Resilient Communities Program
The application cycle for Resilient Communities is now open!
Deadline: February 14, 2025
About the Program
Resilient Communities is a program of Thrive Regional Partnership and the Open Space Institute that helps cities and towns in the 16-county Chattanooga region develop local strategies to enhance their resilience to weather events like flooding and extreme heat.
Through the program, community teams have access to professional guidance, facilitation, and technical assistance to assess vulnerabilities, identify local priorities, and develop nature-based strategies that leverage local expertise and natural assets to enhance community resilience.
Thanks to funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), the Resilient Communities program is offered at no cost to participating communities.
Application Requirements
To apply for the Resilient Communities program, candidates must meet the following application requirements. We recommend having your cover letter and letters of support ready in PDF format for easy upload into the application form.
The community must be located within the 16-county, tri-state Chattanooga region.
Community team members commit to attend scheduled sessions, in-person workshops and virtual coaching check-ins (see schedule in the application.)
Include a cover letter outlining what you hope your community and team will accomplish by participating in the Resilient Communities Program.
Include a letter of support from the following:
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization as the fiduciary sponsor of the program
A local government agency
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
-
In the Resilient Communities program, a diverse team of local residents engage in a professionally facilitated 10-month planning process, with the opportunity to apply for up to $20,000 for the implementation of catalytic projects.
Core teams collaborate with their communities to identify weather-related hazards, assess the vulnerability of their natural and community assets, and develop strategies using nature-based solutions to improve their community’s resilience.
-
No financial contribution from the community is required, only an investment of time and transportation, to receive this professional training.
-
Any community, such as a city, town, county, or neighborhood, in the tri-state, 16-county Thrive region. Organizations such as nonprofits and anchor institutions (churches, schools, libraries) who convene community stakeholders are eligible. Combined applications will be considered.
Community teams should consist of five to ten individuals from various sectors or disciplines, and include at least two impacted residents.
-
A strong Community Team:
Includes 5-10 dedicated local community members representing varying sectors or disciplines within the community
Reflect the interests and diversity of the entire community
Requires representation of individuals that have personal experience with the impacts of extreme weather (for example, flooding or wildfires)
Consistently attends all sessions with all team members
Is citizen-led with engagement from local government and elected officials
-
The Resilient Communities program is hands-on, and spans 10 months. The program includes on-site visits to your community, virtual sessions, team planning meetings, and activities that engage your whole community.
-
Participants of the Resilient Communities program see many outcomes in their neighborhoods and themselves, including:
A custom resilience plan for nature-based solutions for weather-related hazards in your community
An opportunity to receive $20,000 in seed funding to kickstart the first phase of your community plan.
Leadership development through activities such as environmental risk assessment, community asset mapping, volunteer management, grant writing, and community engagement.
2025 Resilient Communities Schedule
See below for a tentative schedule for Resilient Communities sessions. Please note that all dates, times, and locations are subject to change.
-
February 14: Application Deadline
March 10 (week of): Resilient Communities Launch Event
March 24 (week of): Virtual coaching call with Team Leads
April 1 (week of): Team Meeting #1 in your community
April 14 (week of): Team Meeting #2 in your community
April 21 (week of): Virtual Cohort Meeting
May 5 (week of): Team Meeting #3 in your community
May 19 (week of): Team Meeting #4 in your community
June 9 (week of): Team Meeting #5 in your community
June 23 (week of): Team Meeting #6 in your community -
July 14 (week of): Team Meeting #7
July 21 (week of): Virtual Cohort Meeting
August 4 (week of): Team Meeting #8
September 8 (week of): Team Meeting #9
September 21 (week of): Team Meeting #10 -
October-December: Develop, Finalize, and Submit the Catalytic Project application
November 17: Virtual Cohort Meeting
-
January-December 2026: Implementation of the funded catalytic project
Project Partners
Thrive Regional Partnership (Thrive) inspires responsible growth through conversation, connection, and collaboration across northeast Alabama, northwest Georgia, and southeast Tennessee. Thrive co-designed the Resilient Communities program and provides program management and communications.
Open Space Institute (OSI) is a national conservation leader that protects land for clean air and water, access to recreation, wildlife habitat, healthy communities, and climate change. OSI co-designed the Resilient Communities program and provides expertise on conservation science and GIS analysis to participating communities.
The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) funds the Resilient Communities program through ARISE, a multi-state initiative that aims to drive large-scale, regional economic transformation through collaborative projects.
