CLASS Study Hall –
Leveraging Federal Programs to Further Sustainability

Room: 212
Time: 10:00am – 11:00am

Two of the most commonly referenced challenges for school districts when it comes to progressing sustainability projects and programs are funding and staff capacity. This panel session will underscore existing Federal programs that provide support in these areas, highlight available opportunities for schools to leverage technical assistance to extend their capacity, and showcase creative fund stacking approaches for improving district facilities. Experts from the New Buildings Institute and the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab will introduce the Efficient and Healthy Schools Program (EHSP), the Energy CLASS Program, and the other DOE programs offering free support to schools.

Attendees will have the opportunity to consider where they are on the spectrum of sustainability projects and program integration, and how these federal programs can support their efforts. Two school districts will present their recent examples of leveraging Federal programs to expand their capacity by capitalizing on programmatic expertise and technical assistance.

Learning Objectives:

Participants will:

Improved understanding of federal programs for supporting school district sustainability efforts, the resources they provide, and the technical support available to districts.

Take next steps toward creating a personalized action plan for advancing sustainability efforts in their own school district, incorporating insights from the workshop and broader conference.

Analyze fund-stacking approaches and other available resources for improving district facilities and advancing sustainability efforts.

Develop actionable strategies for leveraging federal programs, technical assistance, and funding opportunities to expand their sustainability team’s capacity.

Speakers:

Shannon Oliver, Senior Project Manager, New Buildings Institute
Alison Diaz, Founder & Director of Growth & Sustainability, Environmental Charter Schools

Speaker Photos and Bio’s Coming Soon!

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