We are excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for the next round of Project Accelerator. This round will focus on Colorado communities, providing 250 hours of pro-bono assistance to support innovative projects in sustainable and equitable water management. The Accelerator is open to cities, towns, or special districts responsible for drinking water, wastewater, and/or stormwater services.
With two Colorado Regional Project Accelerators under our belt, WaterNow seeks to build on our robust library of sustainable water project examples and resources, foster knowledge-sharing and collaboration, and continue laying the groundwork for innovative, regional solutions. In the most recent round, we selected four projects in Colorado, ranging from landscape ordinance development to commercial, industrial, and institutional water use benchmarking to data-driven non-functional turf conversion prioritization. Participating communities from the second round include The City and County of Broomfield, Eagle River Watershed Council & Eagle County Conservation District, Longmont, and Thornton.
The support provided by Project Accelerator is flexible and intended to best support communities’ unique needs. Support can encompass program design and management, policy and legal analysis, community stakeholder outreach, communications strategy, data analysis, and sustainability expertise. In addition to the examples above, past projects have developed a roadmap to navigate federal funding opportunities for water infrastructure and resiliency needs, created a comprehensive water efficiency communication toolkit, and developed a direct installation program of high-efficiency appliances for income-qualified customers. You can view all of our previous and current Project Accelerators here.
While there is an endless list of potential projects, they share goals of implementing sustainable solutions, advancing social equity, and fostering climate resilience. To view additional examples of past projects, view responses to frequently asked questions, or to apply, visit WaterNow’s website. Applications will close Friday, February 2, 2024.
If you are interested in applying and have questions, please email Amy Weinfurter ([email protected]) and Victoria Arling ([email protected]). We are happy to answer your questions via email or by hoping on a call!
Are you a water leader interested in Project Accelerator, but not located in Colorado? Consider becoming a WaterNow Alliance member to be notified of future application rounds, including national rounds to which any water service provider can apply. Stay tuned for more!
Image source: Photo by Nathan Anderson on Unsplash.