Climate Resilience and Urban Opportunity (CRUO) Initiative

Climate Resilience and Urban Opportunity (CRUO) Initiative is sponsored by The Kresge Foundation. This initiative focuses on improving the resilience of low-income, urban communities in the face of climate change through grants and social investments.

Climate Resilience and Urban Opportunity (CRUO) - Kresge Foundation Our Story at 100 Promoting human progress since 1924, expanding equity and opportunity today Our Staff Our work is made possible by a staff of mission-driven professionals Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Central to how we operate and fund, we center DEI in all we do Careers Check for new openings and learn about working at The Kresge Foundation Board of Trustees Leaders who provide governance, expertise and support to our work Press Room Resources and information for commnunications professional American Cities Effective, inclusive community development in U.S. cities Arts & Culture Positioning culture and creativity as drivers of more just communities Detroit Expanding long-term, equitable opportunity in our hometown Education Addressing postsecondary attainment and closing equity gaps Environment Helping cities with equitable climate resilience strategies Health Building equity-focused systems of health to achieve well-being Human Services Increasing social-economic mobility for people with low incomes Social Investment Practice Unlocking capital for community development Strategic Learning, Research & Evaluation Building a culture of learning across the organization and support community learning priorities Initiatives Our time-bound funding programs can bring multiple Kresge teams together to co-create strategies Grants & Social Investments Grants Awarded A database of grants dating back to 2009 Social Investments Made A database of PRIs, guarantees and other investments How to Apply Details on eligibility, FAQs, Fluxx guidance and more For Current Grantees FAQs for partners, communicating about your work and more Climate Resilience and Urban Opportunity (CRUO) Strengthening the Climate-Resilience Field by Supporting New Models and Approaches to Policy and Planning That Directly Benefit Low-Income Communities.

(Concluded 2019) What We Support/Key Strategies Building the Capacity of Community-Based Leadership Advancing Equity-Driven Policy and Planning Solutions Strengthening the Evidence Base for Equitable Climate Approaches In 2014, Kresge launched the CRUO initiative, a five-year, $29 million effort created to prioritize work led by advocates and organizers in urban communities facing disproportionate environmental burdens.

A cohort of 15 nonprofit organizations were awarded $660,000 multiyear implementation grants to execute work plans over three years. Each grantee work plan focused on influencing local and regional climate planning and policy development to better reflect the needs and priorities of low-income communities.

In addition to the 15 place-based CRUO project sites, the initiative also provided funding to nonprofit organizations that have a strong focus on equity and social justice work that advances national field-building efforts to strengthen equitable climate approaches.

In designing and implementing the multiyear initiative, Kresge intentionally: “Flipped the frame,” deciding to fund equity-centered groups to deepen their expertise on climate change rather than funding traditional climate change organizations to develop their expertise on equity. Assembled a culturally competent implementation team, whose members brought deep knowledge and experience in advancing racial equity.

Held an adaptive management posture, ensuring the initiative team worked under the premise that if “we are asking our grantees to change, then we also must be willing to change. ” Named race by explicitly addressing racial equity as core to the work. Managed risk with regard to transparency, mutual accountability and navigation of the inevitable power dynamics between foundations and their grantee partners.

In 2019, the CRUO Evaluation was released , affirming the significant value that community-based organizations grounded in equity bring to climate change work. CRUO grantees achieved meaningful policy wins in their local communities, regions and at the state level.

Collectively, they contributed to a shift in how climate change work is framed by expanding the range of issues recognized as relevant, and elevating the profile of equity within the field. Climate Resilience and Urban Opportunity (CRUO) Initiative Grantees Climate Resilience and Urban Opportunity (CRUO) News & Views National climate leader Shamar A.

Bibbins promoted to managing director of Kresge’s Environment Program National climate funder Lois DeBacker to retire after 33 years in environmental philanthropy Looking back: The evolution of Kresge’s environmental funding CMF panelists address how we should think about climate change, a fundamental challenge of our lifetime All Climate Resilience and Urban Opportunity (CRUO) News & Views Climate Resilience and Urban Opportunity (CRUO) Resources Equitable Climate Resilience for U.S. Local Governments The Institute for Building Technology and Safety (IBTS) has released findings from a two-year study on how cities can better address social inequities in their climate resilience planning.

Throughout the… Green 2. 0 releases national poll on voters of color and climate change Green 2. 0, a grantee partner of Kresge’s Environment Program, has released its Nationwide Voters of Color Polling Results on Climate Change.

This first-of-its-kind poll captures how voters are moved by issues… Hope & Justice: The latest shifts in the climate solutions media landscape Media reports on climate change have great implications on the public’s imagination about what’s possible, as well as tangible implications on policy and philanthropic giving.

When it comes to solving… All Climate Resilience and Urban Opportunity (CRUO) Resources Climate Resilience and Urban Opportunity (CRUO) Team