Resilient Communities Program

The application cycle for Resilient Communities will open on January 6, 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:

• 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)

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.