National League of Cities to Support Community Resilience in Dubuque

DUBUQUE, Iowa – Today, the National League of Cities (NLC) announced Dubuque and seven other 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 Dubuque submitted a proposal detailing resiliency challenges in the community and proposed a project focused on energy efficiency in rental units and local capacity building with teens from the Multicultural Family Center. “Energy efficiency measures will help the City meet its 50% by 2030 greenhouse gas reduction goal, build resiliency in our housing stock and support renters with housing affordability. This project supports our goal to be a more sustainable, resilient and equitable City as we address current and future climate issues impacting our most vulnerable residents,” said Gina Bell, sustainability community coordinator for the City of Dubuque. 

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.

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