Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN)

USDN is supported by several large left-of-center philanthropic organizations involved in environmentalist grantmaking, including the Bezos Earth Fund, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the McKnight Foundation, and Bloomberg Philanthropies. ²

Background

The Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) was established in 2008 by a group of local government professionals interested in addressing climate and sustainability issues by sharing knowledge and best practices. ³ USDN has grown to a network of over 250 communities and 2,000 members across the United States and Canada. ⁴ Members share knowledge and resources to improve “sustainability and climate challenges.” USDN provides support through coaching and technical assistance, capacity building, and leadership. ¹

Work Areas and Projects

Urban Sustainability Directors Network offers several training programs focused on equity and climate. The Equity Foundations Training course and the Equity Practice Series teach “the importance of addressing inequities and climate challenges together.” The Practical Climate Action in 2024 and the Urban-Based Climate Solutions Accelerator programs encourage local climate action. ¹

USDN has developed the “Resilience Hubs” concept to increase community capacity and support the local environment before, during, and after a natural hazard event. Its Resilience Hubs website provides information, white papers, and guidance on building and maintaining a Resilience Hub in a community. In a USDN-hosted webinar on the concept, cities were encouraged to leverage “major federal awards from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act” to build these hubs. ^{5 6}

Its grant programs provide funding for innovation in climate change preparedness and energy related products. Donors to the USDN Innovation Fund include the Barr Foundation, the JPB Foundation, the Surdna Foundation, and the McKnight Foundation. ⁷

USDN partners with the Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC), along with Emerald Cities Collaborative, the Trust for Public Land, and River Network to award grants to support climate and sustainability solutions. In February 2024, ISC and its partners were selected as the National Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaker by the Environmental Protection Agency and received $50 million in funding. ⁸

The Partners for Places program provides grants to communities to support the implementation of urban sustainability projects. It is co-sponsored by the Funders Network and USDN and supported by the JPB Foundation, the Kendeda Fund, the Kresge Foundation, and the Pisces Foundation. ⁹ In May 2024, the city of Oakland was awarded $150,000 through Partners for Places to create a Resilience Hub. ¹⁰

USDN is a grantee and a partner of the Greening America’s Cities $400 million initiative funded by the Bezos Earth Fund to build green spaces in urban areas. ¹¹

Fiscally Sponsored Projects

Urban Sustainability Directors Network fiscally sponsors organizations that advance “climate and sustainability goals.” ¹²

The Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance is a group of cities focused on achieving carbon neutrality in the next 10 to 20 years. It is also funded by large center-left philanthropies such as the McKnight Foundation and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. ¹³

The Center for Regenerative Solutions is a group of cities and community-based organizations working to implement regenerative, nature-based solutions to combat climate change. It is also funded by the J. M. Kaplan Fund and the New York Community Trust. ¹⁴ In October 2024, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund awarded $150,000 to USDN to support the Center for Regenerative Solutions. ¹⁵

The Southeast Sustainability Directors Network is a member-driven network of government professionals in the southeast focused on sustainability and climate. Additional funders include the Energy Foundation, the Z Smith Reynolds Foundation, and the Bezos Earth Fund. ^{16 17}

Funding

Urban Sustainability Directors Network reported 2022 revenues of $6,959,055 and expenses of $8,925,526. According to its 2022 Annual Report, USDN had “several multi-year grants in which revenue was claimed in previous years, but expenses were incurred in 2022.” ¹⁸

Major funders include the Barr Foundation, the Bezos Earth Fund, Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Bullitt Foundation, the Kendeda Fund, the Kresge Foundation, the McKnight Foundation, and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. ²

Additional donors include the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, a coalition of mayors focused on combatting climate change, the Trust for Public Land, the Sustainable Markets Foundation, and the Greater Washington Community Foundation. ¹⁹

Leadership

Climate policy advocate Deneine Christa Powell joined Urban Sustainability Directors Network as CEO in April 2024. Previously she was environmental and climate program director at African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs. She also held roles as FUSE Corps as an executive fellow on climate and equity, national program director for EcoAmerica, and executive director of Groundwork Milwaukee. ^{20 21}

Jesse King is board chair of USDN. He is a consultant in leadership, organizational development, and philanthropy and has provided consulting services to large left-of-center nonprofits including the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Children’s Defense Fund, and the Ford Foundation. He has held leadership roles at the Daniels Fund and the Rockefeller Foundation. He has served as a board member of the Funders for LGBTQ Issues and the Chinook Fund. ^{22 23}