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Technical Assistance for Energy Communities Webinar Series – Webinar #3

January 24, 2023 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm EST

Many energy communities need help identifying, applying, and managing financial assistance that could diversify and revitalize their economies. These communities often also struggle to coordinate with other organizations in their region to pursue larger opportunities that typically involve collaborative applications.

In these instances, technical assistance (TA) can begin to fill the gaps and address challenges facing energy communities. TA is the process of providing targeted support usually in the form of consulting and advice rather than direct financial awards to a community or organization with a development need.

The Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization (Energy Communities IWG) is hosting a three-part webinar series highlighting federal and non-federal technical assistance opportunities to benefit energy communities.

Webinar #1: 1:00-2:00 pm on Tuesday, January 10, 2023

The first webinar will focused on the federal READY Appalachia and Rural Partners Network technical assistance programs. The video and materials from Webinar #1 are available here

Webinar #2: 1:00-2:00 pm on Tuesday, January 17, 2023

The second webinar will focus on the thriving communities and environmental justice programs led by the U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Webinar #3: 1:00-2:00 pm on Tuesday, January 24, 2023

The third webinar will highlight non-federal technical assistance programs.

Agenda

TOPICSPEAKERSEASTERN TIME
Welcome & OverviewBrian Anderson
Executive Director
Energy Communities Interagency Working Group
1:00 p.m.

IWG Technical Assistance Opportunity Demonstration

Briggs White
Deputy Executive Director
Energy Communities Interagency Working Group
1:05 p.m.

Technical Assistance Spotlights

 

Rural Community Assistance Partnership
Nicole Manapol
Community and Economic Development Specialist

Sukhwindar Singh
State Manager, PA
Director Of Education and Training

Just Transition Fund
Heidi Binko
Executive Director & Co-Founder

Natalie Roper
Director of Special Projects

Discussion with all speakers
1:10 p.m.
Q & A1:45 p.m.
Closing RemarksBrian Anderson
Executive Director
Energy Communities Interagency Working Group
1:55 pm
Event Concludes2:00 pm

Speakers

Nicole Manapol, Senior Community & Economic Development Specialist, Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP)

Nicole Manapol is the Senior Community & Economic Development (CED) Specialist for the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP). RCAP is a national network of seven nonprofit partners working with small, rural, and tribal communities to elevate rural voices and build local capacity to improve quality of life – starting at the tap.

Prior to joining RCAP, Nicole spent 15 years as an international development practitioner designing and leading a variety of programs from small community-based projects to large-scale global initiatives focused on poverty alleviation, workforce development, tech, and education. Working on behalf of the US State Department, Microsoft, USAID, and the higher education sector, Nicole has lived and worked in 14 countries across Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa, and the Asia-Pacific. What she loves most about her line of work is creating opportunities for people, organizations, and communities to realize their potential.

Nicole is a Peace Corps Fellow with an MPA from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies and holds a BS in International Affairs from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.

Sukhwindar P. Singh, State Manager, PA, Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP)

Ms. Singh provides leadership and oversight to the RCAP Solutions Technical Assistance Providers that work in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. She also provides direct onsite technical assistance to communities. Ms. Singh joined RCAP Solutions in October 1994 after working as a Training Specialist with the National Environmental Training Center for Small Communities at West Virginia University. She brings a total of 26 years of technical and training experience with small and rural low-income communities throughout Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Ms. Singh received her B.A. in Chemistry from West Virginia University and M.S. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Toledo.


Natalie Roper, Director of Special Projects, Just Transition Fund

Natalie develops and oversees special projects at the Just Transition Fund. She previously worked as Executive Director of Generation West Virginia for seven years, developing and leading a diverse set of programs and policy initiatives to expand economic opportunity in the state. Specifically, she designed workforce development and broadband expansion initiatives that now serve as national models for other rural communities. Her experience also included developing and leading bipartisan policy coalitions that led to successful passage of legislation expanding internet access, accelerating entrepreneurship, and driving local community development. Through all of this work, she saw firsthand what is possible when people most impacted by transition are at the center of developing solutions and brings this on-the-ground experience and understanding to her work at the Fund. Natalie has a B.A. and M.P.P from the University of Virginia and currently lives in Charleston, West Virginia.


Heidi Binko, Executive Director & Co-Founder, Just Transition Fund

As the co-founder and executive director of the Just Transition Fund, Heidi is responsible for the design and the overall strategic direction of the organization. With more than 17 years of philanthropic experience on climate, coal, and energy issues, Heidi has worked with coal communities throughout the US and internationally in Australia. In her previous position as Associate Director for Special Climate Initiatives at RFF, Heidi helped develop and grow the Institute of Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. Before joining RFF, she was the executive director of the WestWind Foundation, a family foundation based in Virginia. She also previously served as co-chair of the board of directors of the Environmental Grantmakers Association (EGA) and co-chair of the Climate and Energy Funders Group, a project of the Biodiversity Funders Group. Heidi holds degrees from Yale University and the University of Notre Dame.

Details

Date:
January 24, 2023
Time:
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm EST
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