Home Field Advantage

By Bernadette Austin

Last week my son and his cousin were comparing notes as fellow soccer players. My nephew described his remote coastal community’s inhospitable field with uneven terrain that made it difficult for visiting teams to navigate. My son described his hydration regime for playing soccer year-round in Sacramento’s high temperatures. For more than four decades, CivicWell has supported local leaders who, like these teenage athletes, hold knowledge about the environment and people who make up their communities and best know how to navigate challenges and maximize assets. 

Local knowledge has been harnessed and shared in many ways by many groups. Community based organizations know the people they serve–their history, culture, strengths, preferences, and more. From the COVID response to disaster communications, CBOs have been critical partners in effectively, efficiently, and respectfully engaging target audiences because of this local knowledge and the trust they have established over the years. For decades, institutions like colleges and regional agencies have collected data about surrounding geographies that give important insights on hydrology, geology, ecology, air quality, human health, and more. For generations, traditional ecological knowledge has passed down within Tribal communities about the relationships between people with other living things and their environment and can inform the future in areas like forest management. 

In the second half of this year, CivicWell will continue our legacy of supporting local leaders and honoring their knowledge in a variety of ways. Next week, the California Climate and Energy Collaborative (CCEC) Forum will convene more than 500 participants around the theme of “Hope in Action: Local Leads the Way.” This year’s conference will spotlight the critical role of local leadership in shaping a sustainable future amidst an uncertain climate landscape. By showcasing how grassroots initiatives and regional collaborations are driving innovation and equity, this Forum underscores the importance of local action as the cornerstone of climate resilience and progress. In the fall, we will be convening a webinar series. This year’s topics include rebuilding housing after disaster, building back with efficiency and electrification, the circular economy, and the future of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF). In the meantime, CivicWell’s Resource Library has recordings of past webinars on topics like creating a Climate Resilience District and Innovative Investment Strategies for Climate Resilience. Through the end of this year, we will continue our long-term commitment to providing technical assistance and capacity building for local governments and CBOs. With the state budget finalization, state agencies will be more certainty about the availability of funds to support locals, including thorough CivicWell’s Community Design Program. Last but certainly not least, CivicWell is strategizing ways to rebuild and grow our policy presence during an important period of time. 

We look forward to continuing to deepen partnerships with local leaders from the government agencies and CBOs that know their communities best.