla was founded in 1993, as a branch of the Interacademic Ecological Lobby and was registered as an association in February, 1997. It has a status of "public benefit organization" (OPP) which is Polish equivalent of 501(c)(3) code.  One of the most important projects Zrodla is involved in is the running of the Center of Environmental Culture and Education. Through this center, a series of educational programs inform students about local, regional and national environmental issues, help to instill in them an appreciation for the natural world. Some of the topics for these workshops include animal welfare, urban ecology, and problem-solving. In addition, the Center works to train teachers about environmental issues and provides them with materials and resources to use in the classroom. Other important projects are "green schools" (one-week long excursions to green areas for children from big cities) and the Guide to the Parks of Poland's second-largest city, Lodz (http://parki.zrodla.org).

Audubon International is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3), environmental education organization dedicated to educating, assisting, and inspiring millions of people from all walks of life to protect and sustain the land, water, wildlife, and natural resources around them. Their Sustainable Communities Program assists municipalities in merging economic development with the protection and enhancement of a community’s environmental and social characteristics. Audubon International serves as a catalyst for citizen-driven planning and community action and facilitates partnerships with governmental agencies, businesses, academic institutions, and other organizations that provide local support and assistance to reach the goals envisioned by the community. Working at this level enables municipalities to take a big picture approach to community growth and environmental protection. Audubon Partners for the Environment is a program designed to engage people from all walks of life in protecting and enhancing the land, water, wildlife, and natural resources around them. Partners make a commitment to complete at least one environmental improvement project each year and document their results.

The Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE) is a non-governmental organization that promotes the sustainable development of the Toledo District by fostering the efficient & effective management of its natural resources, conducting relevant research & by providing training & advocacy in order to preserve our natural heritage for present & future generations.  TIDE was founded in 1997 to meet the growing environmental and development needs of the Toledo District, the southernmost district of Belize. TIDE was conceived as a grassroots initiative in response to the negative environmental effects from activities such as manatee poaching, illegal fishing, illegal logging, destructive farming methods, and other types of unsustainable development. Initially started by volunteers, TIDE has now grown to include 20 paid staff. TIDE’s mission is to research and monitor Toledo’s natural resources, to assist in protected areas planning and management and to lead the development of responsible tourism and other environmentally sustainable economic alternatives by providing training and support to local residents.

With some 8000 members in 40 countries, the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) is the leading professional association for the leaders of towns and cities that use a city council style of government (in which the council, rather than the mayor, holds the key decision-making power).  ICMA is a research leader in many aspects of community revitalization, such as brownfields remediation and redevelopment, military base closure and redevelopment, infrastructure renovation, etc. In fact, ICMA manages many aspects of the world's largest annual Brownfields conference, co-sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency along with many other federal agencies and major organizations.

The Imprinting Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the development and extension/promotion of new technologies for restorative agriculture and ecological restoration such as land imprinting. The no-till method for seeding called land imprinting has been under development since 1976. Ranchers have applied imprinting to restoring perennial grasses on their degraded rangeland for erosion control and forage production. Since 1980 some 50,000 acres have been interseeded with grasses in southern Arizona. The vegetative response to imprinting is rapid because the v-shaped imprints or indentations hold rainwater in place, funneling it to the bottom of the imprint. Advantages of imprinting over other methods include better soil and water conservation, better stands of vegetation, faster growing seedlings, and greater production of forage/plant material. [Note: Those who have seen one of Storm Cunningham's presentations recently have probably seen dramatic photographic evidence of the rapid (less than a year) return of native prairie habitats that is possible in even the most arid, degraded lands using modern imprinting technology.]

Evergreen is a registered national Canadian charity founded in 1991.  They are a non-profit environmental organization with a mandate to bring nature to our cities through naturalization projects. Community naturalization is a collective effort that includes people from all walks of life in the revitalization of their schools, homes or community and, ultimately, in the environmental, social and economic functioning of their cities.  A major new project is Evergreen Commons at the Brick Works, a 41-acre former brick factory in the Don Valley, located in the heart of Toronto. This is where most of the bricks that built Toronto in the 19th and 20th centuries were manufactured.  This leading-edge, $50 million integrated restoration project combines "green" historic restoration, watershed/ecological restoration, and brownfields remediation with economic revitalization.

The Hon. John Godfrey, Minister of State, said "Evergreen at the Brick Works will demonstrate how cities can realize new ways of meeting the diverse needs of their populations, strengthening community ties while restoring the environment and important heritage buildings. It represents innovation and the benefits that accrue when many partners come together. Canada's great sustainable cities need such ideas to ensure they are resilient and competitive in the 21st century."(emphasis ours)

A World Institute for a Sustainable Humanity (A W.I.S.H.) is an international nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide models and support for life sustaining activities that integrate solutions to poverty and the environment while fostering self-reliance.

It was founded in March of 1995 and is registered in the United States in Washington State as a tax-exempt 501(c)3 Corporation (Federal I.D. #91-1712077) and in Alaska, Montana and New York.

A W.I.S.H. is also incorporated as a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Germany, Uruguay, Sierra Leone, Uganda, India, Greece and Bolivia. Incorporation efforts are underway in other countries and states. The A W.I.S.H. Board represents 13 countries.

Montana Community Development Corporation (MCDC)partners with people and communities that want to prosper, offering financing and business development services that create income opportunities for all. MCDC has served hundreds of entrepreneurs with loans, consulting and training. Its role is to foster a resilient economy that is built on the inherent strengths of the people and the state of Montana.  Since 1989, MCDC has served hundreds of entrepreneurs with loans, consulting and training. The businesses of their clients help sustain local communities and provide jobs.  MCDC's primary service area is Missoula, Ravalli, Mineral, Sanders, and Lake Counties, but they can work with entrepreneurs throughout the state. 

The Clark Fork Coalition is dedicated to protecting and restoring the Clark Fork River basin, which stretches from Butte, Montana to Sandpoint, Idaho. As a member-supported group of citizens, scientists, recreationists, and business leaders, the Coalition focuses on a simple vision: protect the clean water and river life that is here; restore what should be here and is not.  The Coalition has challenged risky hardrock mines; called for removal of an obsolete dam; pressed for cleanup and restoration at toxic waste sites; brokered pollution-reduction agreements; spurred bans on phosphate detergents; forced cleaner road building; and pushed for sustainable growth policies.  Through research, advocacy, and education, the Coalition is uniting citizens upstream and down in a big-picture awareness of watershed health and the central role of the Clark Fork River in creating healthy landscapes, vibrant economies, and livable communities.

Carrollton-Audubon Renaissance, Inc. (CARI) is a not-for-profit corporation, created to provide a planning vision — a “Renaissance Plan” — for the historic Carrollton and Audubon Park neighborhoods of New Orleans. A Renaissance Plan is a planning tool created by the City of New Orleans to enable neighborhoods and citizens to plan their own future. Our Renaissance Plan will identify the policies, skills, and investment needed to create a sustainable, satisfying, and vibrant urban area. Through this City-sanctioned planning process, neighborhood residents, property owners, and other stakeholders will create a vision for our neighborhoods’ future using a comprehensive, consensus-based procedure. We will work with the City Council to adopt our neighborhood Plan and incorporate our Plan into the City’s own Master Plan.  By preserving our existing architectural fabric and respecting the rich heritage of our area, the Renaissance Plan will unite the Carrollton-Audubon area. The Plan will focus on quality of life issues for citizens and guide future development and investment in our area.

Wildlands CPR is the only national conservation group in the U.S. that specifically targets off-road vehicle abuse of public lands and actively promotes wildland restoration, road removal and the prevention of wildland road construction. Wildlands CPR was formed in 1994 as a national clearinghouse and network, created by a core group of sixteen organizations concerned about the dramatic ecological impacts of wildland roads on public lands. Wildlands CPR believes, first, in protecting our last roadless areas. We also support putting people to work restoring our natural areas, as right now our backcountry, fish, wildlife and water are threatened by more roads than we need or can afford to maintain.  We can restore balance, save money, and create jobs by restoring unneeded forest roads to their natural state, and by ensuring that public land managers effectively control and manage off-road vehicles.

American Prairie Foundation is a freestanding, non-profit, Montana-based organization. As a registered land trust, our sole focus is to purchase, hold title to, and thoughtfully manage the private land of this evolving wildlife reserve.  American Prairie Foundation is focused on three main goals:

1. To accumulate and wisely manage, based on sound science, enough private land to create and maintain a fully-functioning prairie-based wildlife reserve;

2. To provide a variety of public access opportunities to this wildlife amenity;

3. To ensure that the land remains productive in a way that contributes significantly to the local economy.
 

CityWorks was formed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the flooding of New Orleans, CityWorks advocates for the transformative rebuilding of the city, by fostering a stimulating environment for dialogue and debate. CityWorks communicates to a broad audience the importance of design in creating a vital and vibrant urban environment. To that end, CityWorks keeps design issues in the forefront of the city’s decision making process, and taking positions on issues of importance to the city and highlighting critical issues by sponsoring a range of programs.
 

Friends of New Orleans is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan, membership organization for people in the U.S. and abroad who care about the greater New Orleans  region. We want to: 1) Mobilize those who believe that that the region needs a hand-up, not a hand-out; 2) Urge all Americans to band together to ensure that this historical and strategically important part of the nation not be forgotten; and 3) Remind decision-makers about the economic and quality of life impact this region of southern Louisiana has across the nation.

Sustainable Harvest International.  Founded in 1997, SHI creates rural revitalization programs based on forest restoration and the renewal of degraded farmlands.  SHI currently operates in Honduras, Panamá, Belize, and Nicaragua.  SHI works directly with local farmers--and helps set up locally-based NGOs--to facilitate the implementation of programs that allow poor farmers to take responsibility for reversing environmental degradation and achieving economic viability within their own countries.