Many cities are collaborating with nonprofits to combine funding and resources to support local community projects. These partnerships enable initiatives to continue despite cuts in public funding.
Keep America Beautiful
Keep America Beautiful has partnered with several cities across the country to launch programs that reduce waste while encouraging efficient recycling strategies. One such program, the Cigarette Litter Prevention Program, helps cities reduce cigarette-related litter by increasing resident access to trash receptacles and ashtrays so fewer cigarette buds wind up on the ground. The program has been around for 11 years and has been implemented in more than 1,400 communities nationwide.
For the 2015 Cigarette Litter Prevention Program, Keep America Beautiful is offering 50 grants for a total of $275,000 in funding to install the waste management program. The grants are available to:
- Local governments
- Park and recreation areas
- Business improvement districts
- Downtown associations
Because cigarette litter is estimated to produce 1.7 billion pounds of environmental waste annually, the grant funding is allocated to projects working to reduce cigarette waste while educating the public on the environmental harm caused by the litter. Cigarette butts contain plastic that does not decompose but rather accumulates over time. Most cigarette smokers do not realize their litter accounts for 38 percent of all litter across the country.
Within the first six months of deploying the cigarette litter program, communities reported an average decline in cigarette little of 43 percent. If the programs are maintained in the long-term an additional reduction of 34 percent on average can be achieved.
New Mobility West
Some nonprofit organizations offer local communities with more tangible assistance to advance community projects. The New Mobility West Initiative from the Sonoran Institute is offering free technical assistance to four communities looking to improve their transportation systems.
Cascade, Idaho; Durango, Colorado; East Missoula, Montana; and Grand Junction, Colorado, will receive tools and resources to develop smarter transit networks through the community assistance program. The cities were selected from a competitive application process and will gain access to expert guidance on how to optimize land use to strengthen transportation networks.
Make It Work
According to Living Cities, there are a few key factors to consider when launching a successful collaboration between municipal government and private philanthropy:
- Work With The City Many nonprofits understand it is important to work in partnership with local governments as they are often the large drivers behind services to key populations. When city governments are left out of the equation, many philanthropic endeavors experience minimal results.
- Fund Key City Positions In fact, nonprofits should consider funding long-term positions within city governments that will act as liaisons between the organization and different public agencies. This will increase efficiency and improve communications.
- Foster Sustained Partnerships To ensure a program lasts long enough to make a significant impact on a community, a long-term source of funding is required. Both city governments and nonprofits must be continually seeking collaborations with other organizations and funding sources to ensure sustainability.
- Provide Early Stage Funding Municipalities can turn to nonprofits to fund early state strategies to support very large, aggressive goals. Once the project has the funding to get off the ground, the city can contribute toward its long-term growth.
- Replicate Success If a public-private collaboration proves successful in one specific sector or agency, both parties should identify the best practices from the project and aim to duplicate it across other projects in the future.