Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities
About the Program
- What is the focus of this round of Building Blocks?
- Who can submit a letter of interest for Building Blocks?
- Does the Building Blocks program provide a grant to participating communities?
- Who provides the planning assistance?
- What is the Next Steps Memo, and what does it contain?
Requests for Planning Assistance
6. When are letters of interest due, and how do I submit one?
7. What does EPA look for in letters of interest?
About the Program
1. What is the focus of this round of Building Blocks?
This upcoming round of Building Blocks assistance will focus on mitigating urban heat islands in disproportionately affected neighborhoods. Heat islands are urbanized areas that experience higher temperatures than outlying areas. Structures such as buildings and roads absorb and re-emit the sun’s heat more than natural landscapes such as forests and water bodies. Urban areas, where these structures are highly concentrated and greenery is limited, become “islands” of higher temperatures relative to outlying areas. The effects of heat islands include heat-related death and illness, impaired water quality, increased air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions and increased energy consumption and costs.
Research shows that urban heat islands are often linked to demographic factors such as income and race. Research shows some groups in the U.S., particularly those that are low-income and people of color, live in neighborhoods with higher temperatures relative to adjacent neighborhoods in the same city. The studies identify historic redlining as a contributing factor.
Smart growth is a key strategy for reducing urban heat islands, as well as other measures that counteract the impact of the built environment on urban temperatures. These include:
- Increasing tree and vegetative cover.
- Installing green roofs.
- Installing cool (reflective) roofs.
- Using cool pavements (either reflective or permeable).
This round of Building Blocks will include a pilot youth engagement module that will supplement the assistance for up to three (3) communities. Youth are a key part of all communities but are often left out of meaningful planning discussions. Engaging youth in city planning can help address intergenerational equity and ensure that the needs of future generations is prioritized. To support youth engagement, the Building Blocks program will engage youth-serving groups local secondary and/or higher education partners in the process. Each partner organization will work with EPA to develop an engagement opportunity to ensure that young people have a voice in shaping, and take a leadership role on implementing, the resulting action plan.
2. Who can submit a letter of interest for Building Blocks?
We are accepting letters of interest from new or existing partnerships between a local, county, or tribal government and a neighborhood or community group. The purpose of this is to ensure that the residents of the affected neighborhood are meaningfully involved in the process from the outset. This will also serve as an opportunity to strengthen the relationship between that organization and the local government. Some examples of these organizations include community-based organizations, faith-based groups, neighborhood associations, locally-focused nonprofits, etc. These organizations should represent the affected community.
Applicants must be located in, and project activities must be conducted within, the United States, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands or American Samoa. Regional councils of governments are encouraged to learn about the program, especially in selected communities, but the assistance is directed toward one jurisdiction.
3. Does the Building Blocks program provide a grant to participating communities?
Building Blocks is not a grant program, but it does work to connect communities to funding opportunities. The program itself provides planning technical assistance to help communities develop and implement smart growth solutions in their community. Communities receive targeted facilitation and coaching from subject matter experts; connection with local, regional, state and federal partners; and the convening of a 1.5-day in-person workshop to bring together residents and other partners. This process often leads to connection with resources to help the community implement their Next Steps Memo.
4. Who provides the planning assistance?
The planning assistance team will be selected by EPA and will include federal staff and experienced planning contractors hired by EPA through a competitive solicitation. In preparation for the workshop, the assistance team will work with the local steering committee to identify and invite other partners who will add to the support for the community.
5. What is the Next Steps Memo, and what does it contain?
At the conclusion of the Building Blocks planning process, the community will receive their Next Steps Memo, which is the final deliverable for the project. This memo provides the community with a documented record of the Building Blocks project, which is helpful to maintain momentum for the implementation of the action plan and also to show prospective partners and funders a plan that has local involvement; regional, state, and federal support; and expert guidance.
Next Step Memos are typically 25 to 30 pages long. They typically contain:
- A narrative section detailing information the community context and what challenges or opportunities led it to apply.
- A detailed overview of the workshop.
- A detailed action plan that the community developed during the process.
- Appendices listing additional resources, attendees, and other relevant information.
Requests for Planning Assistance
6.When are letters of interest due, and how do I submit one?
The deadline to submit letters of interest is December 12, 2024 by 5:00 pm Eastern Time.
Additional information and instructions on submitting your letter of interest can be found here: Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities 2025 Request for Letters of Interest (pdf) (718.57 KB, 10/30/2024)
7. What does EPA look for in letters of interest?
For each Building Blocks round, the request for letters of interest will describe the evaluation criteria in detail. Typically, interested applicants will create a two-page write-up detailing how the assistance will help the community. Evaluation criteria generally includes:
- The applicant must be eligible as described above.
- The community understands and supports the principles of smart growth.
- The community must articulate their heat island challenges and explain why the assistance will lead to measurable change on those issues.
- The community must be able to demonstrate how it anticipates using the results from the EPA-led team to implement changes locally.
- The applicant must commit to include underrepresented communities throughout the process.
- Elected officials, such as mayors, county commissioners, and city council members, must support this project and be committed to its success.