Launching Urban Sustainability Associates (USA)--a new consulting service for communities. Culminating a six-month business development process, John Cleveland is leading the launch of the USA service with key partners, the Center for Neighborhood Technology in Chicago; Sustainable Systems, Inc. in Oakland; Julia Parzen and William Shutkin. See lots of detail about what USA plans to do in the Urban Sustainability sector.
Building Retrofitting for Energy Consumption Reduction. John Cleveland cochaired a team that developed detailed strategies, submitted to the Obama Administration's transition team for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Energy retrofitting is a key community practice in the Urban Sustainability Associates (USA) tool kit. See the 20-page strategy memo, including ways to finance large-scale retrofitting.
Math & Science Education "Ensemble of Innovations." Working in rural western Michigan with the Fremont Area Community Foundation and the Newaygo County Regional Educational Service Agency, Pete Plastrik is designing a five-year strategy to import, implement, and coordinate more than a dozen innovations to dramatically boost the math and science learning achieved by the county's 10,000 students.
Community Development Philanthropy in Nebraska. Working with partner Brian Tell, Pete Plastrik and John Cleveland completed an in-depth assessment and recommendations for developing the "operating systems" of the Nebraska Community Foundation, a nation-leading inventor of community development philanthropy with nearly 100 locally capitalized and operated community funds throughout the state.
Creating a "Transnational Immigrant Index." Supporting partner Alvaro Lima, Pete Plastrik is helping build a unique data base that will measure in communities the presence and activities of transnational immigrants--immigrants in the US who also maintain strong social, economic, and political connections in their home countries. Focus groups of Latino and Asian immigrants are being completed to help develop a national survey of transnationals. | 
