Communities across the region are driving local climate progress through creative, boots-on-the-ground projects, in partnership with our Climate Action Fellowship!

Climate Fellows are revamping budgets, updating policies, and researching greener procurement. They’ll present their fellowship project results at the 2025 Local Government Climate Fellowship on August 20, ensuring every dollar supports a healthier, greener future.

Here are some of the Climate Action projects in process:

Over the past few months, many conservation partners in the Greenspace Alliance have been drastically impacted by decisions made at various levels of government. And even though we are a few months removed from some of the most drastic changes, they are still reverberating throughout the work that partners are (and are not) doing. Additionally, legislation introduced at the national level is threatening historic standards for clean waters and will be giving more power to corporate polluters.

If you have never contacted your representatives, whether locally, or at the state and federal levels, check out the Greenspace Alliance’s new guide on “How to Connect with Your Representatives”. It features a script, along with ways to contact your local, state, and federal representatives. Access the guide here.

The 25 Communities Project kicked off this week! Over the coming year, we’ll provide participating communities with climate-focused trainings, resources, and technical assistance to help further their resilience goals. By the end of the project, participating governments will be prepared to create climate action or sustainability plans. The documents can provide roadmaps to address everything from hazards like extreme rainfall to strategies to reduce planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. At this time, fewer than 10 local governments in our region have climate action plans.

Want your community to join the 25 Communities Project? Check out our website here.

Recent federal action has resulted in major changes to the funding landscape for clean energy projects. In this free webinar, Nikki Vandivort, an energy policy expert with the City of Cincinnati’s Office of Environment and Sustainability, will share how passage of the “Big Beautiful Bill” is reshaping incentives and funding opportunities for clean energy and energy efficiency.

This interactive session will provide valuable insights for urban planners, sustainability directors, building owners, and energy professionals working to advance clean energy adoption. If you own or manage a commercial, public, or multi-family property, and you have been thinking about a clean energy upgrade, please join us to learn more about which incentives are changing, which are staying, and what you need to do to qualify.

This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required.

In June, the Federal House of Representatives’ Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure introduced the H.R.3898 Promoting Efficient Review for Modern Infrastructure Today (PERMIT) Act, which is described as “cutting red tape” and “increasing Clean Water Act permitting efficiency”. In practice, the bill would limit the scope of the Clean Water Act by redefining “navigable” waters to exclude waste treatment systems, areas where waters overflow because of precipitation, converted croplands, groundwater, or any other body of water determined to be excluded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

If the bill passes, the Clean Water Act – which requires regulation of dumping into and polluting of water sources – would no longer apply to any of the above water systems. Opponents have called it the “Permission to Pollute” Act, saying that the bill will give free reign to polluters to discharge hazardous waste like PFAS into waterways without consequence.

The State of Indiana is no longer moving forward with its climate action plan. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) released the state's initial climate plan last year with the help of a $3 million grant from the Biden administration’s Climate Pollution REduction Grants program. Though it was passed over for an additional grant in 2024, IDEM said it would still go through with the plan at the time. 

In April, Indiana Governor Mike Braun ordered the IDEM not to further develop climate plans under federal programs without the consent of the governor or the state legislature. In a statement, IDEM said it spent about half of the grant money awarded; the rest will be returned to the Environmental Protection Agency. 

The University of Cincinnati ‘s Center for Collaboration on Climate and Community for Health (C4H) is researching extreme heat and its impacts on health. They are looking for participants who are residents of Avondale, Bond Hill, Lower Price Hill, or Cincinnati, ages 50-84, who currently live in a home without air conditioning. Participants will be compensated for their work in this study. To learn more about the opportunity, contact Victoria Straughn (513-558-0687) or Adair McWilliams (513-549-1142).

The 2025 Ohio Energy Conference is the premier gathering for energy providers, technology innovators, and consumers looking to connect, collaborate, and stay ahead of the curve. Whether you’re seeking new customers, career opportunities, or insights into Ohio’s evolving energy landscape, this event offers unmatched access to the people and ideas shaping the industry’s future.

The Ohio Energy Conference is hosted annually by the Energy Coalition of Ohio. This year’s conference will be October 20 & 21 at Mitchell Hall at Columbus State. Discounted tickets are available to friends of Green Umbrella (like you!) while supplies last! Visit our website to learn more.

Crafted with curiosity and wonder in mind, Gorman Heritage Farm’s NEW Nature playscape features winding paths, climbable logs, a play barn structure, tractor tires for climbing, arbor swing, and other natural elements that transform sticks into forts and tree stumps into thrones. Come celebrate the grand opening!

The community is invited to enjoy and explore Gorman Heritage Farm for FREE! Admission for this day is waived so kids of all ages can let their imaginations soar as they explore this natural alternative to traditional playgrounds, with features carefully crafted to encourage unstructured, creative play in an enriching environment. Want to learn more? Join us at the July Green Drinks on July 24, co-hosted by Groundwork Ohio River Valley and the Cincinnati Center for Climate Change and Health.

Click here for the full Events Calendar. Members can submit events in the Green Umbrella online portal here.

Be part of an amazing crew of 200+ volunteers who help make Ohio River Paddlefest, the nation’s largest paddling event, a success! We have opportunities to volunteer at the Outdoors for All Expo, our Paddlefest pre-party on Friday, August 1, and at Paddlefest on Saturday, August 2.

We’re especially in need of volunteers for our Green Team, which helps us work towards our zero waste goal by directing attendees to dispose of trash, recycling and compost appropriately. See more information and how to sign up for a volunteer shift here.

Cincinnati Parks is seeking a collaborative, innovative, and motivational leader for our Planning & Design Division. The primary focus of the Planning and Design Division is to manage Parks’ Capital Improvement Program, which is seeing an infusion of funding through the newly created Cincinnati Southern Railway Trust.

The new leader of Planning and Design will help develop and implement the plan to preserve, renovate, and improve Parks, greenspaces, facilities, and amenities throughout the city. See the full description and how to apply for this position here.

Have an event, volunteer opportunity, or job posting to share? Green Umbrella members can submit them via the online Membership Portal. To learn more about the benefits of becoming a member, click here.