Title
Recommendation for Ann Arbor to Apply for the 2014 Great Lakes Climate Assessment Grant
Memorandum
Attached for your consideration is a resolution supporting the City of Ann Arbor applying for the 2014 GLISA Great Lakes Climate Assessment Grant sponsored by the University of Michigan Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessment Center (GLISA). City staff have been working with GLISA for several years to better understand the current and potential climate changes likely to affect Ann Arbor and participates as part of a Great Lakes regional network of cities exploring climate adaptation.
City staff proposed a project through a letter of intent to develop a set of training tools for city engineers that will 1) highlight adaptative projects and designs that are known to be effective in the Great Lakes Region (e.g., white roofs, green streets) and 2) identify key research questions for infrastructure assets where adaptive measures are not well developed (e.g., heat island effects of asphalt vs. concrete for street reconstruction). The City has been invited to submit a proposal for the grant and the grant proposal is due August 22, 2014.
Staff
Prepared by Matthew Naud, Environmental Coordinator, Systems Planning
Body
Whereas, The City of Ann Arbor has a long history of collaborative work with the Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessment Center (GLISA) at the University of Michigan Graham Sustainability Institute;
Whereas, the 2014 GLISA Great Lakes Climate Assessment Grant will fund organizations to engage networks of stakeholders in science-grounded processes to identify, assess, and/or resolve climate-related problems or management issues;
Whereas, The proposed work must be clearly linked to adaptation to climate change and variability in the Great Lakes region and must build on past engagements with GLISA or GLAA-C;
Whereas, the City of Ann Arbor submitted a letter of intent to apply for a grant for the GLISA 2014 Great Lakes Climate Assessment Grant in July 2014;
Whereas, the City of Ann Arbor proposed a project to develop a set of training tools for city engineers that will 1) highlight adaptative projects and designs that are known to be effective in the Great Lakes Region (e.g., white roofs, green streets) and 2) identify key research questions for infrastructure assets where adaptive measures are not well developed (e.g., heat island effects of asphalt vs. concrete for street reconstruction);
Whereas, the Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments Center (GLISA) has invited the City of Ann Arbor to submit a full proposal for a 2014 Great Lakes Climate Assessment Grant, in the category of Sustained Assessment Awards;
Whereas, Awards will range between $25,000 and $50,000 and Funds may be used to cover salaries of project team members, communication with appropriate stakeholders, travel costs, and hosting meetings and work sessions;
Whereas, The term of the grant is one year from the project start date, which will be during the early winter of 2014;
Whereas, Proposals are due August 22, 2014;
Whereas, The application is process short and staff time to support the application is minimal;
Whereas, there is no match required for the grant;
Whereas, There is a shared interest among key staff and local non-profits in applying for this grant opportunity; and
Whereas, This grant opportunity would help to further the current efforts to create a more resilient community under the Sustainability Framework and Action Plan and Climate Action Plan;
RESOLVED, That City Council directs the City Administrator to apply for the 2014 GLISA Great Lakes Climate Assessment Grant and authorizes the City Administrator to execute all documents required for or incidental to the application process.
Sponsored by: Councilmember Briere