Three groups in Western Hemisphere get MacArthurs
Two Chicago-based groups and one in the Caribbean have been given MacArthur grants for their work involved sustainable technology and neighborhoods. Each will get $650,000 in the annual MacArthur grants to non-profits.
1)Caribbean Natural Resource Institute – Port of Spain, Trinidad. For over 30 years, the Caribbean Natural Resource Institute (CANARI) has championed biodiversity conservation, built alliances among the region’s diverse island nations and organizations. They work to harmonize needs of people and the health of their coastal environment. It's protected watersheds, ensured a role for civil society in managing threatened natural resources, designed innovative training programs and provided clear-sighted analysis in community-based tourism, sustainable fisheries and forestry. It is currently playing a leading role in helping governments and civil society in the Caribbean deal effectively with the extraordinary challenges of the climate crisis.
2) Center for Neighborhood Technology - Chicago, Illinois. The Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) uses cutting-edge research to develop environmental sustainability and economic health in cities. CNT works with cities and regions to analyze greenhouse gas emissions and identify mitigation strategies. Other projects: a Housing and Transportation Affordability Index; I-GO, a membership-based car sharing organization; and the Preservation Compact Energy Savers Program, which offers energy audits and low-cost loans to retrofit affordable rental housing.
3) Chicago Community Loan Fund - Chicago, Illinois. The Chicago Community Loan Fund (CCLF) is a leading resource for small and mid-size real estate developers and nonprofits in Chicago. CCLF provides low-cost, flexible financing and technical assistance to encouraging use of sustainable building technology. In 2008, CCLF celebrated the opening of Phase I of Whistler Crossing, a 132-unit, environmentally-friendly affordable housing development, at a time when the area faced a 13 percent unemployment rate.