NCSA “Cool Blocks LA” proposal submission approved by ​My LA2050 Grants Challenge

Last week, the Neighborhood Council Sustainability Alliance (NCSA) submitted a proposal for a new Neighborhood Council-focused sustainability and resilience initiative, called “Cool Blocks LA,” to the 2015 My LA2050 Grants Challenge. The NCSA advances sustainability and resilience across Los Angeles through advocacy, sharing of best practices, and community action. The “Cool Blocks LA” program will build planet-friendly, disaster resilient, socially connected neighborhoods in LA, block by block. By the end of the Cool Blocks LA pilot year, at least 10 neighborhood block teams across three Los Angeles communities will complete the program. In the process, these teams will reduce both their carbon and water footprints by an average of 25% while getting to know their neighbors and building their personal and shared resiliency.

A cool block is the organizing unit for this social change initiative. In collaboration with Neighborhood Councils and Cool Block program creator David Gershon, the NCSA will facilitate the selection of 10 Cool Block neighborhoods and leaders at three Cool Block Cafe events. Each participating neighborhood will be supported in the formation of a Cool Block Team of neighbors who live on a single block or in the same building. Following in-person training of Cool Block Leaders, each team will meet nine times over a five-month period, for the shared purpose of supporting their peers’ desires to live healthy and sustainable lifestyles, improve personal and collective disaster resiliency, build social bonds, and enhance the livability of their block.

Over the weekend, the proposal was approved as an entry in the My LA2050 “Live” category. Public voting begins next Tue, Oct 20. Please vote to show support for the NCSA!