Call to Partners

CUSP is seeking one or more partner organizations to collaborate with on each of our transformative change initiatives.

Get in touch: allison@cuspnetwork.ca

We are looking for partners with shared priorities, relevant experience, adequate resources, and staying power for these technical, multiyear, multifaceted initiatives.

We offer a partnership opportunity with staff at CUSP and the sustainability practitioners (and finance practitioners for some initiatives) from Canada’s large urban centres. These local government practitioners are out in front on these transformative change initiatives, not only in Canada, but globally. They continue to grow their technical knowledge in these emerging areas combined with their specialized experience working within Cities. These cities are positioned to design and deliver better practices, and transform systems and structures that hinder the work of climate action, resilience and justice.

Opportunity for impact

Co-design of strategy, approach, evaluation and impact measurement framework

Recruitment of partners and funders

Execution of strategy

Utilization-focused developmental evaluation and impact measurement

Our work together will begin with the development of a design brief that you can use to recruit other partners and funders and/or to communicate to your board and funders: the value of this work, the approach to be taken, and the opportunity for impact through transformation that this initiative, in partnership with CUSP, represents. CUSP cannot advance these initiatives without partner organizations to lead and resource their research and development; we are seeking strong partnerships to establish the conditions for change required of these initiatives and outcomes.

We anticipate partners will come from the following sectors or specialities:

    • Other municipal networks working on climate, equity, community resilience, poverty reduction, housing affordability
    • Policy thinktanks based in foundations, NGOs, or academia
    • Professional, investor, and financial associations
 
    • Graduate-level students and professors for applied research in specialized and emergent or evolving fields (i.e. carbon accounting, TCFD, developmental evaluation, racial justice and decolonization)
    • Data visualization specialists and data-for-good technology companies
 

2021-2025 Partnership Opportunities

Learn more about our ongoing projects, future directions and openings for collaboration. Explore the opportunity statements for each of the six transformative change initiatives, and the cities who will help to steer your work by ground truthing what they need for this change to occur.
Email Allison Ashcroft, CUSP’s Managing Director, to discuss opportunities for collaboration.

Regionally or Locally Determined Contributions (RLCs)

Opportunity statement forthcoming.

Climate-related Financial Risk Disclosures (TCFD) for Cities

Opportunity statement forthcoming.

Science-based Targets (SBTs) for Cities

Opportunity statement forthcoming.

Accessible Financing for Energy Efficiency and Decarbonization

As climate action and recovery dollars flow for the decarbonization of buildings and mobility while stimulating the economy, there is a strong likelihood that many households and buildings will be left behind. When approached with greater intentionality, there is an opportunity to ensure that traditionally marginalized households are included in the recovery and decarbonization of our cities through equitable and accessible financing and incentives offered by municipalities, senior levels of government and utilities.

Centring Equity, Energy Poverty, and Climate Justice in Policy

As municipalities and provinces develop and implement poverty reduction, housing affordability, and economic recovery strategies, there is an opportunity to elevate awareness, deepen understanding, and integrate data, analyses, and solutions to simultaneously advance energy justice and climate resilience.

Developing Impact Measurement and Evaluation Frameworks

Opportunity statement forthcoming.