Based in Washington DC, Sustainable Strategies DC provides local governments, non-profits, coalitions, and green technology firms with strategic consulting, federal advocacy, funding support, grants advocacy, issue campaign management, environmental legal services, and other assistance.  Our focus areas include community revitalization, sustainable community development, infrastructure investment, environmental and clean energy technologies, clean transportation, brownfields redevelopment, and other sustainability issues.

Led by experienced sustainability advocates and government affairs experts, including CEO Matt Ward and President Andrew Seth, and boosted by strategic alliances with a team of specialized firms, Sustainable Strategies DC will help you obtain the results you seek on sustainable community and green technology issues. 

Looking for project funding?  Need support for a clean energy or environmental restoration project?  Seeking a public or private partner on your infrastructure project?  Trying to overcome tough legal, regulatory or environmental policy challenges?  Do you need a strategy or assessment of your project's opportunities and how you might navigate the federal process?  Want to get something done in Washington, DC?  The team at Sustainable Strategies DC has a solid track record of helping organizations create and implement strategies that can help you secure resources for revitalization and tools for success in the green economy.  Let us know how we can serve you.

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Hot News & Issues

Funding Available to Enhance Coastal Resilience
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is seeking applications for its FY 2014 Coastal Resilience Network grants. Funding is available to implement activities that enhance resilience of coastal communities to natural hazard and climate risks. Projects must involve a range of partners. Applicants must conduct work in one or more of the following regions: U.S. Flag Pacific Islands (Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), Gulf of Mexico Coast (Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas) and West Coast (California, Oregon and Washington). NOAA anticipates making three awards of $100,000 each. The deadline for applications is April 11, 2014. Click here for more information. Contact Andrew Seth at (202) 261-9881 or andrew.seth@strategiesdc.com.

Funding Available to Reduce Public Exposure to Indoor Pollutants
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking applications for its National Indoor Environments Program competition. Up to $4 million will be available to help reduce the environmental risks posed by contaminants in indoor environments. Priority areas include 1) radon; 2) indoor environmental asthma triggers; and 3) comprehensive interventions in homes, schools, offices and other large buildings. Eligible applicants include local governments, states, territories, Indian tribes, public and private universities and colleges, and non-profit organizations. The deadline for applications is April 11, 2014. Click here for more information. Contact Andrew Seth at (202) 261-9881 or andrew.seth@strategiesdc.com.

Grants Available for Sustainable Transportation Projects
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is making $600 million available for a sixth round of its Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants to help fund local and state infrastructure projects. DOT evaluates TIGER proposals on criteria that include environmental sustainability, livability and economic competitiveness. Applicants must request no less than $10 million ($1 million minimum in rural areas) and provide at least 20 percent match. In addition, up to $35 million is available in this round to support transportation planning activities. Click here for more information. Contact Andrew Seth at (202) 261-9881 or andrew.seth@strategiesdc.com.

Grants Available to Prevent Crime and Create Safe, Vibrant Communities
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is seeking applications for its Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation (BCJI) grants. BCJI funding enables local governments, states, non-profit organizations, and Indian tribes to develop place-based strategies that target neighborhoods with high levels of crime. The BCJI program encourages community-oriented approaches that actively involve residents, community organizations and institutions. BCJI support also helps communities develop data-driven strategies to assess the impact and effectiveness of local crime prevention initiatives. DOJ anticipates making 15 awards of up to $100,000 each for planning projects, and 5 awards of up to $1 million each for planning and implementation projects. The deadline for applications is May 6, 2014. Click here for more information. Contact Andrew Seth at (202) 261-9881 or andrew.seth@strategiesdc.com.

Funding Available to Tackle Violent Gangs and Reduce Gun Violence
The purpose of the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative is to reduce gun and gang violence by employing research-driven, intelligence-led, and problem-solving approaches. Grants of up to $500,000 will be made through a competitive process to encourage and focus funding in high-performing and evidence-based programs where the need is greatest and where the most violent neighborhoods, within districts, are being addressed. The five PSN design features that applicants should describe in their proposals include: 1) Partnerships; 2) Strategic Planning, Crime Analysis and Research Integration; 3) Training; 4) Outreach; and 5) Accountability and Data-Driven Efforts. The deadline for applications is May 12, 2014. Click here for more information. Contact Andrew Seth at (202) 261-9881 or andrew.seth@strategiesdc.com.

Grants Available to Support Economic Development Projects
The Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Economic Development Assistance Program provides grants to support job creation in economically distressed areas of the United States. Public Works investments support the construction or rehabilitation of essential public infrastructure and facilities. EDA grants can also support green economic development, including renewable energy, green building, energy efficiency, and recycling projects. Sustainable Strategies DC has helped localities nationwide secure EDA funding for their community priorities. The deadline for applications is June 13, 2014; . Click here for more information. Contact Andrew Seth at (202) 261-9881 or andrew.seth@strategiesdc.com.

Great Lakes Restoration Funding Available
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) Coastal Program provides technical and financial assistance to coastal communities and landowners to restore and protect fish and wildlife habitat on public and private lands. Projects are developed strategically, in coordination with partners, and with substantial involvement from FWS field biologists. Funding is available to coastal areas within the Great Lakes basin, including parts of Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. Project funding ranges from $40,000 to $150,000; approximately $400,000 is available in 2014. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, public and State controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments and organizations, nonprofit organizations, individuals, for profit organizations, and small businesses. Click here for more information. Contact Andrew Seth at (202) 261-9881 or andrew.seth@strategiesdc.com.

Funding Available for Green Infrastructure
Since 2009, states have been required to spend a portion of their Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) dollars on projects that address green infrastructure, water or energy efficiency improvements, or environmentally innovative activities. In FY 2014, Congress and President Obama have provided another $1.45 billion to capitalize the CWSRF program, and mandated that no less than 10 percent of these funds be dedicated to the Green Project Reserve, or approximately $145 million nationwide. The state agencies that administer CWSRF programs have developed different methods to disperse Green Project Reserve dollars. Contact Sustainable Strategies DC for help in navigating how Green Project Reserve dollars are spent in your state. Click here for more information. Contact Andrew Seth at (202) 261-9881 or andrew.seth@strategiesdc.com.

$750 Million Authorized in FY 2013 for Transportation Loans, Lines of Credit and Loan Guarantees
The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program provides secured loans, lines of credit and loan guarantees for eligible surface transportation projects. Eligible projects include highways, transit and intermodal, passenger rail, and intelligent transportation systems. Generally, the minimum size for TIFIA projects is $50 million ($25 million in rural communities). The recently signed transportation reauthorization legislation - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) - authorizes $750 million for the TIFIA program in FY 2013, a significant boost above the FY 2012 level of $120 million. Entities wishing to apply for TIFIA credit assistance must first submit a Letter of Interest. Click here for more information. Contact Andrew Seth at (202) 261-9881 or andrew.seth@strategiesdc.com.

Bonds Available for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Projects
In 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act allocated $3.2 billion in bond volume for the Qualified Energy Conservation Bonds (QECB). QECBs are debt instruments that states, local governments and tribes can issue at extremely low rates to fund energy conservation projects, including energy efficiency improvements, renewable energy installations, green community programs, and public education campaigns. Each state received a QECB allocation proportionate to its population, which was subsequently sub-allocated to their largest local governments (cities and counties of 100,000 population or more). While a number of localities have successfully used QECBs, much of the $3.2 billion allocation remains unissued. In most states, cities and counties interested in funding energy projects with QECBs can still tap into unused allocations. Click here for more information. Contact Andrew Seth at (202) 261-9881 or andrew.seth@strategiesdc.com for additional details.