The North Memphis Volunteers, Organizing, Inspiring, Cultivating, and Education (V.O.I.C.E.) Coalition, supported by SPARCC, is a community-driven initiative that addresses disparities and empowers residents. This case study explores the journey of The North Memphis V.O.I.C.E. Coalition, a collaborative table focused on 20+ neighborhoods in North Memphis. Comprised of residents, community-based organizations, and institutional partners, The […]

This case study examines how SPARCC’s support empowered a collaborative in Denver, Mile High Connects (MHC), to foster relationships, streamline collaboration, and drive forward equity-centered changes in the Denver metropolitan region. MHC worked to address displacement by focusing on advancing transit equity through community-driven development and community ownership. With SPARCC investments and support, MHC collaborated […]

This SPARCC case study highlights how the Bay Area for All (BA4A) collaborative, brought about policy change and equitable community development through community-centered work, ultimately improving the Bay Area’s housing crisis. BA4A, a collaborative table formed under SPARCC, consists of various coalitions and organizations that shared expertise and resources to advance  the “3Ps of housing” […]

The following case study on the TransFormation Alliance (TFA) showcases SPARCC’s contribution towards systems change work in Atlanta. TFA’s story is an example of how leveraging SPARCC resources to engage community members and organizational stakeholders can lead to equity-centered planning and community power building to advance policies and capital projects. The case study digs into […]

By Mikyla Reta The Strong, Prosperous, and Resilient Communities Challenge (SPARCC) is a national initiative created to address the structural barriers facing low-income communities and communities of color that continue to feel the effects of historical redlining, environmental and climate injustice, lack of equitable transportation infrastructure and persistent discrimination. A key focus for SPARCC partners, […]

SPARCC was built on the foundation of bringing community autonomy to health, climate change, and racial equity. This approach is deliberate given the three are inextricably linked in shaping inclusive cities and successful outcomes.

The “Second City” has always been a place of change and renewal. Chicago, a city that was devastated by the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, has proved its resiliency time and time again by continuing to reinvent itself.  Chicago is home to 77 community areas including Bronzeville and La Villita (Little Village), Chinatown and Uptown, […]

By Nick Collins Climate-related disasters displaced over 1.7 million Americans in 2020 alone. This figure doesn’t include the increasing displacement caused by secondary effects of climate change—the decrease in affordability, the rising cost of energy, and the loss of land via erosion. Without significant investments to increase the supply of affordable housing, federal efforts to […]

Energy efficiency requires technical expertise and flexible funding. How do we change that so all communities can benefit?