Title
Retroactive Authorization for School Sustainability Program Grant (Ordinance S-48294)
Description
Request to authorize retroactive approval for the City Manager, or his designee, to apply for and, if awarded, authorize the City Treasurer to accept funding from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Environmental Education Local Grants Program. Further request City Council approval to create a two-year temporary position, funded by the grant, to expand the City's current sustainability education program to up to 50 Title I schools. The total grant requested is $90,000.
Report
Summary
The EPA Region IX Environmental Education Local Grants Program is seeking to advance environmental education.
The City of Phoenix Student Council Sustainability Officer (SCSO) Program is a unique form of student engagement, the first of its kind in the nation, that aims to embed sustainability on school campuses by amending Student Council Constitutions to add an elected Sustainability Officer. SCSOs attend monthly meetings to learn how to address and solve environmental issues, as well as develop leadership skills. Using problem solving skills, SCSOs identify environmental challenges and work together to increase environmental stewardship.
The City is seeking a grant from the EPA Region IX Environmental Education Local Grants Program to support expansion of the City's current program over the next two years with guidance and support from the Arizona Department of Education. The funding will be used for three purposes: 1) supporting a new full-time grant-funded temporary position to administer the program and identify a long-term home for the program; 2) creating a green fund to provide mini-grants to schools; and 3) providing program funding for creating a web-based green guide for schools.
Currently, the SCSO program is implemented in the largest school district in Phoenix. This grant would allow the Office of Sustainability to expand the SCSO program to additional school districts and students, as well as create a $22,500 micro-grant fund to provide up to $2,500 in financial support for environmental stewardship projects in specific schools. With backing from our partners, the Arizona Department of Education and the Arizona State University Sustainable Cities Network, the program will produce a statewide Greening Events Guide for Schools to help students lower the environmental impact of school events such as Homecoming and Prom and support student-led change. The SCSO program aims to have at least 50 participating Title I schools, representing 80,000 students by the end of the two-year project. The sustainability of SCSO relies on schools amending their Student Council Constitutions to include elected SCSO positions to ensure SCSOs are elected each school year even after the grant period has ended. The SCSO program is scalable and serves as a model of student engagement that can be easily replicated nationwide.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
The Community and Cultural Investment Subcommittee recommended approval of this item on Jan 5, 2022, by a vote of 4-0.
Contract Term
The grant period is from July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2024.
Financial Impact
The Office of Sustainability currently supports the program with annual funding of an Americorps VISTA to run the program, and will commit to continue to provide funding at current levels, if needed, as part of the matching requirement for the grant.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Karen Peters and the Office of Sustainability.