National League of Cities to Support Community Resilience in Eight Cities

National League of Cities awards grants to Alton, TX; Arlington, MA; Cedar Rapids, IA; Dubuque, IA; Flagstaff, AZ; Portsmouth, NH; Raleigh, NC; Spokane, WA to participate in the 2021 Leadership in Community Resilience Program 

Washington, D.C. – Today, the National League of Cities (NLC) announced eight new cities for the Leadership in Community Resilience program. Each city will receive $10,000 in direct financial support as well as technical assistance and advisory services from NLC staff and partners to help them meet community-specific resiliency goals.  

The eight cities selected for the 2021 Leadership in Community Resilience Program are:  
Alton, TX; Arlington, MA; Cedar Rapids, IA; Dubuque, IA; Flagstaff, AZ; Portsmouth, NH; Raleigh, NC; Spokane, WA. 

“Climate-related events such as the intense winter storm we just faced are paralyzing local communities. These and other impacts such as hurricanes, droughts, wildfires, and floods are felt at the local level, in our cities, towns, and villages,” said Clarence E. Anthony, CEO and Executive Director of the National League of Cities (NLC). “We are thrilled to be supporting the staff and elected leaders of eight new cities through our Leadership in Community Resilience Program. It is our hope that by elevating these innovative resilience projects, even more member cities can learn from and adopt resilient and equitable practices.” 

Now in its fifth year, the Leadership in Community Resilience program is generously supported by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Wells Fargo. The program offers training, tools, and partnerships to support local government leaders as they prepare their communities for extreme events as well as long-term climatic and social stressors.  

Officials from each city submitted a proposal detailing resiliency challenges in their community and proposed projects that could support local capacity building activities such as workshops for city staff, residents, and/ or nonprofit partners.  

Past participants of the grant have created resident-led ambassador programs, held regional resiliency summits, or integrated racial equity into their plans and programs. Cities have leveraged NLC support to marshal over $1,000,000 in additional contributions and in-kind support. 

“Every city in the country needs a resilient recovery from COVID-19 to build stronger, more equitable communities, said Cooper Martin, Director of Sustainability & Solutions. “Lower income residents and communities of color suffer disproportionately in all kinds of disasters, and we’re proud that this grant supports local efforts to improve the lives of all residents.” 

In addition to the direct support provided to these eight cities, NLC will share their experiences and best practices with other NLC member cities, serving as examples for hundreds of other communities seeking to achieve greater resiliency for their residents and prepare for the impacts of climate change.