A project of ISS, the Urban Sustainability Accelerator (USA) helped cities implement sustainability projects – that is, to move their proposals from a concept, plan, policy, or action item to reality.
USA employed a unique model: it provided a year-long program of expert advice and support for participating cities in implementing an important sustainability project or program.
Each city created an implementation team with leaders from the public, private and nonprofit sectors in their areas. These teams then formed a cohort group for mutual learning and support during the year. Each year began and ended with a convening of the city implementation teams during the summer in Portland, Oregon.
The assistance provided was of every type--technical, strategic, administrative, legal and political--and was provided with help from more than 70 established sustainability experts and each city's fellow cohort members.
Contact isspsu@pdx.edu with questions about the Urban Sustainability Accelerator
Resources on the Urban Sustainability Accelerator:
Cities' Green Accelerator
Portland: A living laboratory for green cities