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Resources for Revitalization
FEBRUARY 2025
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*If you or your loved ones are affected by fires in Los Angeles, we hope this resource list can offer support. Included you’ll find information related to immediate relief, public health guidance, opportunities to donate, funding sources for rebuilding, and more. Our hearts are with you during this challenging time. | |
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We know many of you have been impacted and are concerned by federal Executive Orders, freezes and program pauses on the important work you do to build thriving, resilient communities. CCLR was caught up in these actions as well. However, as of Monday afternoon, a Temporary Restraining Order has blocked any effort to “pause, freeze, impede, block, cancel or terminate” approved funding. The restraining order is to remain in effect until the courts can make a final ruling. We encourage all federal grantees to:
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Ensure you are compliant with your grant terms and reporting. If you need help with budget, reporting, work plan or procurement for your EPA grant contact CCLR for technical assistance.
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Apply for new grants: Federal funding opportunities are still accepting applications, we encourage you to apply for those funds, as well as state and foundation/private funding opportunities. See below for more information about the Thriving Communities Grant Makers (TCGM) grants for up to $350,000 in funding for environmental justice initiatives.
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Contact your Grant Account Manager: if you have concerns or questions regarding your federal grants.
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Share your story: if any actions from the new administration have negatively impacted you or your organization, share this information with your elected officials and local media.
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Center for Creative Land Recycling Announcing New Board and Advisory Council Members to Strengthen Leadership and Expand Impact
We are happy to introduce five new board members and five advisory council members who bring a wealth of experience in environmental policy, community development, and business leadership, to support CCLR's advocacy for brownfield reuse. Read more.
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SERVICES SPOTLIGHT: Getting Started
The Center for Creative Land Recycling offers Brownfields basics training, support for succession planning and new staff onboarding, and personalized technical assistance to communities and practitioners new to the world of brownfields.
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TEAM MEMBER SPOTLIGHT:
Devyn Rainwater
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Devyn is a Program Manager with CCLR and co-leads a variety of outreach efforts and training curriculums geared toward municipalities and non-profits taking on brownfield reuse for the first time. In 2024, she worked with the National League of Cities to host their Brownfield Bootcamp, which prepared small, rural communities nationwide to apply for EPA brownfield funding. She is currently working with Groundwork USA to deliver brownfields 101 training to a cohort of 10 nonprofits to build their capacity for land reuse. Outreach and engagement with entities working in land reuse is a key part of her job and supports CCLR’s broader goal of supporting community-led redevelopment through capacity-building and funding. | |
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Project Spotlight:
India Basin Shoreline Park
The India Basin Boatyard at 900 Innes operated for more than 100 years. The yard closed in the 1990s and the fell into disrepair. Located between homes and the shore, residents and the City knew the old boatyard held great opportunity to provide open space, recreation, and climate resiliency benefits... Read more!
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Connections 2025: The California Parks & Recreation Society Conference & Expo, March 18-21
Make sure to connect with CCLR’s Sarah Fingerhood and attend her March 20 panel in collaboration with the Trust for Public Land and WRT, Making Old Parks New Again: Reversing Historic Disinvestment from Advocacy to Funding.
This session chronicles the comeback of parks and recreation in Fresno. Once relegated to last place nationally in the Trust for Public Land’s ParkScore index, the City completed a park system master plan that documented the poor condition of parks and critical lack of funding, and then passed a major tax initiative to fund parks redevelopment. Reads more and register!
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2025 CA Brownfield Workshops: Reuse, Renew Revitalize
Sacramento: Tuesday, June 3 | California Endowment Center
Fresno: Thursday, June 5 | Fresno City Center
The workshops will bring agencies together with local brownfields programs (or those thinking of developing one), community organizations, land reuse professionals, Tribes and municipalities to learn about revitalizing and reusing vacant properties. Connect the dots between resources, funding, challenges, and strategies for redevelopment, leveraging EPA, other federal, and state resources.
Interested in sponsoring one or more of the workshops?
Fill out this form! Email sponsorship questions to bret.carr@cclr.org
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Save the date for the California Land Recycling Conference (CALRC), hosted by EPA Region 9, the CA Department of Toxic Substances Control’s Office of Brownfields, and the Center for Creative Land Recycling! | |
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The Call for Sessions for CALRC 2025 is now open! We are seeking dynamic and engaging session proposals that address key topics in land recycling, including but not limited to:
- Redevelopment strategies that drive job creation and economic growth
- Attracting private investment and engaging developers
- Equitable, community-led development approaches
- Adaptive reuse and climate resilience strategies
- Innovative cleanup technologies and remediation solutions
- Funding and financing opportunities for sustainable redevelopment
Submit your sessions by March 31st for a chance to shape the conversation and drive impact in the field of land reuse
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FUNDING SOURCES & ADDITIONAL RESOURCES | |
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Housing for the People: How Local Governments are Building Social Housing Solutions for Public Good
PowerSwitch Action, Local Progress and PolicyLink co-authored a report that unpacks local governments’ efforts to build out social housing solutions that benefit the public. Learn more and read Housing for the People.
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EPA Grants December Webinar Series Recordings Now Available:
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EPA Thriving Community Grant Makers Program applications opened January 15th and are accepted on a rolling basis. Read more about how to apply. And watch the recording from CCLR’s webinar with Liberty Hill which discusses the TCGM program.
The TCGM program supports community-based efforts to identify, document, address, and respond to environmental and climate challenges. Broadly, funding is awarded in four categories:
Phase I: Assessment projects for up to $150,000 for a one-year period
Phase II: Planning projects for up to $250,000 for a 1-2 year period
Phase III: Development projects for up to $350,000 for a 2-year period
Non-competitive: Limited $75,000 non-competitive fixed-amount subawards available for severely capacity-constrained organizations.
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Do you need technical assistance with a land reuse project? | | |
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