Green Umbrella

GREEN UMBRELLA LEADS COLLABORATION, INCUBATES IDEAS AND CATALYZES SOLUTIONS TO CREATE A RESILIENT, SUSTAINABLE REGION FOR ALL. WE DO THIS BY CONVENING MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS TO TACKLE POLICY AND SYSTEMS-LEVEL CHANGES FOCUSED ON HEALTHY PEOPLE, CLIMATE, RESILIENT, SUSTAINABLE REGION FOR ALL.

TRI-STATE TRAILS: A COALITION OF TRAIL ADVOCATES, A PHYSICAL NETWORK OF TRAILS, AND A VISION TO CONNECT OUR REGION. TRI-STATE TRAILS UNITES ADVOCATES, LEADERS AND STAKEHOLDERS IN A COLLABORATIVE DISCUSSION ON ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION AND OUTDOOR RECREATION IN SOUTHWEST OHIO, NORTHERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEAST INDIANA. IN 2020, TRI-STATE TRAILS BEGAN COORDINATING THE CROWN CAPITAL CAMPAIGN IN COLLABORATION WITH WASSON WAY AND OHIO RIVER WAY TO RAISE LOCAL MATCH DOLLARS TO HELP BUILD ITS VISION OF THE CINCINNATI RIDING OR WALKING NETWORK, A 34 MILE TRAIL LOOP CONNECTING TO MOST CINCINNATI NEIGHBORHOODS.CROWN: THE CROWN CAPITAL CAMPAIGN IS A VISION TO BUILD A 34-MILE URBAN TRAIL LOOP AROUND THE CITY OF CINCINNATI. GREEN UMBRELLA COLLABORATED WITH TWO OTHER LOCAL NON-PROFITS (WASSON WAY AND OHIO RIVER WAY) TO RAISE LOCAL DOLLARS TO MATCH STATE AND FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING TO BUILD OUT 24 MILES OF THE CROWN TRAIL NETWORK. THE TRAIL WILL BE BUILT OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS AND FUNDS WILL BE EXPENDED AS NEEDED TO SERVE AS MATCHING FUNDS TO LEVERAGE LARGE GRANTS. GU IS FISCAL AGENT AND FISCAL SPONSOR FOR THE CROWN CAMPAIGN, WHICH IS GOVERNED BY A STEERING COMMITTEE THAT MAKES DECISIONS ABOUT HOW THE FUNDS WILL BE ALLOCATED FOR TRAIL PROJECTS, AND OTHER EXPENSES REQUIRED FOR FUNDRAISING, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, ADMINISTRATION, ETC.

GU EVENT SERIES: A VARIETY OF ONE-TIME AND ON-GOING PUBLIC EVENTS SUPPORTING OR ALIGNING WITH THE ORGANIZATION'S PRIMARY FOCUS OF ADVANCING ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN THE GREATER CINCINNATI REGION. PUBLIC PROGRAMS INCLUDE MIDWEST REGIONAL SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT, GREAT OUTDOOR WEEKEND. COMMON ORCHARD PROJECT: THE COMMON ORCHARD PROJECT IS WORKING TO INSTALL AND MAINTAIN HUNDREDS OF SMALL ORCHARD PLANTINGS ON VACANT LOTS AND PUBLIC LAND ACROSS GREATER CINCINNATI. IT PARTNERS WITH COMMUNITIES CHARACTERIZED BY LOW ACCESS TO FRESH AND HEALTHY FOOD AND LOW TREE CANOPY COVERAGE, TO DESIGN, PLANT, AND MAINTAIN PUBLIC ORCHARDS WHERE FRUIT CAN BE GROWN AND DISTRIBUTED TO NEIGHBORS. THESE POCKETS OF GREENSPACE PROVIDE SHADE, HABITAT, COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACES AND EXPOSURE AND ACCESS TO FRESH FRUIT GROWING RIGHT WHERE IT IS NEEDED MOST. THE COMMON ORCHARD PROJECT PLANTS APPROXIMATELY 10 ORCHARDS PER YEAR AND TRAINS NEIGHBORS TO SERVE AS ORCHARD STEWARDS, WHO CARE FOR AND HARVEST FROM THE TREES AND OTHER PLANTS AT THE RIGHT TIMES.GU IMPACT TEAMS: GU FACILITATES CROSS-SECTOR COLLABORATION WITH THE GOAL OF ACHIEVING POLICY AND SYSTEMS LEVEL OUTCOMES THAT RESULT IN HEALTHY PEOPLE, LANDSCAPES AND SUSTAINABLE BUILT ENVIRONMENTS. IN 2022 THE THREE IMPACT TEAMS SUPPORTED WERE GREENSPACE (LAUNCHING A MITIGATION TOOL TO STRATEGICALLY IDENTIFY LAND PARCELS FOR PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION) FAITH COMMUNITIES GO GREEN (PARTNERING WITH RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES TO CREATE A MORE SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE FUTURE FOR ALL BY MOBILIZING THEIR MORAL VOICE TO REDUCE THE RISK OF CATASTROPHIC CLIMATE CHANGE) AND CPS OUTSIDE (WORKING TO ENSURE ALL CINCINNATI PUBLIC SCHOOLS' STUDENTS HAVE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION REGARDLESS OF DEMOGRAPHICS, ECONOMIC STATUS OR FAMILY SUPPORT FOR SUCH ACTIVITIES). CINCINNATI 2030 DISTRICT: THE DISTRICT'S MISSION IS TO CREATE A NETWORK OF HEALTHY, HIGH-PERFORMING BUILDINGS IN THE CITY OF CINCINNATI. PARTICIPATING MEMBERS MAKE A COLLECTIVE COMMITMENT TO REDUCE THEIR BUILDINGS' ENERGY USE, WATER CONSUMPTION, AND TRANSPORTATION EMISSIONS BY 50% BY THE YEAR 2030. THE CINCINNATI DISTRICT ALSO INCLUDES A HEALTHY BUILDING PILLAR WITH A GOAL OF IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF BUILDING OCCUPANTS, WITH INTERVENTIONS TAILORED TO THE MOST PRESSING NEEDS IN OUR CITY. MEMBERS OF THE CINCINNATI 2030 DISTRICT ARE PROPERTY OWNERS AND MANAGERS, DEVELOPERS, AND COMMERCIAL TENANTS WHO COMMIT TO ASSISTING THE DISTRICT TO ACHIEVE ITS REDUCTION GOALS THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE, EMISSIONS-REDUCING SOLUTIONS IN THEIR BUILDINGS. CURRENTLY, OUR 48 MEMBERS HAVE COMMITTED 321 BUILDINGS AND 28.8 MILLION SQUARE FEET TO THE CINCINNATI 2030 DISTRICT. BY PARTNERING DIRECTLY WITH MEMBERS, THE CINCINNATI 2030 DISTRICT ACCELERATES THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS BY BREAKING DOWN MARKET BARRIERS, ENCOURAGING COLLABORATION, AND ASSISTING MEMBERS IN THE DEPLOYMENT OF INNOVATIVE SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS.

GREATER CINCINNATI REGIONAL FOOD POLICY COUNCIL: A CROSS SECTOR COLLABORATION OF ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS, COMMUNITY INFLUENCERS, AND DECISION MAKERS, COLLABORATING TO DRIVE IMPACT IN CREATING HEALTHY, EQUITABLE, SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS FOR ALL IN THE GREATER CINCINNATI REGION. CURRENT FOCUS AREAS INCLUDE 1)CONNECTING LOCAL FARMERS TO SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS TO LEARNING ABOUT WHERE FOOD COMES FROM, 2) ENCOURAGE AVAILABILITY OF HEALTHY, DESIRABLE FOOD OPTIONS ACROSS OUR REGION, FOR ALL INCOME LEVELS, 3) DIALOGUE WITH RESIDENTS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED FOOD INSECURITY TO BETTER INFORM EMERGENCY FOOD SYSTEMS BASED ON THEIR NEEDS, 4) CONVENE REGIONAL PARTNERS TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM PLANNING, 5) TELLING THE STORY OF OUR REGION'S FOODSHED THROUGH THE CINCINNATI'S FOODSHED ATLAS.

CLIMATE POLICY/ACTION: WHILE CLIMATE CHANGE IS A GLOBAL ISSUE, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS END UP ABSORBING MANY OF THE COSTS. POLICIES AND PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS CLIMATE IMPACTS ARE OFTEN MOST EFFECTIVE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, AND MORE THAN EVER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS NEED MORE CAPACITY TO ADAPT AND BUILD RESILIENCY. GREATER CINCINNATI WILL NEED MORE THAN ITS INDIVIDUAL JURISDICTIONS ACTING ALONE TO ADAPT TO HEAT, FLOODING AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH, REDUCE EMISSIONS, AND FOSTER AN EQUITABLE AND JUST TRANSITION TO MORE RESILIENT COMMUNITIES. GREEN UMBRELLA LAUNCHED ITS CLIMATE POLICY WORK TO FACILITATE COLLABORATION AMONG REGIONAL GOVERNMENT LEADERS. WE ARE EQUIPPING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WITH PROVEN MODELS, HELPING THEM TELL THEIR SUCCESS STORIES AND CONNECTING THEM TO EACH OTHER THROUGH EDUCATIONAL AND CONVENING OPPORTUNITIES.