UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSITY – INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED STUDIESREGIONAL CENTER OF EXPERTISE
IN EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

RCE Greater Portland
Final Draft–September, 2013

Application submitted to:United Nations University–Institute of Advanced Studies

Contact details:
Kim Smith, Ph.D.
Sociology Instructor
Department of Sociology SS 217
Portland Community College–Sylvania
12000 SW 49th Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97219
USA
kdsmith@pcc.edu
Office: 971-722-4097
Fax: 971-722-4959

Contents
Contact Information
1. Introduction
2. RCE Development
3. Geographical Scope and Major Characteristics of the Region
4. Regional Challenges
4.1. Environment
4.2. Education
4.3. Economic
4.4. Equity
5. RCE Vision, Mission, Values, Goals, and Objectives
5.1. Vision
5.2. Mission
5.3. Core Values
5.4. Core Goals and Objectives
6. Strategies to Achieve Vision and Goals
6.1. Ongoing Development Strategy
6.2. Key Priorities
6.3 Programs and Activities to Achieve Goals and Objectives
7. Governance and Management Structure for the RCE
8. Short- and Long-term Resource Arrangements
9. Collaboration among Stakeholders
10. Ongoing and Planned Activities
10.1 Ongoing Projects
10.2 Timeline for Projects
10.3 Sample of Action Plans for Planned Activities
11. Criteria and Milestones for Monitoring and Evaluation
Appendix A: Timeline of RCE Development
Appendix B: RCE Outreach Letter and Pledge FormAppendix C: Stakeholder Meeting Worksheets
Appendix D: Letters of Support
Appendix E: RCE Participation List
Appendix F: Ongoing and Planned Activities
Appendix G: Unemployment Data
Appendix H: Samples of International, State, Regional, City, and Institutional
Initiatives
Appendix I: Sustainability Framework—Triple Bottom Line
References~~Educate, Empower, Engage~~

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Contact Information
PRIMARY CONTACT:Kim Smith, Ph.D.
Sociology Instructor
Department of Sociology SS 217
Portland Community College–Sylvania
12000 SW 49th Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97219
USA
kdsmith@pcc.edu
Phone: 971-722-4097
Fax: 971-722-4959
ALTERNATE CONTACT:Angela Hamilton, M.S.
Education and Student Programs Coordinator, Institute for Sustainable Solutions
Instructor, Leadership for Sustainability Education
Portland State University
P.O. Box 751
Mail code: SUST
Portland, OR 97207-0751
USAahamilt@pdx.edu
Phone: 503-449-9140
Fax: 503-725-2690

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“We resolve to promote Education for Sustainable Development and to integratesustainable development more actively into education beyond the United Nations
Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005–2014).”
United Nations, The Future We Want

Application Committee Members
Ratna Adhar, Geography Student, Portland Community College–Sylvania
Cassie Bellamy, Teacher, The International School
Randy Black, Community Development Student, Portland Community College–Sylvania
Nancy Bond, Portland Public Schools
David Cohen, The Intertwine Alliance
Douglas Cohen, Change Leadership Adviser; Chair, National Youth Initiatives for the US
Partnership for the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development
Angela Hamilton, Education and Student Programs Coordinator, Institute for
Sustainable Solutions and Instructor, Leadership for Sustainability Education,
Portland State University
Amy Higgs, School Sustainability Advisor
Erin Kenzie, Systems Science Doctoral Student, Portland State University
LeRoy Patton, Independent Consultant, Social Sustainability Grant Committee, Portland
State University
Bruce Podobnik, Sociology Professor, Lewis and Clark College
Jake Pollack, Program Manager, Sustainability Leadership Certificate, University ofOregonDeidre Schuetz, Lanyi Fan NGO and Graduate Student, University of Oregon
Marion L. Sharp, Program Manager/Specialist, Continuing Education in the Graduate
School of Education (CEED), Portland State University
Kim Smith, Sociology Instructor, Portland Community College–Sylvania
Jamie Stamberger, Consultant, Stamberger Outreach Consulting
Judy Walton, Sustainability Consultant

Additional Editing Support:
Kathryn Axton Hardin, Retiree
Laura Feldman, Cascadia Sustainability Educator
Steve Kolmes, University of Portland
David Kunz, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
Katrina Shum Miller, Council of Educational Facilities Planners International

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Introduction
The greater Portland region has a wealth of resources—both natural and social. From ourabundant forests, rivers, and mountains to our high level of civic engagement andnumerous green industries, buildings, bike culture, and innovative policies, we pride
ourselves in being sustainability leaders. This is no exception when it comes to education
for sustainable development. With nine regional colleges signed on to the American Collegeand University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, multiple environmental schools, and awide array of community-based formal and nonformal educators, there is no shortage ofopportunities for students and lifelong learners to engage in sustainability education.
However, such a plethora of sustainability resources makes facilitating collaboration
challenging. We hope that the creation of a Regional Center of Expertise (RCE) on
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in the greater Portland area will help us
network together, discover synergies, support each other’s efforts, and increase ourcollective impacts in order to address the ecological, economic, and social challenges in our
region.

Development of Proposed Greater Portland RCE
The journey toward creating a Greater Portland RCE has been a fortuitous process withparticipants across sectors expressing interest in collaborating on behalf of education forsustainable development. The journey began with the United Nations Conference on
Sustainable Development in June of 2012, in Rio de Janeiro (Rio+20). Dr. Kim Smith, aPortland Community College (PCC) sociology instructor, attended Rio+20 as a delegate of
the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). She
worked with higher education representatives from around the world to promote the rolethat education plays in helping achieve sustainable development goals. Her colleagues
introduced her to the UNU system and the RCE model. Upon returning to the United States,
Dr. Smith shared the RCE concept with her colleagues at Portland Community College,
other Portland-area colleges and organizations, and at the AASHE conference in Los
Angeles, in October of 2012, where a session was held to develop international sustainable
development goals (SDGs) for the United Nations. [See Appendix H for list of SDGs]
Everyone expressed a clear interest in developing a framework that would facilitate
collaboration on sustainability projects within the region.
Angela Hamilton, instructor and Education and Student Programs Coordinator at Portland
State University (PSU), was particularly interested, as she had begun envisioning theformation of an RCE in Portland in 2009 while studying Leadership for Sustainability
Education at PSU. She recommended ways to engage across institutions and with othergroups in the community. Through a mutual commitment to ESD, and representing thestate's largest community college and largest university, with the potential to reach over

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124,000 higher education students each year in the greater Portland region, Ms. Hamilton
and Dr. Smith decided to work together.
Beginning with the first stakeholder meeting in November, 2012 [see Appendix A fortimeline], the thirteen original members of the organizing group began gauging interest
among the greater Portland area and found broad support among educational institutions,nonprofits, industry, and government agencies expressed to pursue RCE designation
through the UNU-IAS. This was followed by research on the RCE system and outreach to
RCEs around the world to assess the benefits of becoming an RCE and to identify bestpractices in governance and structure. We received significant guidance from RCEs inAustralia, Canada, England, Scotland, and the United States. The RCE application processalone has already opened up pathways to collaboration and we look forward to seeing how
becoming an RCE will create new opportunities for advancing education for sustainable
development in the greater Portland region.
Members of the application committee have been diligently building bridges with nonprofit
and industry leaders, government officials, educators, students, and community partners.
We have received continued encouragement for the RCE to discover synergies in resources,
support existing efforts and coalitions, and increase our collective sustainability impacts.
While collaborative groups focused on conservation education exist in the greater Portland
region, the multi-sector networking framework offered by the RCE model provides muchpotential for future partnerships to support education for sustainable development.

Geographical Scope and Major Characteristics of the Region
The proposed Greater Portland RCE encompasses the Portland Metro region, which ismainly in the state of Oregon, with one county in southern Washington. The RCE will
include four counties: Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas Counties, in Oregon, andClark County, in Washington. These counties are part of the Willamette Valley ecoregion
and the even larger Cascadia bioregion. The greater Portland region lies at the confluenceof the Willamette River and Columbia River and is characterized by its forested hills,
agricultural flatland, and lush wine country, intersected by rivers and highways. Dottedwith extinct volcanoes and rising to a high point of 1,073 at Council Crest Park in the West
Hills, much of the Metro area is near sea-level. As of the 2010 census, there were 2,226,009
people in the greater Portland region, or the Portland Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).
The largest cities are Portland, Gresham, Beaverton, Hillsboro, and Vancouver, Washington.
The region contains the bulk of Oregon’s population, industry, and commerce. The
population is anticipated to double by 2050, projected to rise to close to four million
people, which will increase pressure on the region’s ecosystems and infrastructures.
The region’s racial and ethnic representation is made up of 81% White, 10.9% Latino, 5.7%
Asian, 2.9% African American, 0.9% Native American, and representations of other groups
and those of mixed race (US Census Bureau 2010). The relative lack of racial and ethnic
diversity in the region is a result of a legacy of discrimination and continues to limit
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Figure 1. Map of the United States, Oregon highlighted

Figure 2. Greater Portland RCE and Metro Region
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engagement of a wide variety of groups in public discourse. The proposed Greater Portland
RCE would facilitate participation and inclusion of all groups in our sustainable
development and restoration efforts, recognizing that all voices and experiences arevaluable and needed.
Culturally and economically, the region is a land of contrasts. Bustling urban areas arenestled within productive rural farmland, with Interstate-5 running the length of the region
from Washington through the Willamette Valley to California. The local economy is shapedby the flow of goods through and from the fertile valley and urban centers that line the I-5
corridor, in addition to the shipping of various goods to Portland by barge and train down
the Columbia and then out to the world on ocean-going ships leaving the Port terminals.
Known for its abundant forests, fisheries, and agriculture, the region has a long history of
reliance on resource-based industries, especially up through the 1950s. The fertile
Willamette Valley remains a major producer of grass seed, fruits, nuts, vegetables, andgrains, as well as poultry, beef, and dairy products. There also has been significant growthin urban farming initiatives and community gardens within the cities. This is contrasted
with the growth of computer technology and alternative energy industries; the region
serves as the headquarters for Intel, Tektronix, Vespa, and Solar World, plus well-known
recreational companies, such as Nike, Adidas, and Columbia Sportswear. The Portland
Metro area is now known as the “Silicon Forest.”
The emergence of a strong environmental movement in the 1960s and 1970s led to thecreation of 1000 Friends of Oregon (a nonprofit dedicated to conserving the state’s natural
resources), the highly recognized urban growth boundary, the protection of farmland in the
Willamette Valley, innovative policies such as extensive recycling and composting
programs and the famous Bottle Bill, which created incentives for recycling aluminum cansand glass and plastic bottles. The Portland region is noted for its superior land use planningand the urban growth boundary has succeeded in focusing density within the urban core, inorder to protect our valuable fertile areas and limit sprawl. Because of its efficient land use
planning, high number of LEED-certified buildings, and public transportation networks,
with extensive light rail lines that continue to expand, Portland has been referred to as oneof the most environmentally friendly, or "green" cities in the world (Shepperd 2007), while
also facing some significant ecological challenges.
As indicated on the following map of ESD providers and potential RCE partners (indevelopment), the greater Portland region has a wealth of groups committed tosustainability. While the region does face challenges, including depopulation and migrantfarm labor in our rural areas, gentrification and strains from growth in our urban areas,and poverty, hunger, and a legacy of industrial waste in both, we are fortunate to have a lotof dynamic groups that are interested in addressing issues of social, economic, andenvironmental sustainability. Residents and visitors alike have a great love for the natural
beauty of the region, with a vast number of people regularly engaging in recreational
activities and organizing to protect the health and integrity of the environment and its
many inhabitants. The dynamic nature of the human-environmental interactions in our
region is highlighted by a tremendous number of groups working on sustainability
education and environmental literacy within this rich geographical context, but much moreneeds to be done to better coordinate our efforts.
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Map by Peter Rugh, Source: Portland Metro RLIS and Google Maps

Figure 3. Google map of sustainability providers in the greater Portland Metroregion, within the Willamette Valley.

Regional Challenges
Greater Portland is known as one of the greenest metropolitan areas in the United States.
Yet our green reputation does not mean the region is free of challenges. In fact, we strugglein at least four major areas of sustainable development: environment, education,
economics, and equity.
Environment
Water and Air Pollution
Greater Portland is defined significantly by our rivers, with the Willamette and ColumbiaRivers transecting Portland and Vancouver, as noted in the maps above. While the rivers
are valuable amenities, they face pollution challenges and dwindling species, such as our
iconic wild salmon. A section of the Willamette in North Portland is a priority US EPA
Superfund Site, after more than a century of industrial use (EPA 2013). Few Portlanders
dare to swim in the river and certain types of fish pose a significant health risk to those
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who eat them. This is particularly problematic for a number of immigrant groups and lowincome residents who depend on fishing as a food source (PBES 2013).
The Columbia River also faces significant threats. This region has been designated for
massive fossil fuel movement through the Columbia River Basin and is also home to themost toxic site in the western hemisphere, the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. Located on
the Columbia River just 160 miles from the Portland metro area, Hanford has beenpolluting the region since its creation in the 1940s (Hanford Watch 2013).
Air pollution is another concern. Oregon has the third largest population in the country at
risk of cancer due to toxic air pollution, with 19 known or suspected carcinogens in
Portland’s air alone (EPA 2011). Air toxics (such as diesel exhaust, benzene, and metals)
continue to be pollutants of concern throughout the Portland region (ODEQ 2013). Sourcesof air toxics in Portland include cars and trucks, wood stoves and fireplaces, businesses,
and products that emit fumes, such as paints. In addition, despite the nearby BonnevilleDam, “only 27 percent of Portland’s electricity comes from hydro (e.g., dams on the
Columbia River), while the remainder largely comes from coal or natural gas” (Portland
Bureau of Planning and Sustainability 2009).
The activities of the proposed Greater Portland RCE will address these challenges bybuilding partnerships between education providers, business, and/or government, and the
media in order to help raise awareness about these issues. We believe these partnerships
will allow us to develop pathways for conducting and working together to identify potential
solutions.
Land Use and Transportation
In conformance with state law (SB 100, 1973), the Portland Metro area created an Urban
Growth Boundary (UGB) in 1973, which directs growth into certain areas, promoting
increased density within the boundary and reducing sprawl. Portland’s UGB is used as amodel for communities around the world to protect surrounding farmland and wilderness
while localizing effects of traffic in urban areas. The region has built a reputation for
innovative transportation, including four light rail lines, two streetcar routes, and morethan 300 miles of bicycle pathways.
Yet congestion and air pollution from traffic remain problems. Traffic continues to increase,
and with an estimated doubling of the population over the next 50 years, urban planners
struggle with how to address our “collective carbon footprint” (Holman, 2008). Large
proposed projects, such as freeway and bridge expansions, the extension of light rail toother counties, and the building of coal terminals are contentious and face huge political
battles.
Such issues will require civic participation and opportunities for education and collective
dialogue. The proposed Greater Portland RCE would facilitate events that raise awarenessabout sustainability issues and foster collaborative discussions around contentious topics.
Education
Organizations providing services or programs aligned with ESD in our region reflect thediversity of community sectors including higher education, K-12, preschools, non-profit
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Page 8organizations, advocacy groups, government agencies, neighborhood coalitions, andbusinesses. More than 450 formal and informal organizations alone offer conservation
education resources in the greater Portland region. This is fueled by demand from
community members, businesses, and voters who place a high value on civic engagement
and our region’s abundant and distinct natural resources. There are also twenty-ninecolleges and universities and twenty K–12 school districts, within greater Portland, eachwith their own strengths and weaknesses. From this network of sustainability education
providers comes an array of talent and innovation in ESD research and practices. The
challenge and opportunity in our region is to coalesce and leverage so many groups fromdifferent organizations, disciplines, and sectors, with varying experiences, diverse ideas,
and limited resources, in order to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and reach of local
efforts to deliver education for sustainable development.
A daunting reality is that Oregon and Washington schools and higher education institutions
have faced tighter budgets for years, while costs continue to escalate. There are a few
model schools and some innovative teachers in the region, but relatively few school
districts and public higher education institutions have meaningfully integrated
sustainability into their operations and curricula. In addition, K-12 teachers face competing
demands on their classroom teaching time, making it difficult to adopt material that isdefined as outside the scope of standardized outcomes and assessment tools.
While our state and local governments have established environmental literacy goals, suchas the 2010 Oregon Environmental Literacy Plan (stemming from the “No Oregon Child Left
Inside Act,” HB 2544), we still struggle to align sustainability curricula with state andindustry needs, implement HB 2544 goals in clear articulation pathways, and provide
multiple avenues for student engagement with sustainability education. Further, thechallenge for educators at all levels is to develop the capacity and knowledge to integratesustainability and associated pedagogies into their teaching.
While coalitions are growing around sustainable economy goals and a variety of industry
advisory boards exist to nurture green certificate programs and internship models, we
could benefit from increased formal curriculum development and collaboration among ESD
sectors. For example, we need more instructors trained to meet the demands of students
who want to develop skills for careers in “green” industries. A current model throughPortland Community College, funded by the National Science Foundation, is the Summer
Sustainability Institute (SSI). The SSI trains instructors in the fields of green building designand construction in order to help them develop new curricula and update their courses. A
similar “train the trainer” model has been developed through the Association for the
Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), which strives to infusesustainability across the curriculum. Even with such trainings, however, there are notenough “green jobs” available for students once they graduate. Therefore, financial
resources for public and private groups to work together need to be sought in order todevelop trainings and create jobs that meet the needs of the future.
An important objective of the proposed Greater Portland RCE is to support thedevelopment of partnerships within the non-formal education sector and between sectors.
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Page 9There is a plethora of groups working on conservation education in the region, yet so often
they work independently and duplicate efforts. We need more partnerships between
groups, across disciplines and issues, and among sustainability professionals from
nonprofits and business. We hope to work with existing coalitions in formal and nonformal education and develop avenues for educators and other professionals to work
together, across institutional and disciplinary boundaries. For example, OregonACE (Adult
Conservation Educators) and the Intertwine Alliance are intentionally working toward
expanding their ESD education and partnership development to increase their collective
impact. By collaborating across sectors, we can engage in sustainability efforts thatmaximize shared initiatives, use resources efficiently, and accelerate sustainable
development in the region.
EconomyAs is a problem throughout the United States and around the world, the Portland Metroregion was hit hard by the recession, affecting regional and state government budgets andhousehold incomes. The region has faced struggles with living wages, food security, andunemployment, with marked differences in these areas between counties and groups.
While the Portland Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)’s average wage was above thenational average for metropolitan areas through the late 1990s, it began to fall in 2000 and
as of 2011 was about 97 percent of the US metro average. Of the four counties in thegreater Portland region, Washington County has consistently had the highest average wage,
experiencing the most dramatic change during the past twenty years. In 2000, the average
wage in Washington County was 121 percent of the US metro average wage. In 2011 it
dropped to 113 percent. In 1990, Clackamas County had the lowest average wage of thefour counties in the greater Portland region, at 85 percent of the US metro average wage. In
2011, Clark County had the second lowest average wage, at 87 percent of the US metro
average wage (Greater Portland Pulse 2011).
The unemployment rate for the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro MSA was higher than thenational rate from August, 2008 to April, 2011. Recently, the gap between the two rates haslessened. In March, 2013, the unemployment rate for the United States was 7.6 and the rate
for the Portland MSA was 7.7. Unemployment rates for every racial and ethnic groupincreased in both the Portland MSA and the United States from 2006-2008 to 2009-2011.
During both time periods, the unemployment rate for African Americans and Blacks,
American Indians and Hispanics were greater than those of Whites and Asians in both thePortland MSA and the United States (Greater Portland Pulse 2013). [See Appendix G for
Unemployment Data]
While the proposed Greater Portland RCE cannot commit to influencing average wages or
employment rates, we do hope to tap into existing industry partnerships in order to help
facilitate educational connections in sustainability capacity-building, industry expertise,and vital community conversations. Furthermore, we plan to encourage educational efforts
that help shift the focus from short-term economic growth to long-term economic security.
With an emphasis on the creation of “green jobs” that address climate change, clean-up andrestoration of damaged ecosystems, and broader guardianship of the region for future
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generations, workforce training and community-based participatory research are bothpotential pathways to help support a sustainable economy in the greater Portland region.
EquityUnfortunately, we also face serious social problems in the greater Portland region that
contradict our reputation for being a progressive, welcoming environment. A
comprehensive report on Multnomah County, the largest county in the Metro area,
highlights the inequities faced by people of color in the region, including lower incomes,
higher poverty levels (at least double those of whites), higher unemployment rates, higher
school dropout rates, and higher rates of incarceration (Curry-Stevens et al. 2010). Some ofthese disparities also affect other groups, including women, people with disabilities,
immigrant groups, people in poverty, and children. Further social inequities are
documented in the recently-released Regional Equity Atlas (Coalition for a Livable Future2013).
Inclusiveness and social equity in Oregon and Washington have been long-term challenges.
With a history of racism and discrimination in the region, many communities have not been
included in broader dialogues about environmental justice issues. In addition, Oregon isoften ranked first in the nation in homelessness per capita, and the homelessness rate isincreasing. Food insecurity is growing, with Oregon ranking among the hungriest states in
the country, and Washington is not far behind (Northwest Harvest 2012).
School systems in Portland and Vancouver are particularly in crisis with low high school
graduation rates and a low percentage of high school graduates considered “college ready,”
particularly among low-income families. Plus, there are many environmental justice issues
throughout the greater Portland region, such as gentrification, food deserts, and higher
pollution rates in poor neighborhoods.
Through education, empowerment, and civic engagement opportunities, the RCE will strive
to create pathways to examine the structural and cultural foundations of these equity
problems in order to move beyond simply responding to the superficial symptoms.
Problems currently include data collection issues (poor or inconsistent data categories,
undercounting, etc.), challenges with research (often conducted by those outside thecommunity without input or participation from the community itself), services designed
and delivered by mainstream providers rather than by community of color providers, andprograms themselves (lacking an accountability structure). A key plan of the proposed
Greater Portland RCE is to facilitate education, research, and dialogues that help movetoward a region where inequities are honestly examined and environmental, social, andeconomic benefits and burdens are shared in a fair and equitable way.

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RCE Vision, Mission, Values, Goals and Objectives
VisionWe envision a healthy, just, and thriving region where sustainability education isprioritized and integrated across sectors; and where everyone has opportunities to shape amore sustainable future.
Mission
The Greater Portland Regional Center of Expertise connects diverse organizations in acollaborative network that multiplies our collective capacity to educate for a moresustainable future.
Core Values
Sustainability: We embrace practices that support care for self, care for each other, andcare for Earth. We commit to using a systems-based approach that honors
interdependence, nurtures meaningful relationships and networks, and fosters synergies,
allowing our communities, environment, and economies to thrive.
Inclusive participation: We commit to living our values by working together to ensure aresilient and thriving Greater Portland, both now and into the future. This involves respectfor diversity of all ages and generations, nationalities, educational levels, andsocioeconomic groups. We value and draw from the knowledge and wisdom of allparticipants, locally and globally, and recognize that expertise comes from lived experience.
All voices must be involved, welcomed, and fully heard to create a community that is not
only sustainable but also flourishing.
Equity and Environmental Justice: We promote equity and social and environmental
justice, in order to help create healthy, vibrant, and thriving communities. Inequities must
be honestly examined so that environmental, social, and economic benefits and burdens
are shared in fair and equitable ways.
Transparency and Accountability: We commit to being open and honest in ourgovernance and practices, providing access to our records, creating feedback loops for
improvement, and modeling true learning as an organization, through our mistakes andsuccesses.
Innovation:
We value and invest in visionary processes, technologies, and solutions-based strategies
that empower lifelong learners to critically examine the foundations of social issues andengage in their communities. Through innovation, dialogue, resource sharing, communitybased research and transformative, lifelong learning, we will offer avenues to help develop
local and global solutions,
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Core Goals and Objectives
To address the above challenges and integrate our vision, mission, and values into ouractions, we propose the following goals and objectives. We define sustainability to include
social, economic, and environmental dimensions that promote healthy, just, and thriving
communities where sustainability education is prioritized and integrated across sectors
and where everyone has opportunities to shape a more sustainable future.
Goal 1. Build a vibrant and diverse regional cross-sector network of individuals andorganizations advancing sustainability education together
Objective a. Stakeholders will have easy access to an array of quality ESD information
and resources through our regional ESD information hub
Objective b. Stakeholders will convene regularly to discuss and share ideas related to
ESD and social equity issues
Goal 2. Advance the development of lifelong sustainability learning opportunities informal, non-formal, and informal contexts
Objective a. Schools, colleges, nonprofits, and other stakeholders will incorporate ESD
into their organizational framework.
Objective b. Create and support opportunities for ESD capacity-building andworkforce development
Goal 3. Increase public awareness about social, economic, and environmental
sustainability and the role of ESD in shaping a more sustainable, healthy, and just futureObjective a. Determine and implement RCE’s political advocacy policy
Objective b. Create and implement an outreach strategy to raise public awareness andincrease involvement in ESD
Objective c. Create opportunities for public dialogue on ESD policies and issues
Goal 4. Model sustainable, innovative, cooperative, and inclusive practices and processes
across sectors and emulate our values within the RCE organization
Objective a. Establish partnerships that facilitate collaboration across non-traditional
lines
Goal 5. Share research and innovative practices in sustainability education to promotepartnerships, learning, and advancements in ESD across the region

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Page 13Strategies to Achieve Vision and Goals
Ongoing Development Strategy
In order to meet the above goals and objectives, the following four-part strategy serves asan organizational development tool. It has been adapted from permaculture design, which
is a continuous cycle that is repeated at regular intervals to facilitate reflection and foster
improvement (Hemenway, 2013).
Observe and Map Assets
The RCE uses a systems approach to identify provider needs, activities, and resources. We
will gather and utilize data about the effectiveness of specific programs and observe
patterns and changes that occur over time and adjust our strategy accordingly. Based ongathered data, opportunities for replication and scalability will become apparent. The workof pioneering leaders will be recognized and built upon. We will make a concerted effort towork directly with existing groups and identify ways to honor their wisdom and experienceand find ways to support each other’s efforts. The RCE's asset mapping results become anew point of observation for setting benchmarks, evaluating progress, and creating
continuous improvement loops.
Re-envision
As the RCE develops we will integrate regular reflection to assess our vision and determine
whether it continues to align with the goals of the group. We will create innovative online
and in-person opportunities for connecting to each other and exchanging ideas in order tomaintain a collective vision. While holding the collective vision on the horizon, the RCE andits stakeholders can support a culture of discovery and experimentation to achieve ourobjectives. We will use inclusive means to facilitate agreement in order to ensure support
from diverse stakeholders.
Plan
The planning stage is two-fold, beginning with identifying the general functions andelements necessary for reaching the agreed-upon vision then defining more specificallywhich functions and tools will be utilized to create a strategic plan for our governancepractices and action plans. At all of our stakeholders meetings, general objectives andactivities have been recommended and continue to evolve. In alignment with permaculture
strategies, we will strive to design each activity so that it performs multiple functions and is
supported by multiple elements to increase our efficiency and collective impact. We willcontinue to engage in strategizing meetings over the months ahead to align our needs with
our activities.
Develop
Once the plan is clear and agreed upon by the stakeholders, it can be developed by drawing
upon permaculture principles such as connecting, catching, and storing existing energy andresources, allowing us to determine how existing initiatives can be leveraged for newly
identified objectives. We want to ensure that stakeholder energy and interests are not
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maximize efficiency and nurture community, we will create action plans that supportchange for the greatest effect, use small-scale intensive systems, and celebrate our
successes.
Implement
In a permaculture process, using systems-level thinking and biomimicry, we will model
natural practices by honoring our inter-connectedness and integrating resiliency andadaptability, allowing for long-term feedback loops that recognize mistakes and facilitate
improvement. Even a well-developed plan could create unintended consequences witheffects that could undermine our overall mission. We will be cognizant of these challenges
and will support each other to achieve our objectives by creating pathways that model
preparedness and offer opportunities to improve in the future.
Key Priorities
Outreach, transformative education, and research and development are key priorities forthe proposed Greater Portland RCE.
Outreach
We are committed to engaging all voices in the RCE process, recognizing that diversity is a
key source of community-building and success. While we have much room for
improvement, we have developed a plan to model our core value of inclusive participation.
The RCE Application Committee has conducted the following outreach to date:
Five public stakeholder meetings have been conducted to collect input, ideas andneeds from the Greater Portland network of ESD stakeholders.
To date, 72 ESD providers are formally engaged with the Greater Portland RCE [seeAppendix E for organizations]
A list of regional ESD providers and stakeholders has been created and continues togrow. Providers are able to add their information to the list via an online form
which populates a Google Excel spreadsheet. Over 430 stakeholder groups are
currently entered, with many groups identifying multiple interested individuals.
Two GIS students from Portland Community College have used the spreadsheet tocreate GIS maps to identify and locate ESD providers within the region.
http://www.pcc.edu/about/sustainability/regional-center-expertise/get-involved/map.html.
Targeted outreach has been conducted to known ESD providers and key
stakeholders to ensure representation by as many diverse community sectors as
possible during the RCE development process.
A list of potential ESD partner organizations for outreach has been developed byasking for recommendations from committee members and key regional partners.
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This list has been sorted by sectors, sustainability issues, and whether or not thegroup is a current partner with the Greater Portland RCE. ESD providers lacking
RCE representation will be prioritized in outreach efforts. See the RCE partner listin Appendix E.
Greater Portland RCE announcement and discussion listservs have been createdthrough PSU to share information among ESD stakeholders. To date, there are 197
individuals registered for the listserv. https://www.lists.pdx.edu/lists/listinfo/unrce-esd
A Greater Portland RCE newsletter has been developed, and is sent monthly to ESD
stakeholders via the listserv, with current news, events, and resources.
A Greater Portland RCE website has been created (hosted on the Portland
Community College website) to provide information and updates:
http://www.pcc.edu/about/sustainability/regional-center-expertise/
Development of a Partnership Pledge Form, allowing stakeholders to document
their commitment to supporting the mission of the RCE through a variety of selfselected methods, advisory work, event planning and promotion, resource
commitments, etc. Signed Partners will be recognized on the Greater Portland RCE
website. [See Appendix B for Pledge Form]
Our plan for continued outreach includes:
Continued use of GIS software to identify ESD providers within the region for
addition to the interactive ESD providers’ map. The map will help inform outreachefforts to ESD providers to ensure outreach to as many providers in the region as
possible.
Continued expansion and improvement of the list of RCE stakeholders to include as
many and diverse stakeholders as possible, including community groups, low
income communities, communities of color, businesses, government agencies,
educational institutions, and individuals.
Development and implementation of an outreach and engagement strategy to
stakeholders identified in the list mentioned above, including direct emails, phone
calls, and face-to-face meetings to ensure representation of all groups throughout all
portions of the RCE: Stakeholder group, Coordinating Committee, Task Forces, andcommitted Partners
Continued broad public and grassroots outreach and engagement throughstakeholder websites, email communication, newsletter, listservs, social media,
meetings, and community forums to seek community expertise and encourage
participation from additional ESD stakeholders and providers.

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Development of a communication plan for continued RCE outreach to signed
Partners to promote continued engagement in ESD and RCE efforts.
Continued, bi-monthly or quarterly stakeholders meetings to collect feedback on
Coordinating Committee and Task Force activities and ideas for improvement or
new initiatives.
Continued monthly newsletter and listserv availability to facilitate forum-style
discussions about ESD, encourage input into RCE efforts, distribute information andopportunities, organize the ESD providers for advocacy efforts, and identify
volunteers to help with specific RCE efforts
Development and delivery of professional development opportunities for theregional ESD provider community (symposiums, topic dialogues, continuing
education credits, certifications, brown-bag lunch presentations, social networking
events, etc.)
Organizing or hosting of one or more summits or conferences per year to facilitate
collaboration, resource sharing and networking among ESD providers[See Appendix E for list of ESD providers that have agreed to engage with the RCE andpotential future RCE ESD partners.]
Transformative Education
Transformative education encourages us to reimagine our ways of living and learning andmotivates us to make the changes necessary to create a more sustainable community andworld. It encourages us to rethink some of the fundamental assumptions of our economic
and social systems and to create new mental models and paradigms.
To foster transformative learning, we commit to promoting and engaging in ESD efforts
that reflect the following values:
To foster the use and creation of innovative and flexible mental models and ESD
approaches, rather than prescribing “one-size-fits-all” solutions
To prioritize participatory, collaborative processes and to actively seek out andincorporate diverse perspectives
To harness the potential of ESD as a reorienting framework for schools,
organizations, and communities, rather than an add-on program
Achieving meaningful systemic change at the regional level depends largely on learning andchange at the individual, organizational, and community levels. At the individual level, weplan to create opportunities for people to expand their consciousness and frame ofreference, and to participate in institutional and systemic change. At the organizational
level, we want to support organizations in creating opportunities for transformative
learning of their staff or target audience. And at the systemic level, we hope to encourage
reorientation of our public school systems toward ESD and to advance cross-sectoral
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Page 17efforts to advance sustainability through education. We believe that this kind of multi-levelstrategy has the potential to foster social learning about sustainability, and ultimately
contribute to meaningful systemic reform.
Research and Development
The third priority of our RCE is research and development. The proposed Greater Portland
RCE is committed to research that is innovative, collaborative, trans-disciplinary, andpractice-oriented—research that especially focuses on addressing the challenges facing
greater Portland. Our intention is to support and connect researchers and practitioners,
including students and community members, in research and development projects thatspan all sectors. This allows us to move forward with our vision of creating a network
where ideas, research, knowledge, and experience are shared and multiplied, creating aculture of synergies and inspiring action towards a more sustainable and equitable future.
As our initiatives for research and development will continuously adapt and flex with theintroduction of many community resources and partner organizations, a statement of ourvalues, intent, and desired processes in the research field is an essential first step.
We commit to promoting and engaging in research that reflects our values by:
Pursuing research and applied projects that are led/co-led by community members
as equal partners and reflect the values and needs of the community
Ensuring research outcomes SERVE the community and are OWNED by thecommunity
Recognizing that expertise is a function of knowledge, experience, and wisdom anddoes not require academic degrees
We intend to support community capacity-building that enriches our understanding of ESD
and develops resources, programs, and practices. We also plan to create opportunities forcollective impact and increased funding through grant proposals in which we collaborate,
rather than compete. Our research and development efforts will emerge from the following
processes:
Collaboration across all disciplines and sectors (including universities, K–12
schools, community, business, governmental and non-governmental organizations)
Incorporation of traditional and nontraditional research methods, including
community-based participatory research, ethnography, empirical studies, GIS (datamapping), and participatory action research
Encouragement of active participation, peer-led and peer-supported initiatives thatshare knowledge, reflect practical and theoretical perspectives, and develop citizen
science and expertise
Promotion of bold and community-supported research agendas around education
for sustainable development at our research institutions
Facilitation of knowledge sharing between academic researchers and communitybased ESD providers about best practices and successful approaches with the goalof developing more accurate models that are both theoretically supported and field
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We commit to participatory research and development that involves, includes, and serves
the community, the region, the planet, and all the peoples therein. Out of this work, we
hope to create an incubator, a creative, safe space (virtual and physical) where people
gather, where they bring ideas (at any level of development) to germinate—a space where
they receive support, encouragement, and feedback to further develop, implement, andinitiate action based on their ideas. We hope to create open-source structures in which theintellectual property belongs to the community and financial benefits come back to thecommunity. We want to use innovative research models, technology, and social media thatcollaboratively broaden and heighten the participatory nature of research that serves theregion. We also envision a technical assistance/training arm that, like Community HealthWorkers (CHWs),1 spreads this knowledge through popular education approaches bothwithin the community/region and beyond.
Programs and Activities to Achieve Goals and Objectives
To achieve the goals and objectives outlined above, we have developed the following list of
proposed programs and activities, organized according to the time frame in which we plan
to implement them. Activities are categorized as existing and ongoing, short-term (within
six months of RCE approval), medium-term (with a year of RCE approval) and long-term(within three to five years of RCE approval). This working document represents someexamples of activities; the list is by no means comprehensive and will be edited to reflect
emerging opportunities and priorities. The Coordinating Committee will manage theoverall communication and convening processes and specific taskforces will be designatedto develop the activities identified to achieve the goals and objectives.
Existing and On-Going
Goal 1. Build a vibrant and diverse regional cross-sector network of individuals andorganizations advancing sustainability education together• Manage and continually update website• Foster idea-sharing on discussion listserv• Create newsletter and share information on announcements listserv• Convene regular stakeholder meetings

1

Community Health Workers (CHWs) are frontline public health workers who are trusted members of and/or havean unusually close understanding of the community they serve. [They] build individual and community capacity byincreasing health knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities such as outreach, community
education, informal counseling, social support and advocacy. (American Public Health Association, 2008). [Taken
from the Oregon Community Health Worker Association (ORCHWA) website.]

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Goal 5. Share research and innovative practices in sustainability education to promotepartnerships, learning, and advancements in ESD across the region• Advertise grant opportunities via the newsletter and website
Short-Term
Goal 1. Build a vibrant regional cross-sector network of individuals and organizations
advancing sustainability education together• Improve and update interactive GIS stakeholder map• Turn current database of stakeholders into searchable, more complete database• Coordinate regular ESD socials for networking, idea-sharing, and peer feedback• Secure several central meeting spaces that stakeholders can use for ESD• Create calendar of regional ESD events and opportunities on website• Promote ESD gatherings and events organized by stakeholders through newsletterand announcements list-serve
Goal 2. Advance the development of lifelong sustainability learning opportunities informal, non-formal, and informal contexts• Create a directory of professional development providers and their specialties• Create a calendar of ESD capacity-building, workforce development, and networking
opportunities on website• Promote existing cross-sectoral capacity building opportunities in our newsletterand listserv
Goal 3. Increase public awareness about social, economic, and environmental sustainability
and the role of ESD in shaping a more sustainable, healthy, and just future• Determine and implement RCE’s political advocacy policy
Goal 4. Model sustainable, innovative, cooperative, and inclusive practices and processes
across sectors and emulate our values within the RCE organization• Post all meeting minutes on website• Create and implement annual process for incorporating feedback from annual
surveyRCE Greater Portland

Page 20• Identify local and regional experienced facilitators and models of inclusive dialogue
with a track record of success in our region
Goal 5. Share research and innovative practices in sustainability education to promotepartnerships, learning, and advancements in ESD across the region• Promote training and familiarity with the Regional Equity Atlas 2.0 tool provided by
the Coalition for a Livable Future (CLF)
Medium-Term
Goal 2. Advance the development of lifelong sustainability learning opportunities in formal,
non-formal, and informal contexts• Coordinate workshops to support stakeholders in incorporating sustainability into
their organizational frameworks, including their operations, facilities, governance,and culture• Offer professional development opportunities for educators to teach ESD andtransformative learning methods• Create a forum to share models of sustainability training• Implement measures to reduce cost of ESD professional development in our region• Work with industry advisory groups to identify training needs for instructors andstudents
Goal 3. Increase public awareness about social, economic, and environmental sustainability
and the role of ESD in shaping a more sustainable, healthy, and just future• Create and implement an outreach strategy to raise public awareness and increase
involvement in ESD• Convene virtual or physical ESD policy dialogues via meetings, newsletter, or
website• Facilitate discussions on challenging issues in our region, e.g., Portland Community
College’s Center for Civic Engagement
Goal 4. Model sustainable, innovative, cooperative, and inclusive practices and processes
across sectors and emulate our values within the RCE organization

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• Create and implement annual survey that rates RCE’s success in living up to ourorganizational values (with the goal of statistically significant improvement in overallrating each year), and implement process for incorporating feedback
Goal 5. Share research and innovative practices in sustainability education to promotepartnerships, learning, and advancements in ESD across the region• Compile existing data or conduct an audit across sectors to identify regional ESD
strengths and successful projects/practices in our region, areas of needed
improvement, and needs not yet being met• Create an online evaluation resource list to assist stakeholders in monitoring andevaluating their ESD efforts• Develop a research directory with ESD-focused literature, program reports, bestpractices, success stories, and lessons learned• Support training in community-based participatory research (CBPR) and popular
education
Long-term
Goal 1. Build a vibrant and diverse regional cross-sector network of individuals andorganizations advancing sustainability education together• Compile stories (and possibly videos) of how local ESD efforts are contributing tosocial, economic, environmental, and educational change in our region
Goal 2. Advance the development of lifelong sustainability learning opportunities informal, non-formal, and informal contexts• Work toward inclusion of sustainability education in Oregon K-12 and college
curricular standards• Offer workshops for nonprofits, industry, and others who may implement ESD
methods with their target audiences
Goal 5. Share research and innovative practices in sustainability education to promotepartnerships, learning, and advancements in ESD across the region• Create an online evaluation resource list to assist stakeholders in monitoring andevaluating their ESD efforts• Develop a research directory with ESD-focused literature, program reports, bestpractices, success stories, and lessons learned, relevant to the challenges facing theGreater Portland area, including a methodology section with strong resources oncommunity-based participatory research (CBPR)RCE Greater Portland

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• Conduct or actively promote research and applied ESD projects that are led/co-led
by community members as equal partners and reflect the values and needs of thecommunity• Identify an appropriate framework for monitoring and evaluating sustainability
efforts in our region• Develop and share strategies for schools and organizations across all sectors toperiodically assess the sustainability literacy of the community• Create a matching tool for interested partners, projects, and funding sources

Governance and Management Structure for the RCE
In order to meet these objectives, the RCE will need to be organized in an efficient andcollaborative structure. The intention of the governance and management model is toserve as an effective and engaging platform for pursuing the mission of the proposed RCE
by being inclusive, transparent, democratic, and efficient. While the Greater Portland RCEwill continue to evolve over time and require flexibility and openness to adapt to changing
partnership engagements and future community needs, we are currently functioning under
the following governance and management structure.
Governance Structure
As encouraged by Louis Sullivan in the design of buildings, we are applying the principle of“Form follows function” to our organization. We intend to address the regional education
for sustainable development (ESD) challenges by actively engaging with groups acrosssectors to develop a common agenda and achieve shared objectives. We hope by creating
an open network that we will be able to think and act strategically and collaboratively,
pursue measurable strategic outcomes, define new opportunities by connecting our assets,
and recognize leadership as a shared responsibility (Purdue Center for Regional
Development 2013). ESD stakeholders from across the region are in the process ofidentifying our unique functions and how best to work together and share responsibilities.
The coordinating committee (formerly the application committee) has proposed an organic
model of governance (see diagram below), incorporating different levels of participation(Wenger, McDermott, & Snyder, 2002). The coordinating committee has led the application
writing process, with support from sub-committees, and convened bi-monthly stakeholder
meetings to discuss our vision, values, needs, objectives, projects, and resources [SeeAppendix C for worksheets]. This committee has met biweekly to review the UNU-IAS
guidelines and prepare the application, in consultation with our stakeholders and RCE
mentors. Subcommittees facilitate core management efforts, with taskforces developing
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specific projects. There are opportunities for individuals and organizations across theregion to engage in varying levels of governance efforts and implementation of activities.
Invitations to participate on all levels are open to the public, with some targeted outreachto specific members to insure cross-sector representation and the involvement of
individuals with needed skill sets.

Image by Kim Smith

Figure 4. Proposed RCE Governance Model

Based on recommendations from our stakeholders, with discussions still open to
determine the best model to meet our collective needs, the following list summarizes
current roles and responsibilities:

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The larger stakeholder group serves in an advisory role and has met bi-monthly to
encourage engagement, garner feedback, and offer networking opportunities.
The coordinating committee meets biweekly to develop and revise the RCE
application, discuss outreach and resource efforts, and establish policies. Currently,
the coordinating committee makes executive decisions on organizational andprogram development, in addition to working on the RCE application.
Sub-committees have emerged from the stakeholder meetings based on interest incollaborative initiatives. Sub-committees have met as needed to develop plans for
projects and programs.
The coordinating committee designates and oversees taskforces and requests andincorporates regular feedback from the stakeholders group.
Core members of the coordinating committee have met with lead coordinator Kim
Smith to develop and facilitate agendas for the coordinating committee andstakeholder meetings.
The lead coordinator, or Secretariat, Kim Smith, is responsible for general day-today activities for the application process, engages in stakeholder development andpartnership outreach, and reports to the coordinating committee and thestakeholder group.
Taskforces
The following are the proposed taskforces, with recommended tasks:
1. Governance Task Force Keeper of mission, vision, values, goals, and objectives
 Develop organizational structure/internal policies to meet mission and goals
 Engage in strategic planning Seek out and implement funding opportunities
 Develop strategic partnerships with other regional efforts
 Model accountability and transparency
 Maintain accountability of RCE on issues of diversity, equity, and justice as
they relate to sustainability education
2. Program Development Task Force Develop ongoing programs for members focusing on professional
development and capacity building, including conferences, workshops,
leadership development, internships, etc.
 Foster collaboration and connections among members, including formal andinformal educators
 Develop networking opportunities, including socials and symposiums
 Facilitate discussions about regional issues and challenges
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3. Resource Development Task Force Collect best practices and resources to be shared on website and innewsletters Keep updated calendar/opportunities list for members/public Identify and apply for funding and grants to support staff and project
capacity
4. Curriculum Development Task Force Support curriculum development
 Facilitate articulation agreements
 Develop service-learning opportunities
5. Research Task Force Identify existing research Promote collaborative research opportunities
 Promote and help disseminate research Work with Resource Development team to keep research visible on website
6. Public Outreach and Communications Task Force Manage website, listservs, and newsletter Work on organizational branding and messaging
 Develop and implement plan for outreach, member cultivation, and retention
 Facilitate transparency on RCE goals and actions
 Develop and participate in programs for public engagement to raise publicawareness about education for sustainable development, including
presentations and tabling Insure diverse representation and messaging and actions based on equity
and justice as they relate to sustainability education
7. Policy/Advocacy
 Develop and implement policy on organizational and political advocacy
 Influence broader policy development related to education for sustainable
development
8. Evaluation
 Research and post best practice tools on website
 Develop assessment tools that support transparency and accountability
 Assess outcomes and document results
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Decision-Making
The decision-making model varies based on the level of participation, with stakeholders
serving in an advisory role with some decision-making power on broader issues and thecoordinating committee and subcommittees doing the necessary research to makeinformed decisions on specific management issues. We will strive to support participatory
and consensus-based decision-making, when possible, in order to include a wide-range ofvoices and address dissenting opinions, recognizing that some decisions will be timesensitive and will need to be made by the coordinating committee for efficiency.
The governance sub-committee has recommended not to incorporate as a nonprofit at thistime, but rather to serve as a network of member organizations. We are working with avariety of educational institutions, nonprofits, and government agencies, which can serve
as fiscal sponsors on collaborative projects and grant applications. To highlight the crosssector nature of the group, the proposed Greater Portland RCE is not housed within nor
affiliated with any one organization. Relationships with partners and fiscal sponsors will besought that offer low overhead costs, align with ESD goals, and foster reciprocal
relationships that help achieve a greater collective impact through RCE collaboration.

Short- and Long-term Resource Arrangements
In addition to in-kind participation from schools, non-profits, government, and industry
and funding support from the International School to cover substitute teachers for acommittee member to attend meetings, a core group of three institutional partners—
Portland Community College, Portland State University and the University of Oregon—has
provided resources to the RCE throughout the application process. This includes fundedfaculty, staff, and student participation in the planning and application process, as well as
meeting spaces, website and listserv support, and GIS mapping. The three higher education
institutions continue to provide a variety of short-term resources, with requests submitted
for long-term resource arrangements, as identified below.
Portland Community College (PCC)
PCC has provided course release time to allow Kim Smith to serve in a lead coordinator role
for the RCE application process and through next year, as well as some funding to attend an
RCE conference. Other instructors and staff from PCC have served in advisory roles aroundgovernance and curriculum development, with PCC curriculum oversight provided by the
Sustainable Practices for Academics and Resources Council (SPARC). In addition, PCC has
offered in-kind support with meeting space and the development of an RCE website, hosted
at: http://www.pcc.edu/about/sustainability/regional-center-expertise/. Several PCC
students with backgrounds in community development, GIS mapping, and event planning
are also supporting the project.

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Portland State University (PSU)
PSU has offered staff time and other resources to support the development of the proposed
RCE. Angela Hamilton, who serves as the Assistant Coordinator for the application process,receives time to work on the RCE through her Solutions Generator position at PSU’s
Institute for Sustainable Solutions. She has involved a number of students, including asystems analyst and a club coordinator. She also developed the RCE listserv, to which
members can subscribe. Announcements of regional news, events, resources, andworkshops have been posted on the listserv.
The University of Oregon (UO)
UO has also provided staff support and in-kind resources. Jake Pollack, the Coordinator of
the Sustainability Leadership Program, has received some time to offer staff support, which
has allowed him to coordinate meeting space at UO’s Portland campus and provide
guidance about communications technologies and program development. UO will alsooffer workshops through the Sustainability Leadership Program in the future.
Meeting Spaces
Meetings of the Coordinating Committee and Stakeholder group have been held at each ofthese member organizations, with the location rotating and hosting costs covered asneeded. This sharing of facilities has eliminated the need to pay for meeting space and will
be rotated to other organizations in the future, in order to engage other sectors and receive
their support.
The shared, participatory governance and management structure has also eliminated therequirement for office space. The proposed Greater Portland RCE will be a virtual center inthe short term, with a possible permanent office down the road. The Oregon Zoo, forexample, is building a bond-funded Education Center committed to conservation educationand has suggested partnering with the RCE on programming, displays, meeting rooms, andeven possible office space.
While it is envisioned that the RCE can manage with a minimal budget and staff in the shortterm, it is likely that funding needs will be higher in the future. We recognize that other
RCEs have received funding from their local governments and foundations and we will
pursue additional funding sources in the region, including developing inter-agency or intergovernmental agreements where partners can pay a share of costs to support a common
interest or event.
From surveys from our stakeholders and committee members, potential future resources
available to the RCE include:
Consulting, organizational development and planning support
Cross-marketing promotion and outreach
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Curriculum development and virtual learning communities
Speakers and expertise
Cross-cultural exchange programs
Volunteers, service-learning, and interns
Rituals and retreats
Event management
Fundraising and grant-writing
Leadership development
Graphic and web design skills
Resource archives
Policy advocacy
Evaluation outreach tools
Potential costs and budgets still need to be developed for short-term and long-term goals
and will be addressed in a formal strategic business plan. We will work with different
institutions and nonprofits to apply for grant funds from foundations and government
agencies as needed to support particular projects and on-going ESD activities, andhopefully in collaboration with different stakeholder groups, in order to decrease
competition. With tight state and public school and college budgets, we will have tocarefully assess how best to spend RCE funds.
For now, we are dependent on a few paid part-time staff, volunteers, student interns, andcommunity partners. Students, in particular, are valuable in the RCE work. They provide a
powerful voice in the process, and have time to engage in sustainability work. Whether
they participate in service-learning or enroll in more formal cooperative education orinternship programs, they will have opportunities to engage in applied learning
opportunities, demonstrating true transformative education.

Collaboration among Local and Regional Stakeholders
The greater Portland region has a long history of collaboration, exemplified by efforts
coordinated by 1,000 Friends of Oregon, the Coalition for a Livable Future, theEnvironmental Business Council, the Sustainable Schools Collaborative, the Intertwine
Alliance, the Oregon Built Environment and Technologies (BEST) Center, Oregon Adult
Conservation Educators (ACE), and the Environmental Education Association of Oregon.
These collaborative efforts have developed state-wide and regional initiatives, offerednetworking and training opportunities, identified and passed shared standards andpractices, and established indicators and metrics for their organizations and industries andthe region. The higher education institutions have collaborated less often with each other,beyond specific programs, and are looking to the RCE to help them engage in more crosssector efforts. Representatives of many K-12 schools pursuing environmental education
have also been collaborating through the Sustainable Schools Collaborative, Oregon Green
Schools, and The Portland EcoSchool Network.
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Of the nearly 450 identified potential RCE member organizations in the region, the network
currently includes over 120 participants from 72 groups representing key stakeholder
sectors: 1) formal education, 2) Non-formal education providers and nonprofits, 3)
informal education (media), 4) providers of ESD, 5) supporters of ESD, and 6) students andlife-long learners. [See Appendix E for complete list]
Collaboration among RCE stakeholders will be fostered in a variety of ways, with an eye on
the goals of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, as wellas the sustainability objectives set by our respective organizations and commitments
established by agencies in the larger region. Taskforces and joint projects will be launchedwith a focus on awareness-raising and sharing of resources to advance ESD initiatives.
Collaborative efforts will aim to develop coalitions, cross-promote events, align withinstitutional and government initiatives, articulate agreements between institutions, sharecapacity-building trainings, and co-host conferences and forums.

Ongoing and Planned Activities
The greater Portland region is so rich in sustainability activities that it is difficult to fully
document the scale of ESD activities currently being undertaken by formal, non-formal, andinformal organisations in our area. With a strong culture of sustainability and civic
engagement, we are fortunate to have so many hard working people with a passion for
creating healthy communities, stronger local economies, and protected ecosystems. While
there is much more to do and collaboration is critical to increasing our collective impact,
here is a sample of current projects and planned activities. For further details on current
partner efforts, see the detailed list in Appendix F.

Ongoing Activities
K-12 Schools Focused Programs
Portland Public Schools
The Portland Public Schools district is a leader in award-winning sustainable practices andeducation. As the largest school district in the Pacific Northwest, they have led efforts to
reduce waste, increase recycling, reduce electricity and water consumption, install windand solar power, manage stormwater, build school gardens, promote alternativetransportation, and build the first public K-12 LEED platinum school building.
Sustainable Schools Collaborative
The Sustainable Schools Collaborative (SSC) strives to help K-12 schools and districts
educate for and practice economic, social and environmental sustainability by developing
curriculum and hosting an annual conference.
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Council of Educational Facililty Planners International
CEFPI is a worldwide professional non-profit association whose sole mission is improving
the places where children learn. CEFPI members, individuals, institutions and corporations
are actively involved in planning, designing, building, equipping and maintaining schools
and colleges. CEFPI offers a range of educational events, including the annual International
Conference and Exposition, which will be in Portland, OR in October 2014.
American Institute of Architects – Portland Chapter Schools Committee
The mission of the Schools Committee is to promote partnerships, awareness, andadvocacy for sustainable K-12 facilities. The committee organizes educational sessions andbuilding tours for architects, educational professionals and the general public and provides
opportunities to connect with others who are interested in creating better learning
environments for children.
Higher Education Institutions
Many of the colleges and universities in our region are active in integrating sustainability
into their curricula, facilities, governance, and operations and offer a variety of valuable
programs. For example, many higher education institutions are signatories on theAmerican College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) and havecreated Climate Action Plans. Several regional colleges and universities also participate in
the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)’s
Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS) program. STARS is atransparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure theirsustainability performance.
University of Oregon
Located in Portland, the U of O offers the Sustainability Leadership Program.
Portland State University
PSU supports the Institute for Sustainable Solutions, the Social Sustainability Colloquium,
extensive sustainability, environmental studies, and community development degrees, anda broad range of sustainability programs funded by the Miller Grant.
Portland Community College
PCC has created Green Outcomes and a Sustainability Focus Award through their
Sustainable Practices for Academics and Resources Council (SPARC) [See Appendix H]. PCC
also offers sustainability trainings, the Summer Sustainability Institute, a week-longcapacity-building workshop for green design and building instructors in the Northwest,
funded by the National Science Foundation, and extensive Living Labs, with Learning
Gardens, campus composting projects, alternative energy systems, and natural building
projects through City Repair’s Village Building Convergence.

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University of Portland
UP offers environmental ethics & policy and environmental science degrees, is home toseveral LEED buildings and an organic garden, coordinates a ZipCar car sharing program(the first US campus to have one), banned the sale of disposable plastic water bottles in2010 (first campus on the US West Coast to do so); and hosts numerous large-scaleregional events focused on sustainability that bring the University, other local colleges anduniversities, the business community, NGOs, and local citizens together.
Lewis and Clark College
Lewis and Clark has nationally-recognized programs in environmental law, environmental
studies, and environmental education.
Non-formal/Nonprofit organizations
Bicycle Transportation Alliance
The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) is a non-profit membership organization
working to promote bicycling and improve bicycling conditions in Oregon, by making
bicycling safe, convenient and accessible. Their activities span a broad spectrum of
advocacy and education.
City Repair
City Repair facilitates artistic and ecologically-oriented place-making through projects that
honor the interconnection of human communities and the natural world. Projects include
the annual Village Building Convergence and Earth Day.
Environmental Leadership Program
The mission of the Environmental Leadership Program is to support visionary, actionoriented, and diverse leadership for a just and sustainable future. ELP engages leaders in aseries of trainings increasing their ability to embrace diversity and lead across differences,develop a systems thinking perspective, build partnerships/collaborations, utilize
strengths-based leadership, while furthering their knowledge of the environmental field.
Hands On Greater Portland
Hands On Greater Portland facilitates volunteerism by creating opportunities for civic
engagement and serving as a hub for finding ways to participate in the community.
Through sponsored projects and a calendar full of volunteer opportunities, they connect
volunteers with opportunities to feed the hungry, teach our children, house the homeless,restore our environment and meet other important community needs.
The Intertwine Alliance
The Intertwine Alliance is a coalition of private firms, public agencies and nonprofit
organizations working together to tap new sources of funding, better leverage existing
investments, and more fully engage residents with the outdoors and nature. The Allianceexists to ensure the region’s trail network gets completed, that our natural areas get
RCE Greater Portland

Page 32

restored, and that people of all ages discover they can enjoy the outdoors near where they
live.
Northwest Earth InstituteNorthwest Earth Institute is a nonprofit organization that offers discussion courses thatgive people a framework to talk about their relationship with the planet and to share indiscovering new ways to live, work, create and consume.
Sustainability 4 All
Sustainability for All seeks to help bridge cultural divides by partnering with communities,
organizations, schools and individuals while providing resources, curriculum design,
leadership training, dialogues, workshops and consulting.
Informal education organizations
Media Institute for Social Change
Since 2006, MISC has been teaching public interest journalism, supporting independent
media, hosting a Student Sustainability Film Festival and offering a two-month summer
program to teach college students how to produce professional-quality film documentaries
about local solutions for global issues.
Adult Conservation Education (ACE) Collaborative
OregonACE partners work strategically to cultivate adult land stewards for protecting
human health, habitat, and clean water. By creating consistent, science-based andintegrated messages, education, and programming, they leverage their collective resources
to reach a wider, more diverse audience and foster lasting behavior change and vibrantcommunities.
Business and Industry Focused Programs
Cascadia Green Building Council
Cascadia Green Building Council (GBC) is a proud chapter of the United States Green
Building Council and Canada Green Building Council. Cascadia GBC boasts a powerful
network of 15 branches in Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon. Each of thesebranches pushes the green building movement’s boundaries in each locale throughtargeted and locally relevant programming and professional development. Cascadia GBC
provides industry professionals with quality education while simultaneously meeting theircontinuing education needs for professional credential maintenance. The annual Living
Future conference is a vital program of Cascadia GBC and will be hosted in Portland, OR in
May 2014.
Earth Advantage Institute
Earth Advantage Institute designs tools to create better buildings. They do so through threemain activities: education, certification, research and consulting. They support all
RCE Greater Portland

Page 33

participants in the building sector, from real estate professionals and contractors toarchitects and developers.
New Buildings Institute
New Buildings Institute (NBI) is a nonprofit organization working to improve the energy
performance of commercial buildings. It serves as a technical resource for the energy andbuilding industries, assessing technologies, promoting design approaches, and helping
guide policies and programs that will significantly improve the energy efficiency of the built
environment.
Providers of ESD (botanical gardens, museums, zoos, etc.)
Oregon Zoo
The 64-acre Oregon Zoo is located in Portland, with annual attendance exceeding 1.6
million. The Oregon Zoo’s Conservation Education Division promotes environmental
literacy and sustainable actions through experiences that cultivate understanding of andrespect for animals and the natural world. They are in the process of developing a large
Education Center, for which they hope the RCE will help develop display materials andeducational programs. See Appendix H for their Partnership Request for Information.
Supporters of ESD delivery (local government and civil society organizations, etc.)
SE Uplift Neighborhood Coalition
SE Uplift works with 20 neighborhood associations to promote sustainability and foster
safe, vibrant and diverse neighborhoods within SE Portland. They empower citizens toeffectively resolve challenges and uplift communities through a variety of skill-building
techniques, workshops, and resources.
City of Portland
The City of Portland is guided by the Portland Plan, focusing on a core set of priorities:
prosperity, education, health, and equity. Two key sustainability agencies within the City ofPortland are the Portland Bureau of Environmental Services and the Portland Bureau ofPlanning and Sustainability.
Metro
Metro is our tri-county governmental agency, which oversees extensive and innovative
sustainability initiatives, education programs, and community conservation campaigns.
From recycling to healthy garden care, Metro is a world leader that helps citizens make adifference in their own homes and communities.
Oregon State Department of Environmental Quality
From government policies and research on pollution to state-wide procurement practices,
the DEQ leads the way in innovative operations and actions. They offer internships,
research and grant opportunities, and conservation education.
RCE Greater Portland

Page 34

Timeline for Projects
Existing and Ongoing• Manage and update website• Foster idea-sharing on discussion
listserv• Create newsletter and share
information on announcements listserv• Convene regular stakeholder meetings• Advertise grant opportunities via thenewsletter and website

Medium-term• Identify ESD training needs• Workshops for incorporating sustainability into
organizational frameworks• Offer ESD curriculum and professional
development opportunities• Forum to share sustainability training models

Short-term• Update GIS stakeholder map• Reduce and share costs of ESD professional
development in region• Create and implement ESD public awarenesscampaign• Comprehensive, searchable database• Convene ESD policy dialogues• Networking socials• Discussions on challenging issues• Secure central meetin gspaces• Annual survey on RCE• Calendar of events and opportunities• Promote gatherings and events organized bystakeholders• Cross-sector audit on regional sustainability
strengths and weaknesses

Long-term• Stories on impacts of ESD efforts• Inclusion of ESD in curricular standards• ESD workshops for organizations with theirtarget audiences• Create a research project and method directory• Develop ESD research and applied projects thatare led/co-led by community members• Framework for monitoring andevaluatingregional sustainability efforts• Strategies to assess community sustainability
literacy• Create a matching tool for partners, projects,
and funding sources• Evaluation resource list
• Professional development provider directory• Determine RCE’s political advocacy policy• Support training in community-based
participatory research (CBPR) and popular
education• Post meeting minutes on website• Process for incorporating survey feedback• Identify successful ESD facilitators and providers
in the region• Implement outreach strategy

RCE Greater Portland

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U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development
The U.S. Partnership consists of individuals, organizations and institutions in the UnitedStates dedicated to education for sustainable development (ESD). It acts as a convener,
catalyst, and communicator working across all sectors of American society.

Sample of Action Plans for Planned Activities
Goal 1. Build a vibrant and diverse regional cross-sector network of individuals andorganizations advancing sustainability education together
Project
Partners
Description

Outcomes
Timeline

Evaluation

Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education(AASHE) Conference
RCE
Higher Education
Sustainable Schools
Institutions
Collaborative
The AASHE conference will be hosted in Portland in October, 2014. The RCE
has been invited to help host and design the content of the conference,emphasizing the development of sustainability curriculum and practices. We
will offer regional expertise for workshops, tours, and conference themes.
Host conference
Increase solution-based programming
Encourage attendance across sectors
Contact AASHE
Plan Conference in
Host Conference October, 2014
Conference
Winter-Summer,
Coordinator in Fall,
2014
2013
Document attendanceDebrief with coordinators
Review conference evaluations

Goal 1. Build a vibrant and diverse regional cross-sector network of individuals andorganizations advancing sustainability education together
Project
Partners

Description

RCE Greater Portland

RCE Annual Summit
RCE
City and
Schools and
Non-Profits
Industry
Metro
Higherrepresentatives
government
Education
officials
We will host an annual summit to convene diverse community providers andinterested public to share information, discuss important issues, set regional
priorities, encourage professional development and relationship-building,inspire engagement, and celebrate accomplishments of regional leaders andPage 36

Outcomes

Timeline
Evaluation

innovative organizations and projects.
Host 1 summit per year
Encourage attendance across sectors; Goal: 300-400 people
Minimal charge, with scholarships available
Organized by broad-based advisory committee in touch with range ofcommunity issues
Seek corporate sponsorship to connect sector with new partners
Convene planning
Plan Summit in
Host first Summit in Summer,
team, Winter, 2014
Spring, 2014
2014
Document attendance and diversity of engagement
Document sponsorships
Debrief with planning teamConduct evaluation of participants

Goal 2. Advance the development of lifelong sustainability learning opportunities informal, non-formal, and informal contexts
Project
Partners
Description

Outcomes
Timeline

Evaluation

RCE Greater Portland

Hands on Greater Portland Teamworks Project
RCE
Regional
Hands on Greater Regional Non-Profits
Schools andPortlandColleges
Hands on Greater Portland facilitates volunteerism through the greater
Portland region. The TeamWorks model offers a team of around 10-12
volunteers the opportunity to work together on a series of projects over a
period of a couple months focused on a specific community issue. We will
create 1-2 TeamWorks teams per year, focused on a sustainability issue in our
region. We will partner with interested non-profits, help secure a TeamWorksleader and do outreach for volunteers.
Coordinate 1-2 TeamWorks teams per year
Encourage inter-generational participation across sectors
Meet with Hands On
Implement 1st
Evaluate success, Summer,
Greater Portland
TeamWorks team,2014
Program Coordinator Spring, 2014
in Winter, 2014
Document participation
Review feedback from Hands On Portland participant survey

Page 37

Goal 2. Advance the development of lifelong sustainability learning opportunities informal, non-formal, and informal contexts
Project
Partners
Description

Outcomes
Timeline
Evaluation

University of Oregon Young Environmental Professionals Needs Assessment
RCE
University of Oregon Sustainability Leadership
Certificate Program
As part of the Programming Taskforce, Jake Pollack, of the University of Oregon
wants to convene a focus group of Young Environmental Professionals, to ask
them what kind of content they would find helpful from the RCE. He willcomplete a needs-assessment of this group to figure out a way to collaborate
across different sectors. This will support the development of future leaders as
they create a skill-share network.
Host 1-2 focus groups
Develop a needs assessment
Meet with Jake
Document needs
Host Young Environmental
Pollack, Fall, 2013assessment, Winter,
Professionals forum in Spring,
2014
2014
Review needs assessment
Document attendance at forum

Goal 3. Increase public awareness about social, economic, and environmental
sustainability and the role of ESD in shaping a more sustainable, healthy, and justfutureProject
Partners
Description

Outcomes
Timeline
Evaluation

RCE Greater Portland

Sustainable Development Issues Forum
RCE
Portland Community
The Intertwine Alliance; OPAL
College’s Center for
Civic Participation
Recognizing the controversial nature of the challenges in our region around air
and water pollution, land use policies, and equity, we plan to host forums to
educate community members about the issues and facilitate moderated
discussions. Rather than taking a political position, we will support
transformative education by serving as a convener for reflective and civil
dialogues.
Host 1-2 forums per year
Encourage attendance across sectors
Meet with CCP
Plan Forum in Winter, Host first forum in Spring, 2014
Director in Fall, 2013 2014
Document attendance
Conduct pre- and post-survey of attitudes

Page 38

Goal 3. Increase public awareness about social, economic, and environmental
sustainability and the role of ESD in shaping a more sustainable, healthy, and justfutureProject
Partners
Description

Outcomes
Timeline

Evaluation

Oregon Zoo Education Center
RCE
Oregon Zoo
The Oregon Zoo has rewritten its mission statement to focus on conservation
education and sustainability. Their Conservation Education Division promotes
environmental literacy and sustainable actions through experiences that cultivate
understanding of and respect for animals and the natural world. They havereceived a bond to develop a large Education Center on the zoo grounds and haveinvited the RCE to submit a Request for Information to be considered for thepartnership and help develop display materials and educational programs in the
future. The proposals are due in September with design charrettes beginning in
the Fall. Members of the RCE Coordinating Committee are interested in applying.
Development of a formal partnership between the zoo and RCECreation of sustainability programming and display materials
Submit Request
Participate inBrainstorm and Opening of Educationof Information in design charrettes plan
Center 2017
September, 2013 in 2014
programmingand displays
2015-2016
Assess partnership development process

Goal 4. Model sustainable, innovative, cooperative, and inclusive practices andprocesses across sectors and emulate our values within the RCE organization
Project
Partners
Description

Outcomes

Timeline

Social and Economic Sustainability and the Equity Atlas
RCE
Portland State
Coalition for a Livable Future
University(CLF)
With the recent release of the Regional Equity Atlas 2.0, from the Coalition for a
Livable Future, there are many opportunities to examine regional data and assess
economic sustainability. Beyond minority issues, we need to link community
involvement and social sustainability with community-based research to assess
the social determinants of health. There is potential to work with the Community
Partnership for Health and Equity as well. This project will develop a needs
assessment of current research and a discovery of gaps in data.
Assessment of current research projects
Trainings with the CLF on how to use the Regional Equity Atlas
Creation of list of potential research projects for community-based participatory
research
CLF Equity Atlas Assessment of
Brainstorm ofAdvertise researchTrainings, Fall
current research potential
ideas, Winter 20142013
projects, 2014
research
projects, Fall,
2014

RCE Greater Portland

Page 39

Evaluation

Number of students who attend CLF trainings
Assess quality and quantity of research list of current projects and needs

Goal 5. Share research and innovative practices in sustainability education topromote partnerships, learning, and advancements in ESD across the region
Project
Partners
Description

Outcomes
Timeline
Evaluation

Hawthorne Area Civic Ecology (HACE) District Project
RCE
Hawthorne Area Civic Portland State University
Ecology District
The HACE models sustainable business practices and collaboration. They haveestablished benchmarks, maps, and partnerships between sustainablebusinesses in the district. College and graduate students are invited to help
collect data on the district’s best practices, with a community-based partnershipresearch process, and help move the district’s efforts forward. HACE is also
invited to present at PSU’s Social Sustainability Colloquium.
Partnership developed with a PSU course
Engagement of students in research
Attendance at Social Sustainability Colloquium
HACE meets with
Begin research Fall,
Complete research, June, 2014
PSU Summer, 2013
2013
Assess completion of research project by students
Document attendance at Colloquium

Goal 5. Share research and innovative practices in sustainability education topromote partnerships, learning, and advancements in ESD across the region
Project
Partners
Description
Outcomes
Timeline
Evaluation

RCE Greater Portland

DEQ Toxic Reductions and Innovation Program
Oregon Department
Higher education
Sustainable Schoolsof Environmental
institutions
Collaborative
Quality (DEQ)
The DEQ is charged with reducing toxins in our environment. David Kunz, with
DEQ, is seeking innovative educational and research projects that can engage
youth and make a difference. Grants and technology can be made available.
Partnership developed with schools and colleges
Engagement of students in research
Attendance at Social Sustainability Colloquium
DEQ meets with RCE
Research projects get Research beginsFall, 2014
Winter, 2014
developed, Spring,
2013
Document number of students who participate in projects
Assess completion of research project by students

Page 40

Criteria and Milestones for Monitoring and Evaluation
The proposed Greater Portland RCE will establish monitoring and evaluation plans for eachproject and our overall mission. Indicators and measurements will be linked to ourregional challenges, the RCE’s mission and objectives, and the effectiveness of ouractivities. Experts within our stakeholder community, including researchers and students
at higher education institutions, will be invited to engage in the development of evaluation
tools that best gauge the progress of the RCE.
A carefully developed monitoring and evaluation plan will allow us to assess our
accomplishments and learn how we can improve. Each step of the process will linkassessment tools with continuous improvement loops used to strengthen our efforts. Sucha plan will ensure that we are accountable and will provide evidence of outcomes that we
can share with potential funders, the community, and the UNU-IAS. We have identified thefollowing specific evaluation questions to include in different assessment tools:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

How well is our program being implemented and managed?
To what level have we engaged potential stakeholders and members?
To what extent are we delivering our planned activities?
To what extent are we achieving our outcomes? Why or why not?
What additional resources might be needed to achieve our goals?
How can we ensure that our efforts are sustainable?
How aligned are our activities with the three components of sustainable
development (economic, social, and environmental) and institutional, regional,
state, national, and international goals?

To answer these questions, we will employ both quantitative and qualitative methods,
allowing us to collect data from a large number of stakeholders while also providing indepth feedback from a smaller number of participants. Assessment techniques include:
Evaluations of events and trainings
Documentation of attendance rates
Feedback reports from meetings
Debriefing of events
Reviews of needs-assessments
Pre- and post surveys
Grant summaries of deliverables
The results of our evaluations will be reviewed and openly considered for ways to improve
our efforts. They will be shared in a number of accessible ways, such as via meetings,
conference presentations, the RCE newsletter and website, and UNU-IAS reports.

RCE Greater Portland

Page 41This monitoring and evaluation process will allow us to examine, critique, and celebrate
our progress, creating continuous improvement loops. With checks and balances between
the varying levels of committees and member participation, we will hold ourselves
accountable to the will and needs of the community, keeping an eye on our broader vision.
We will use the information we gather to improve the way our efforts are implemented, toincrease awareness of and engagement in the RCE, and to more efficiently allocate
resources to advance our mission. Furthermore, we hope that by sharing what we learn,
we will help advance the field of ESD in the greater Portland region and around the world.

RCE Greater Portland

Page 42Appendix A: Timeline for Development of RCE Proposal
June, 2012: United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), in Rio deJaneiroSummer, 2012: Inception of Greater Portland RCE idea
October, 2012: Outreach to interested parties at AASHE conference and to Scotland and RCEGrand Rapids for guidance; creation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for education
for the United Nations in an AASHE conference workshop
November, 2012: Initial stakeholder meeting held at Portland State University. Thirteen
representatives attended from four Portland colleges (Portland Community College, Portland
State University, University of Oregon, and Lewis & Clark College) and five organizations(Earth Advantage, Northwest Development Center, Lanyi Fan, Northwest Earth Institute, andthe US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development).
January, 2013: Second stakeholder meeting held at the Oregon Higher Education
Sustainability Conference at Portland State University to collect ideas about regional ESD
efforts and potential benefits from collaboration. Twenty-seven stakeholders attended,
including representatives from the original colleges and nonprofits, plus PAE Engineering,
Green Building Services, Portland Public Schools, Oregon State University, and Lane
Community College.
February, 2013: RCE Application Committee forms and begins biweekly meetings to draft the
RCE application. Governance frameworks are established, as well as e-mail lists, work groups,
and an online platform for sharing working documents and resources. A formal outreachletter was written and the Application Committee began conducting outreach throughout theregion.
March, 2013: Third stakeholders meeting is held at the University of Oregon–Portland
campus. Nineteen people attended. More diverse schools and nonprofit groups were added tothe partnership list, including Marylhurst University, Sustainability4All, Earth Leadership
Program, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance, and the Sustainable Oregon Schools Initiative(SOSI). In an interactive brainstorming session, participants edited the vision statement,suggested names of recommended partners, identified regional challenges, and createdextensive charts of current and future projects that would benefit from collaboration andshared marketing.
April, 2013: The Application Committee submitted a letter of intent to the UNU-IAS. Our letter
was accepted and the group was invited to write a full application. Existing RCEs in Australia,
Canada, England, Scotland, and Michigan offered their mentorship and support.
May, 2013: Fourth stakeholders meeting was hosted at the University of Oregon’s Portland
facility to identify the benefits that partners would want from engaging in the RCE, discuss GIS
mapping needs, approve website and listserv content, help gather letters of support for the
RCE, and provide input on sections of the application.
July, 2012: Fifth stakeholders meeting was hosted at the University of Oregon’s Portland
facility to identify our values, needs, objectives, projects, and resources [see Appendix C forworksheets].
August, 2012: Lyle Benko, with RCE Saskatchewan, advised our Coordinating Committee via
Skype
August, 2012: Networking Social hosted by RCEAppendix A

Appendix B: RCE Outreach Letter and Pledge Form
Greater Portland Regional Center of Expertise (RCE)on Education for Sustainable Development
United Nations University

The United Nations University system has accepted the greater Portland region as a candidate to become a
Regional Center of Expertise (RCE) on education for sustainable development (ESD). Joining over 100 RCEs
around the world, the proposed Greater Portland RCE is a growing coalition of regional leaders andcommunity members collaborating to promote the advancement of sustainability education throughout thePortland Metro region, including Washington, Clackamas and Multnomah Counties in Oregon and Clark
County in Washington. The mission of the RCE reflects those of many regional organizations, with a goal toleverage our collective talents and resources to help us each achieve our sustainability education objectives.
We invite you to explore how the Greater Portland RCE can help you work towards a more sustainable greater
Portland region.
VisionThe Greater Portland RCE envisions a healthy, just, and thriving region where sustainability education isprioritized and integrated across sectors; and where everyone has opportunities to shape a more sustainable
future.
Objectives
Build a vibrant and diverse regional cross-sector network of individuals and organizations advancing
sustainability education together
Advance the development of lifelong sustainability learning opportunities in formal, non-formal, andinformal contexts
Increase public awareness about social, economic, and environmental sustainability and the role of
ESD in shaping a more sustainable, healthy, and just future
Model sustainable, innovative, cooperative, and inclusive practices and processes across sectors andemulate our values within the RCE organization
Share research and innovative practices in sustainability education to promote partnerships, learning,
and advancements in ESD across the region
Examples of Projects
Innovative, cross-sector, community-based partnerships and projects that reflect the values and needsof the community
An audit of successful ESD projects/practices in our region and areas of needed improvement
RCE website, listservs, and a searchable database of regional sustainability education providers
Opportunities for networking, idea-sharing, policy discussions, and peer feedback
Professional development opportunities and summits for ESD students, educators, and providers
Public awareness and outreach campaigns
A research directory with ESD-focused literature, program reports, evaluation resources, and bestpractices

Appendix B

Applied ESD projects, research, and volunteer opportunities that involve community members as
equal partners, reflect the values and needs of the community, and offer peer feedback
Get Involved
We welcome new partnerships with any organizations and individuals who are involved in formal or nonformal education efforts to promote a sustainable community, economy, and environment in the greater
Portland region. Participants include employees of pre-K-12 schools, higher education institutions,environmental organizations, green businesses, government, media, museums, zoos, gardens, and civic
associations, as well as scientists, researchers, students and life-long learners.
1) Become a Greater Portland RCE Member to help develop projects, participate in RCE events, andcross-promote your organization’s efforts. Becoming an RCE member is free, voluntary and open to the
public. Members are recognized in a membership list on the Greater Portland RCE website.
Join the RCE listserv to receive e-newsletters and invitations to RCE Stakeholder meetings andspecial events and initiatives.
Consider joining the RCE Discussion Forum to engage in sustainability education discussions.
Add your name or organization to our growing list of regional sustainability education providers
and supporters
2) Take the Engagement Pledge on our RCE website (in development) to demonstrate your commitment
to help advance regional sustainability education. The Pledge allows you to commit to action on RCEopportunities that best fit your needs and interests and identify resources that can help support ourshared efforts. Members who sign the Engagement Pledge receive special recognition on the Greater
Portland RCE website and outreach materials.
3) Join our RCE Coordinating Committee to help shape and facilitate the work of the RCE. Members of
the coordinating committee volunteer their time to attend monthly meetings, serve as liaisons
between the RCE and member organizations, provide input on RCE activities, coordinate quarterly RCE
stakeholder meetings, help with RCE outreach, and conduct the overall business of the RCE. All
stakeholders are welcome to participate in the coordinating committee.
4) Join initiative-specific taskforces to implement events and initiatives of the RCE in the areas of ESD
education, outreach, policy, research, training, capacity building, and program evaluation, among
others.
To get started, visit the Greater Portland RCE website at: http://www.pcc.edu/about/sustainability/regionalcenter-expertise/ or contact Greater Portland RCE Coordinator Kim Smith, at kdsmith@pcc.edu or 971-722-4097.
Thank you for all that you do on behalf of our communities and the environment.
Sincerely,
Member, Greater Portland Regional Center for Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development

Appendix B

RCE Engagement Pledge
Greater Portland Regional Center of Expertise (RCE)on Education for Sustainable Development
United Nations University

As a Member of the Greater Portland RCE, I commit to the following selected actions to support theRCE coalition in the advancement of sustainability education.
Please check the boxes that coincide with your actions.

 Attend monthly Greater Portland RCE Coordinating Committee meetings to represent mycommunity or organization as we shape and facilitate the work of the RCE.

 Attend quarterly RCE Stakeholder Meetings to provide feedback and guidance to the
Coordinating Committee and represent my community or organization in the RCE Serve as a reviewer on Greater Portland RCE projects such as grant applications and official
documents

Serve on a taskforce to accomplish a specific area of RCE action (check all that apply): Sustainability curriculum Diversity and equity promotion

 Outreach and community engagement RCE conferences and events

 Professional development RCE program evaluation

 ESD policies

 RCE governance and management

 ESD research RCE resource development

Participate in direct outreach to new partners and cross-promote sustainability education events,
opportunities, and resources by: Submitting events and resources to be posted on the Greater Portland RCE website andlistserv
Appendix B Posting RCE events and resources on my/our website, via social media, or in print
publications.

Provide the following resources to support RCE efforts:

 Funding Volunteer time Staff

 Facilities In-kind resources Grant opportunities

 Expertise Other:____________________________________

I make this pledge on behalf of  myself /  my organization (check one or both)
Name: [text entry box]
Organization: [text entry box]
[SUBMIT BUTTON]

Appendix B

Appendix C: Stakeholder Meeting Worksheets

Greater Portland RCE Stakeholders Meeting
Monday, June 15th, 2013
Individual Worksheet

Name:_____________________________________ Organization: _______________________________

Please leave this worksheet with us after the meeting.

Activity 1. Values Assessment:
The RCE Coordination Committee has synthesized your input to draft a set of values for inclusion in the
UNU RCE application and to guide our governance policies and practices. Please review the following listof values. Cross out any values that you do not think should be included and write in any revisions or newvalues that you wish to see added. We will take a few minutes to discuss these with the larger group.
Remember that the RCE will continue to evolve beyond the application process, so we can revisit these ideas
over time.

Current Suggested Values

Revisions / Additional Values

EquityTransparency
Accountability
Diversity
Inclusive participation
Limited hierarchy
Respect
Caring for the community

Appendix C

Activity 2: Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Needs Assessment
A. Check three of the needs listed below that are most pressing for you or your organization and that you
would like the RCE to address.
A forum to share ideas, discuss ESD, and get feedback on your ESD efforts
Connection to ESD allies in the region, and opportunities to partner with other sectors on ESD
Connection to national or global ESD movement
A central forum to market your ESD events and efforts
Peer support in implementing ESD efforts in formal/ informal contexts
Central source of information on best practices in ESD
Central source of quality ESD curricula or educational materials
Support in building public understanding of ESD
An organization model of sustainability, cooperation and inclusivity
A central resource for existing ESD articles and literature
New research on ESD and its impacts
Opportunities for ESD training and capacity building
Central source for local ESD job resources
Policy leadership/ legislative advocacy for ESD
Guidance in monitoring and evaluating ESD initiatives
Are there any major needs you would like this coalition to address that are not included in the list?

B. Please list any resources that you or your organization could offer that could meet others’ needs andincrease the collective impact of the RCE (staff, speakers, funding, training opportunities, events,
curriculum, databases, grants, volunteers, etc.):

List any suggested Subcommittees or Task Forces on which you are interested in serving. Please indicate if
you are interested in having a leadership or co-leadership role in the work groups you list.

Check here:  and provide your email if you would like to receive a digital copy of this worksheet.
Email: __________________________________________________

Please leave this copy with us at the end of the meeting.
Appendix CGreater Portland RCE Stakeholders Meeting
Monday, June 15th, 2013
Group Worksheet
Please leave this worksheet with us after the meeting.
Activity 3: Objectives Assessment
A. (20 mins) Assess the following draft objectives list. Do these objectives reflect the needs you identified
in the needs assessment question? If you feel any additional objectives are needed, add them to the list.
Cross off any objectives you feel should not be included. You may suggest revisions to the existing
objectives in the spaces below, but please focus most of your attention on the ideas rather than the wording.
Choose a group recorder to fill out the table below and check the boxes indicating the priority level and timeframe of each objective.
Current Suggested Objectives

Higherpriority

Lower
priority

ShorttermLongterm

1. Build a vibrant regional cross-sector network ofindividuals and organizations dedicated to advancing
sustainability education.
2. Create a forum that incites dialogue and idea sharing
around sustainability education, within our region andbeyond.
3. Advance the development of lifelong sustainability
learning opportunities in formal, non-formal, and informal
contexts.
4. Raise public awareness about sustainability education andits role in shaping a more sustainable future.
5. Create a model that promotes sustainable practices, andcooperative, inclusive processes.
6. Promote collaborative research and innovation insustainability education.
7. Develop opportunities for capacity-building andworkforce development.
8. Advocate for policies on sustainability education.

Appendix C

B. (10 mins) Choose one objective and come up with one specific idea for a program or activity that you
would like the RCE to implement to help achieve this/these objective(s).
Objective: _______________________________
Program/ activity idea:

C. Identify which of the revisions or ideas you discussed (for objectives and activities) you want to sharewith the larger group. Appoint a representative to briefly report back to the larger group (in 1 minute orless).

Check here:  and provide your email if you would like to receive a digital copy of this worksheet.
Email: __________________________________________________

Please give this Worksheet to the Coordinating Committee after the meeting. Thank you!

Appendix C

Appendix D: Letters of Support
See below attachments.

Appendix DJuly 30, 2013
United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies
Global RCE Service Centre
United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS)
6F, International Organizations Center, Pacifico-Yokohama
1-1-1 Minato Mirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama 220-8502 Japan
Re:

Regional Centers for Excellence Selection Committee

Dear Committee member:

I am pleased to write this letter of support on behalf of Metro indicating our interest in achieving
the formal Regional Centers for Excellence recognition for the efforts of the greater Portland,
Oregon region in education for sustainability. Metro recognizes the need for strong and supportive
communication amongst and between the hundreds of conservation, environmental andsustainability educators of this geography.
Metro recognizes the global commitment to environmental literacy and sustainability leadership
UNU-IAS continues to demonstrate in designating over 100 Regional Centers for Excellence in
Education for Sustainable Development. We share your concern that today’s students should havethe opportunity and investment that past generations have enjoyed to achieve a connection with
the natural world.

As the elected regional government for the Portland metropolitan area, Metro works with
communities, businesses and residents to create a vibrant and sustainable region for all, making it
ideally suited to be a Regional Centers for Excellence partner. Metro’s Sustainability Center focuseson providing accessible regional natural areas, parks and trails, and maintaining and enhancing
environmental quality. It also promotes sustainable resource management through waste reduction
initiatives, hands-on interpretive programs, youth and adult education, grants, demonstration
projects and volunteer opportunities.
We are excited about working with you and your other partners on this cutting-edge effort andhope we have the opportunity to do so.
Best regards,

Jim Desmond, Director
Sustainability Centercc:

Stacey Triplett, Sustainability Center
Grant Spickelmier, Conservation Education Manager, Oregon Zoo

Office of Mayor Charlie HalesCity of Portland
September 11, 2013
United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies
Global RCE Service Centre
United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS)
6F, International Organizations Center, Pacifico-Yokohama
1-1-1 Minato Mirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama 220-8502 Japan
Dear UNU-IAS RCE Selection Committee,
The City of Portland has a longstanding commitment to sustainability and is known as a world
leader in urban planning, green architecture, and progressive policies. We are pleased for theopportunity to participate in this regional consortium to create and apply for status as a
Regional Centre of Expertise for the greater Portland region to advance the mission of education
for sustainable development.
On April 25, 2012, the City Council adopted the Portland Plan which presents a strategic
roadmap to help our city thrive into the future. The result of more than two years of research,dozens of workshops and fairs, hundreds of meetings with community groups, and 20,000
comments from residents, businesses and nonprofits, the plan’s three integrated strategies andframework for advancing equity were designed to help realize the vision of a prosperous,
educated, healthy and equitable Portland. Our integrated strategies include: thriving educatedyouth; economic prosperity and affordability; and a healthy connected city.
Our Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) implements many of our sustainability efforts.
Through partnerships and collaboration, BPS provides: Citywide strategic and comprehensive
land use planning; neighborhood, district, economic, historic and environmental research,planning and urban design; policy and services to advance energy efficiency, green building,waste reduction, composting and recycling, solar and renewable energy use, and local
sustainable food production; as well as actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
The proposed Greater Portland RCE would help us achieve a variety of shared objectives.
Through the Mayor’s office, the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, and the Bureau ofEnvironmental Services, we partner regularly with many of the cross-sector members of thecoalition to address environmental, social, and economic needs in our community. We
recognize the benefits of increasing our collective impact by engaging with the greater Portland
region, including schools, higher education institutions, and our many community non-profit andbusiness partners. We hope to be able to cross-promote and collaborate on events and1221 SW Fourth Avenue, Suite 340 ♦ Portland, Oregon 97204
MayorCharlieHales@PortlandOregon.gov

initiatives that support education for sustainable development and better meet the needs of our
citizens. Recognizing limited funding and resources in the future, we hope to find ways to more
effectively leverage existing resources and synergies with other institutions in order to improve
our efficiency and effectiveness in creating a more resilient, healthier and just community,
economy, and environment, for present and future generations.
Upon the approval of the Greater Portland RCE, the City of Portland will continue to engage inconversations with the broader community to define our short and long-term goals and the bestpractices needed to move the mission of education for sustainable development forward. We
welcome the opportunity to participate in this global and regional effort and request theacceptance of our application.
Sincerely,

Charlie Hales
Mayor

2

September 16, 2013

UNU-IAS RCE Selection Committee
Via E-Mail

Dear Committee Members:

The Lewis & Clark College Sustainability Council supports creation of a Regional Centre ofExpertise on Education for Sustainable Development for the Greater Portland region. We
believe that the creation of this RCE will foster important connections between educational
institutions, community organizations, and business groups throughout the Portland area. We
look forward to supporting, in ways that make sense for our institution, the important work ofenhancing sustainability in our region.
The Sustainability Council is composed of faculty, staff, and students from the three Lewis and
Clark campuses. We have strong representation from the College of Arts & Sciences (including
the Environmental Studies Program), the School of Law, and the Graduate School of Education
and Counseling. The Council aims to coordinate the resources of each of these schools in orderto enhance educational, research, and policy work regarding sustainability as it impacts ourinstitution and our community. Lewis and Clark’s nationally-recognized strengths inenvironmental law, environmental studies, and environmental education provide a deep wealthof expertise that have already contributed in important ways to regional work on sustainability.
We believe many of our faculty, staff, and students would be able to contribute to, and benefit
from, the creation of the Greater Portland RCE.
As a Council that has worked for many years to better integrate sustainability initiatives acrossour three schools, we recognize the need for greater coordination within and between
institutions. The Portland region contains a myriad of dynamic groups that are working onsustainability projects, and we believe that the Greater Portland RCE can provide a forum tofoster improved coordination and exchanges of information. The Council has made important
steps in coordinating sustainability work within the Lewis and Clark community, and we lookforward to participating in efforts to improve coordination between institutions across the region.
While the Council is eager to work with a Greater Portland RCE, it cannot to commit specificinstitutional resources to the RCE project at this point. However, a number of our faculty havealready been involved in preparing the application, and are committed to supporting the RCE
through their research and teaching activities. We believe that a growing number of faculty,

September 16, 2013
Page 2

staff, and students will contribute their time and expertise to the project over time, and theCouncil may be able to leverage additional resources for specific projects in the future.
Overall, we welcome the opportunity to participate in this global and regional effort, and weenthusiastically support the Greater Portland RCE application.

Sincerely,

Daniel J. Rohlf
Professor of Law
Chair, Lewis & Clark Sustainability Council	
  September 11, 2013
Dear UNU-IAS RCE Selection Committee,
On behalf of the Cascadia Green Building Council, we are pleased to provide this letter of support for thecreation of the Greater Portland Regional Center of Expertise (RCE) on Education for Sustainable
Development.
Cascadia Green Building Council is a proud chapter of the United States Green Building Council andCanada Green Building Council. We’ve been actively promoting and supporting LEED® since our founding
in 1999, and we continue to do so by educating practitioners and defending the integrity of this extremely
important and influential standard. Our organization boads a powerful network of 15 branches in Alaska,
British Columbia, Washington and Oregon. Each of these branches push the green building movement’s
boundaries in each locale through targeted and locally relevant programming and professional
development. Industry professionals look to us for quality education while simultaneously meeting theircontinuing education needs for professional credential maintenance.
The Portland Branch of the Cascadia Chapter has worked in collaboration with multiple educational andsustainability focused organizations, including the AIA Portland Schools Committee, the AIA Portland
Committee on the Environment, the Council of Educational Facility Planners International, the Sustainable
Oregon Schools Initiative, University of Oregon and Portland State University.
The formation of the Greater Portland RCE would enhance collaboration between the variousorganizations and foster new opportunities for partnership. The RCE will offer a central forum for sharing
ideas, strategies and research efforts, facilitate promotion of events, and support cross-sector
relationships.
With Cascadia’s core mission of building a transformative future, we envision supporting the Greater
Portland RCE’s on-going efforts by partnering on educational events and conferences (e.g. promoting
through our extensive network, reccomending expert speakers, providing volunteers). We can also
support by reccomending building tours and relevant activities focused on sustainable development,
feature our work on research projects, and assisting with the development of educational content for
academic programs.
We are honored to be a part of this regional educational consortium’s effort to apply for status as a RCE,
and thank you for your consideration of this application.
Sincerely,

Annah Henige
Education Manager
Cascadia Green Building Council	  June 1, 2013

Kim Smith, Ph.D.
Department of Sociology, SS 215
Portland Community College, Sylvania Campus
P.O. Box 19000
Portland, Oregon 97280
Re: Letter of Support for ‘Regional Center of Expertise’ Designation
Dear Kim:
We are pleased to offer this letter of support for your group’s application to
the United Nations University system to be designated as a Regional Centerof Expertise (RCE). New Buildings Institute (NBI) is a nonprofit organization
working to improve the energy performance of commercial buildings. We
serve as a technical resource for the energy and building industries,
assessing technologies, promoting design approaches, and helping guidepolicies and programs that will significantly improve the energy efficiency ofthe built environment.
While we work nationally, NBI is based in Vancouver, Washington, and weare keenly aware of the abundance of sustainability education taking place inour region. NBI has contributed to those efforts with design guidance andtools that help architects, engineers and owners apply best practicestrategies aimed at reducing the energy used in commercial spaces.
We see great benefit in a designated center to facilitate communication
among formal and non-formal providers of sustainable education in the
Greater Portland region to share ideas, promote events and support crosssector relationships. This kind of center would help leverage the limited
resources available and increase individual and collective impacts ofsustainability education in our area. NBI is small and collaborations withentities like the RCE help us disseminate our information more widely andeffectively.

Page 2
Letter to Kim Smith
June 1, 2013

We look forward to sharing our tools and guidance with the RCE and seeing
them integrated as resources. Our contribution can include periodic
educational webinars as well as design tools such as our Daylighting Pattern
Guide, Plug Load Best Practices Guide, Advanced Lighting Guidelines(www.algonline.org), and the Core Performance Guide, our whole building,
new construction resource. All these materials are available as part of NBI’s
Advanced Buildings suite of tools, available online atwww.advancedbuildings.net.
In addition to providing these resources, NBI would welcome theopportunity to participate as an advisor to help shape and facilitate the
RCE’s work. We look forward to hearing positive news as your application
progresses. In the meantime, do not hesitate to contact me with anyquestions about NBI or our work. I can be contacted atralph@newbuildings.org and 360-567-0950, ext. 102.
Sincerely,

Ralph DiNola
Executive Director808 SW 3

RD

AVENUE, STE. 800 PORTLAND, OR 97214
T 503.968.7160 EARTHADVANTAGE.ORG

May	
  29,	  2013	  	
  To	
  Whom	
  It	
  May	
  Concern:	
  
	
  
I	
  am	
  pleased	
  to	
  write	  this	  letter	
  of	
  support	
  for	  the	
  creation	
  of	
  the	  Greater	
  Portland	
  Regional	
  Centre	
  of	
  Expertise	
  (RCE).	
  	
  
	
  
Earth	  Advantage	  Institute	
  is	
  a	
  business-­‐to-­‐business	
  501(c)(3)	
  based	  in	
  Portland,	
  with	  the	
  following	
  mission:	
  
	
  
Our	
  mission	
  is	
  to	
  accelerate	  the	
  creation	
  of	
  better	
  buildings.	
  We	
  use	  an	
  innovation	
  model	  that	  transforms	
  our	
  real-­‐world	
  experience	
  into	  products	
  and	  services	
  that	  advance	
  building	  performance.	
  Earth	  Advantage	
  certifies,	
  researches,	
  educates	
  and	  incubates	
  to	
  help	  realize	
  a	
  building	
  industry	
  that	  harmonizes	
  with	  the	
  natural	  environment.	
  	
  
	
  
EAI	
  certifies	
  homes	
  and	
  buildings	
  to	
  Earth	  Advantage®,	  ENERGY	  STAR®,	
  LEED®	
  for	
  Homes™,	
  and	
  Passive	  House	  US	  standards.	
  We	
  conduct	
  research	
  and	
  create	
  products	
  and	  services	
  such	  as	
  home	  energy	
  labeling	
  with	
  the	
  aim	  to	
  transform	
  the	
  built	
  environment	
  and	
  reduce	
  carbon	
  impact.	
  Education	
  is	
  an	
  important	
  
part	
  of	
  our	
  mission,	
  and	  we	
  develop	
  and	
  deliver	
  accreditation	
  courses	
  that	  prepare	
  builders,	
  architects,	
  real	
  estate	
  professionals,	
  appraisers,	
  auditors,	
  and	
  building	
  code	  officials	
  to	
  design,	
  build,	
  inspect,	
  market,	
  sell	
  and	
  appraise	
  sustainable	
  homes	
  and	
  buildings.	
  	
  
	
  
We	
  see	  the	
  RCE	
  playing	
  a	
  significant	
  role	  in	
  increasing	
  awareness	
  about	
  and	
  access	
  to	
  education	
  about	
  sustainable	
  development	
  by	
  leveraging	
  the	
  unique	
  resources	
  of	
  the	  Portland	
  region	
  and	
  creating	  new	
  partnerships.	
  The	  Portland	
  RCE	
  can	  serve	  as	
  a	
  key	  resource	
  for	
  education	
  providers	
  ranging	
  from	  K-­‐12	
  and	  higher	  education	
  to	
  professional	
  and	
  community	
  education	
  programs.	
  EAI	
  can	
  provide	
  expertise	
  and	
  education	
  regarding	
  sustainability	
  and	  the	
  built	
  environment	
  to	
  various	
  stakeholders	
  who	
  will	  engage	
  with	  the	
  RCE.	
  	
  
	
  
In	
  addition	
  to	
  the	
  opportunities	
  to	
  share	
  resources	
  and	
  form	  new	  partnerships,	
  EAI	  is	
  interested	
  in	
  the	  role	
  that	  RCEs	  can	
  play	  in	
  creating	
  opportunities	
  for	  research	
  and	
  development	
  around	
  sustainable	  development.	
  Although	  Portland	
  is	
  a	
  collaborative	
  community	
  already,	
  a	
  structure	
  currently	
  does	  not	
  exist	  to	
  provide	  support	
  to	
  take	  sustainable	
  development	
  education	
  to	
  the	
  next	  level	  through	
  research	
  and	
  development.	
  	
  
	
  
EAI	
  endorses	
  and	
  supports	
  the	
  group	
  of	
  committed	
  professionals	
  and	
  community	
  members	
  who	  have	  prepared	
  the	
  RCE	
  application.	
  Please	
  do	
  not	
  hesitate	
  to	
  contact	
  me	
  at	
  aschmiede@earthadvantage.org	
  should	  you	  have	  any	
  questions	
  about	
  EAI	  or	
  the	
  impact	
  that	  an	
  RCE	
  could	
  have	  on	
  the	
  greater	
  Portland	
  community.	
  	
  Sincerely,	  	  Angela	  Schmiede,	
  Ph.D.	
  Associate	  Executive	  Director	
  &	
  Director	
  of	
  Education	
  

	
  
	
  

BOARD MEMBERS

10 September 2013
Zach Hull,
Board President
Development Director,
Tixie

Beth Burns,
Board Secretary,
Executive Director
p:ear

Dan Rogers
Board Treasurer
Accountant, NIKE
Marie Jorajuria
CFA VP Finance &Compliance,
Equilibrium Capital

Lee Shaker,
Professor
Dpt Communication,
Portland State

Sara SzatmaryMarketing Director,
NIKE

Dear UNU-IAS RCE Selection Committee,
The Media Institute for Social Change is grateful for the opportunity to participate
in this regional educational consortium effort to apply for status as a Regional
Centre of Expertise for the greater Portland region.
The Media Institute for Social Change is active in ESD in a variety of ways. Oursustainability efforts primarily include hosting an annual Student Sustainability Film
Festival. Last year, in our fourth annual event, we collected 24 short films from 22
different colleges; each film profiled a program that the campus or community isundertaking for sustainability.
Through this event, we have had an opportunity to increase public awarenessabout social, economic, and environmental sustainability—and would be happy
to extend that platform to do the same regarding the role of ESD in shaping amore sustainable, healthy, and just future.
The proposed Greater Portland RCE would help us meet our needs in creating astrong collaboration and network. We welcome the opportunity to participate in thisglobal and regional effort and request the acceptance of our application.
Sincerely,

Phil Busse
Executive Director

3007 NE 8th Avenue Portland, Oregon 97212 (503) 975 – 4545 Phil@nwisc.com

PO Box 869, Beavercreek, OR 97004

Tel: 503-307-4067

September 13, 2013

Dear UNU-IAS RCE Selection Committee,

The Sustainable Schools Collaborative (SSC) is grateful for the opportunity to participate in thisregional educational consortium effort to apply for status as a Regional Centre of Expertise forthe greater Portland region.
The SSC, with its Sustainable Oregon Schools Initiative, is active in ESD in a variety of ways.
Our work is statewide and includes all aspects of sustainability including educating forsustainability as well as sustainable school facilities and operations, and student wellness.
The proposed Greater Portland RCE and our work, are mutually supportive. We look forward to
sharing resources, and partnering with our efforts. Our state-wide focus and the RCE work
focused on the Greater Portland area are mutually beneficial.
We welcome the opportunity to participate in this global and regional effort and request theacceptance of our application.
Sincerely,

Lori StoleJuly 24, 2013
United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies
Regional Centers for Excellence Selection Committee
To whom it may concern,
I am writing to support the effort to have Portland designated a Regional Center for Expertise (RCE)in education for sustainable development. The vision of the Oregon Zoo is to create “A Better
Future for Wildlife”. We believe that the only way to make this future a reality is through educating
and inspiring our community to take action on behalf of animals and the natural world. To
accomplish this, we offer a wide variety of classes, programs and experiences that offer our 1.6
million visitors with ways to make more sustainable lifestyle choices. From providing discounts tovisitors that use alternative transportation, to composting 100% of all herbivore waste into ZooDoo
fertilizer and requiring LEED certification on all major new construction efforts, the Oregon Zoo iscommitted to operating as sustainably as possible and encouraging our guests to take sustainableaction in their own lives.
The Oregon Zoo hopes to benefit from the collective expertise assembled through this local RCE.
We are committed to working collaboratively with the other environmental and sustainability
educators in the region to leverage the greatest impact. In particular as the Zoo embarks on thecreation of a new Education Center scheduled to open in 2017, we hope to engage the RCE toprovide our guests and program participants with the most up to date information aboutsustainable living and sustainable development.
We look forward to supporting the Portland RCE and are proud to be part of a community with sucha strong focus on sustainability education. Thank you for your consideration of this proposal.

Grant Spickelmier
Education Curator
Oregon Zoo / 4001 SW Canyon Rd
Portland, OR 97221
503-525-4268
Grant.spickelmier@oregonzoo.org

Portland
Community
College
May 31, 2013
Dear UNU-IAS RCE Selection Committee:
Portland Community College is grateful for the opportunity to participate in this regional
educational consortium effort to apply for status as a Regional Centre of Expertise forthe greater Portland region. The impetus and structure provided by the United Nations
University -Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS) has provided supportive guidelines
for facilitating our regional collaborative efforts on behalf of education for sustainable
development and we are pleased to contribute to this broader regional, national andinternational effort.
Portland Community College's (PCC) sustainability efforts are dynamic, collaborative,
and supported by PCC's Board of Directors Sustainable Use of Resources Policy (B-707).
Our goal is to shift PCC's operational practices and academic programs to addressconcerns of the earth, the economy, and social equity. Sustainability is about taking aholistic view so we can focus our efforts in a way that will ensure PCC is functioning inharmony with the natural balance of the earth. Achieving sustainability goals requires
long term planning, while recognizing and celebrating short-term achievements.
As a community college, we serve as an important convergence point for education: wework with K-12 schools and colleges and universities to support academic access,success, and articulation efforts; we connect with industries throughout the region on
advisory boards for our Career Technical Education programs; and we are the largest
college in the state of Oregon, serving 94,000 students, thereby requiring close
connections with local and state government. We recognize the benefit of collaboratingwith different sectors to promote education overall and education for sustainable
development (ESD) is no exception.

www.pcc.edu
P.O. Box 19000
Portland, Oregon
97280-0990

District President
Dr. Preston Pulliams

An Affirmative Action,

We are active in ESD in a variety of ways. In 2009, we drafted and began implementing
our first Climate Action Plan (CAP) with the goal of reducing our greenhouse gas
emissions 80% below 2006 levels by 2050. PCC was the first higher educational
institution in the state of Oregon to prepare their Climate Action Plan. The CAP has
intermediate GHG reduction targets, as well as goals and objectives spanning many
disciplines and departments. Having met many of its objectives, this plan was updated in
2013. Integrating sustainability knowledge and skills into our curriculum is an importantpart of this plan. Our Sustainable Practices for Academics and Resources Council (SPARe)
has developed green course outcomes, a Sustainability Focus Award, and numerous
trainings to build capacity among our instructors and educators across the region.

Equal Employment
Opportunity Institution

The proposed Greater Portland RCE would help us increase our collective sustainability
impact with our fellow higher education institutions and our community partners. We
recognize the benefits in cross-promoting and collaborating on events and trainings andUNU-IAS
May 31, 2013
Page 2aligning advocacy efforts for initiatives that support education for sustainable
development across institutions and within the state. By leveraging resources andfinding synergies with other institutions, we strive to improve our efficiency andeffectiveness in creating a more resilient, healthier and just community, economy, andenvironment, for present and future generations
We have supported the RCE planning process from the beginning, with the engagementof a number of faculty and staff through the development stages of the vision, structure,and goals of the RCE, including the funding of release time for Dr. Smith to help lead theplanning and application process. PCC's RCE initiative is housed within the frameworkof its Sustainability and Academic Resources Council (SPARC) and approval of PCC's RCEefforts require SPARe's recommendation. PCC commits to providing funding for a onecourse release per term for the 2013-2014 school year for Dr. Smith to serve as the
Coordinator of the RCE, in addition to funding her attendance at an RCE conference,
pending approval by the college president. We also offer in-kind support, including thedevelopment and hosting of the RCE web page, the offering of space for meetings andpotential sharing of capacity-building trainings with other institutions. SPARC leaders
are able to facilitate collaboration among RCE partners, such as the current engagementof our SPARC Coordinator lutgarda Cowan in the articulation working group within the
proposed RCE.
Upon the approval of the Greater Portland RCE, PCC will continue to engage inconversations with the broader community to define our short and long-term goals andthe best practices needed to move the education for sustainable development mission
forward. We welcome the opportunity to participate in this global and regional effort
and humbly request the acceptance of our application.

Preston Pulliams

September 4th, 2013

Dear UNU-IAS RCE Selection Committee,
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Portland Schools Committee is grateful for theopportunity to participate in this regional educational consortium effort to apply for status as a
Regional Centre of Expertise for the greater Portland region.
The Schools Committee is active in Education on Sustainable Development in a variety ofways:
The mission of the Schools Committee is to promote partnerships, awareness, and advocacy forsustainable K-12 facilities. The committee organizes educational sessions and building tours forarchitects, educational professionals and the general public and provides opportunities toconnect with others who are interested in creating better learning environments for children.
We collaborate with multiple organizations, including the AIA Portland Committee on theEnvironment (COTE). COTE is committed to educating professionals and the public onsustainable design issues and supporting an agenda of various public and private agencies andorganizations. Their belief is that design excellence can only be discussed within the context ofsustainability. COTE’s approach is to promote integration of design and sustainability, expand
participation and expertise, and to connect members of the design and building community.
We are allied with the US Green Building Council’s Center for Green Schools to drive thetransformation of schools into sustainable and healthy places to live, learn, work and play; andwith the Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI), a worldwide professional
non-profit association whose sole mission is improving the places where children learn. We
collaborate with the Cascadia Green Building Council and the Sustainable Schools Collaborative
to provide education for professionals and teachers on creating more sustainable learning
environments for K-12 schools.
The proposed Greater Portland RCE would help us meet our needs in the following ways:
1) Providing a setting for collaboration with other organizations
2) Offering a forum for sharing ideas and developing innovative new ideas on sustainability
education3) Facilitating research opportunities
We will be able to help support the RCE achieve its mission by offering:1) Expert speakers
2) Contribution to research projects
3) Curriculum development
4) Cross-marketing outreach5) Graphics skills6) Policy advocacy

We welcome the opportunity to participate in this global and regional effort and request theacceptance of our application.
Sincerely,

Jeff Yrazabal, AIAAIA Portland President
AIA Northwest and Pacific Young Architects Regional Director

September 12th, 2013

Dear UNU‐IAS RCE Selection Committee,
On behalf of the Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI) and the Oregon and Southwest
Washington Chapter, we are pleased to provide this letter of support for the creation of the Greater Portland Regional
Center of Expertise (RCE) on Education for Sustainable Development.
Established in 1921, CEFPI is a worldwide professional 501 (c) (3) non‐profit association whose sole mission is improving
the places where children learn. CEFPI members, individuals, institutions and corporations are actively involved inplanning, designing, building, equipping and maintaining schools and colleges. The association serves its members
through three key strategic areas: Advocacy and education of the general public, including policymakers, on the efficacy of school design andstudent outcomes; resource for planning effective educational facilities.
 Training and professional development of our members and others through current program, workshops,
seminars and conferences promoting best practices in creative school planning.
 Research and dissemination of information regarding the linkage between the educational facility, its design andstudent success.
Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona with a satellite office in Washington, DC, CEFPI consists of eight regions andmultiple chapters located in the US, Canada, Australasia and UK. Our Oregon and Southwest Washington Chapter has
active members in the Portland Metro area, including design and construction professionals, K‐ 12 administrators,
facility maintenance and operations professionals, consultants, manufacturers and suppliers.
At the national level, CEFPI is one of seventeen organizations serving on the Executive Committee of the Coalition ofGreen Schools. The Coalition for Green Schools brings together the nation’s strongest advocates for our children to
create a national infrastructure of healthy, high performance schools that are conducive to learning while saving energy,
resources and money.
At the chapter level, the Oregon and Southwest Washington chapter has worked in collaboration with multiple
educational and sustainability focused organizations, including the Sustainable Schools Collaborative, AIA Portland
Schools Committee, the AIA Portland Committee on the Environment, the Cascadia Green Building Council, Portland
Public Schools, Vancouver School District, Evergreen School District, Gresham‐Barlow School District, Portland
Community College, and Portland State University. We have hosted events at various green schools and colleges,
offering educational events and activities focused on sustainable development.

__________________________________________________________________________________________
Headquarters
11445 E Via Linda, Suite 2-440, Scottsdale, AZ 85259
p: +1.480.391.0840
www.cefpi.org

DC Area
Arlington , VA
p: +1.202.577.6771

The Oregon and Southwest Washington chapter has participated in the annual international CEFPI School of the Future
Design Competition. The School of the Future Design Competition offers an opportunity to illustrate the kind ofcreativity that students bring to the planning and design process. The annual competition, open to middle school
students, challenges student teams to design their schools to enhance learning, conserve resources, be environmentally
responsive and engage the surrounding community. School of the Future Design Competition provides an opportunity tohighlight the importance of well planned, healthy, high performance, safe and sustainable schools that enhance student
achievement and community vitality. As the building blocks of communities throughout the world and the keystone of
our future, schools should be sustainable spaces for lifelong learning.
The formation of the Greater Portland RCE will offer a central forum for sharing ideas, strategies and research efforts,
facilitate promotion of events, and support cross‐sector relationships in support of creating high performance schools.
We believe that this would result in greater collaboration between the various organizations and foster newopportunities for partnership.
We envision supporting the Greater Portland RCE’s on‐going efforts by continuing to partner with other organizations
for educational events and conferences, organizing building tours and relevant activities focused on sustainable school
development, contributing to research projects, and engaging students through the School of the Future Design
Competition or other activities. In addition, there will be potential collaboration opportunities for the CEFPI Annual
Conference and Exposition in Portland in October 2014, with a focus on sustainability and innovation.
We welcome the opportunity to participate in this global and regional effort and request the acceptance of ourapplication.
Sincerely,,
Barbara C. WorthDirector of Strategic & Private Development
CEFPI

Katrina Shum Miller
President
CEFPI Oregon/Southwest Washington Chapter__________________________________________________________________________________________
Headquarters
11445 E Via Linda, Suite 2-440, Scottsdale, AZ 85259
p: +1.480.391.0840
www.cefpi.org

DC Area
Arlington , VA
p: +1.202.577.6771

Appendix E: RCE Participation List
K-12 Schools
The Emerson School
Gladstone School District
The International School
Portland Public Schools
Vancouver Public Schools
Higher Education Institutions
Chemeketa Community College
Lewis and Clark College
Marylhurst University
Pacific University
Portland Community College
Portland State University (PSU)
PSU Native Nations Club
University of Oregon- Portland
University of Portland
Washington Center for Undergraduate Education
Washington State University-Vancouver
Non-formal/Non-profit organizations
American Institute of Architects – Portland Branch
Bicycle Transportation Alliance
Bike Train
Cascadia Green Building Council
Council of Educational Facility Planners International
Center for Earth Leadership
City Repair
Coalition for a Livable Future
Earth Advantage
Eco-School Network
Engaging Every Student
Environmental Education Association of Oregon
Environmental Leadership Program
Hands On Greater Portland
International Society of Sustainability Professionals
The Intertwine Alliance (large coalition of 450 conservation education groups)
Learning Options
Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA)
New Buildings InstituteNorthwest Earth Institute
OPAL (Organizing People Activating Leaders)
Oregon Green Schools
Appendix EOregon Safe Routes
Our United Villages
PDX Wildlife
Sustainability4All
Sustainable Schools Collaborative
SW Watershed Resource Center
Tryon Life Farm
Informal Educational Organizations/MediaCLEARING Magazine
Media Institute for Social Change
Oregon Public Broadcasting Eco-Trope
Providers of ESD (botanical gardens, museums, zoos, etc.)
Oregon Zoo
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)Business and Industry
Green Building Services Inc.
Green CE Inc.
Hawthorne Area Civic Ecology District
IBI Group
Imagine Energy, LLC
Intel
Lensa Consulting, LLC
Portfolio 21
Sacred Art Studio
Stamberger Outreach
Local government
Bonneville Power Administration
City of Portland
Multnomah County
Oregon State Department of Education (DOE)
Oregon State Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
Portland Metro
Civil society organizations
Focus the Nation
Gray Foundation
People of the Heart
Southeast Uplift Neighborhood Association
U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development
United Nations Portland Chapter

Appendix E

Sample of Potential Members Identified for Outreach
1,000 Friends of Oregon
Adelante Mujeres
Audubon Society
Benton Water District
Bureau of Land Management
Columbia Riverkeepers
Community Cycling Center
Community Energy Project
Cradle to Career
Earth and Spirit Council
EcoDistricts
Eco-Trust
Education NW
Energy Trust of Oregon
Friends of Trees
Friends of Tryon Creek
Great Outdoors Academy
Lane Community College
Mount Hood Community College
Natural Step
Oregon BEST
Oregon Environmental Council (OEC)
Oregon League of Conservation Voters (OLCV)
Oregon Wild
Portland Children’s Museum
Portland Youth Builders
Reed College
The Nature Conservancy
Trackers NW
Tualatin Riverkeepers
Verde NW
Willamette Riverkeepers
Zero Waste AllianceAppendix E

Appendix F: Ongoing and Planned Activities
Ongoing Activities
K-12 Schools Focused Programs
Portland Public Schools
The Portland Public Schools district is a leader in award-winning sustainable practices andeducation. As the largest school district in the Pacific Northwest, they have led efforts to reduce
waste, increase recycling, reduce electricity and water consumption, install wind and solar power,
manage stormwater, build school gardens, promote alternative transportation, and build the firstpublic K-12 LEED platinum school building. http://www.pps.k12.or.us/
Sustainable Schools Collaborative
Imagine if…
Every student is educated to create, value and participate in a sustainable world
Students are actively engaged with their community via school partnerships
Every school is a leading-edge laboratory for environmental and social stewardship
The Sustainable Schools Collaborative (SSC) strives for this vision by helping K-12 schools anddistricts educate for and practice economic, social and environmental sustainability.
http://www.sustainableschools.org/
Council of Educational Facility Planners International
CEFPI is a worldwide professional non-profit association whose sole mission is improving theplaces where children learn. CEFPI members, individuals, institutions and corporations are actively
involved in planning, designing, building, equipping and maintaining schools and colleges. CEFPI
offers a range of educational events, including the annual International Conference and Exposition,
which will be in Portland, OR in October 2014. http://www.cefpi.org/
American Institute of Architects – Portland Chapter Schools Committee
The mission of the Schools Committee is to promote partnerships, awareness, and advocacy forsustainable K-12 facilities. The committee organizes educational sessions and building tours forarchitects, educational professionals and the general public and provides opportunities to connect
with others who are interested in creating better learning environments for children. www.aia.org
Higher Education Institutions
Many of the colleges and universities in our region are active in integrating sustainability into theircurricula, facilities, governance, and operations.
For example, many higher education institutions are signatories on the American College &University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). The ACUPCC is a high-visibility effort toaddress global climate disruption undertaken by a network of colleges and universities that havemade institutional commitments to eliminate net greenhouse gas emissions from specified campus
Appendix Foperations, and to promote the research and educational efforts of higher education to equipsociety to re-stabilize the earth’s climate. Its mission is to accelerate progress towards climate
neutrality and sustainability by empowering the higher education sector to educate students, create
solutions, and provide leadership-by-example for the rest of society.
The ACUPCC provides a framework and support for America’s colleges and universities toimplement comprehensive plans in pursuit of climate neutrality. The Commitment recognizes theunique responsibility that institutions of higher education have as role models for theircommunities and in educating the people who will develop the social, economic and technologicalsolutions to reverse global warming and help create a thriving, civil and sustainable society.
The following institutions in the Portland Metro area have signed the ACUPCC:
Portland State University
University of Portland
Portland Community College
Lewis & Clark College
Pacific University
Oregon Institute of Technology
Washington State University, Vancouver
Additional signatories in the broader ecoregion include:
Lane Community College
Linfield College
Oregon State University
University of Oregon
Willamette University
ACUPCC institutions have agreed to:Complete an emissions inventory.
Within two years, set a target date and interim milestones for becoming climate neutral.
Take immediate steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by choosing from a list of shortterm actions.
Integrate sustainability into the curriculum and make it part of the educational experience.
Make the action plan, inventory and progress reports publicly available.
Several regional colleges and universities also participate in the Association for the Advancement of
Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating
System™ (STARS) program. STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges anduniversities to measure their sustainability performance. https://stars.aashe.org/
STARS is designed to:Provide a framework for understanding sustainability in all sectors of higher education.
Enable meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions using a common set ofmeasurements developed with broad participation from the campus sustainability
community.
Appendix FCreate incentives for continual improvement toward sustainability.
Facilitate information sharing about higher education sustainability practices andperformance.
Build a stronger, more diverse campus sustainability community.
Participating STARS colleges and universities in the greater Portland region are:Clark College
Lewis & Clark College
Pacific University
Portland Community College
Portland State University
Other valuable programs managed and sponsored by regional higher education institutions include:
Lewis and Clark College
Lewis and Clark has nationally-recognized programs in environmental law, environmental studies,and environmental education. www.lclark.edu
Portland Community College
PCC has created Green Outcomes and a Sustainability Focus Award through their Sustainable
Practices for Academics and Resources Council (SPARC) [See Appendix H]. PCC also offers
sustainability trainings, the Summer Sustainability Institute, a week-long capacity-building
workshop for green design and building instructors in the Northwest, funded by the National
Science Foundation, and extensive Living Labs, with Learning Gardens, campus composting
projects, alternative energy systems, and natural building projects through City Repair’s Village
Building Convergence. www.pcc.edu
Portland State University
PSU supports the Institute for Sustainable Solutions, the Social Sustainability Colloquium, extensive
sustainability, environmental studies, and community development degrees, and a broad range ofsustainability programs funded by the Miller Grant. www.pdx.edu
University of Oregon
Located in Portland, the U of O offers the Sustainability Leadership Program. sustain.uoregon.edu
University of Portland
UP offers environmental ethics & policy and environmental science degrees, is home to several
LEED buildings and an organic garden, coordinates a ZipCar car sharing program (the first US
campus to have one), banned the sale of disposable plastic water bottles in 2010 (first campus on
the US West Coast to do so); and hosts numerous large-scale regional events focused onsustainability that bring the University, other local colleges and universities, the business
community, NGOs, and local citizens together. www.up.edu

Appendix F

Non-formal/Nonprofit organizations
Bicycle Transportation Alliance
The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) is a non-profit membership organization working topromote bicycling and improve bicycling conditions in Oregon. The BTA works in partnership withcitizens, businesses, community groups, government agencies, and elected officials to create
communities where people can meet their daily transportation needs on a bicycle. It is our mission
to create healthy, sustainable communities by making bicycling safe, convenient and accessible.
Their activities span a broad spectrum of advocacy and education. We make citizen voices heard on
issues pertaining to bicycling, and work to give people the tools, confidence, and knowledge theyneed to be safe and accepted while riding a bicycle on the road. Our education programs create astrong sense of community among people who understand a community is a safer, healthier, morevital place when people ride bicycles. www.btaoregon.org
City Repair
City Repair is an organized group action that educates and inspires communities and individuals tocreatively transform the places where they live. City Repair facilitates artistic and ecologicallyoriented place-making through projects that honor the interconnection of human communities andthe natural world. The many projects of City Repair have been accomplished by a mostly volunteer
staff and thousands of volunteer citizen activists. Projects include the annual Village Building
Convergence, where people gather at neighborhood sites throughout Portland to engage inintersection repair, natural building, and other forms of placemaking. They also often host EarthDay. www.cityrepair.org
Environmental Leadership Program
The mission of the Environmental Leadership Program is to support visionary, action-oriented, anddiverse leadership for a just and sustainable future. ELP catalyzes change by providing talented
individuals early in their careers with the support and guidance they need to launch new
endeavors, achieve new successes, and rise to new leadership positions. Since 2000, they havecreated a dynamic network of over 500 of the country's top emerging environmental leaders. ELP
engages leaders in a series of trainings increasing their ability to embrace diversity and lead acrossdifferences, develop a systems thinking perspective, build partnerships/collaborations, utilize
strengths-based leadership, while furthering their knowledge of the environmental field.
www.elpnet.org
The Intertwine Alliance
The Intertwine Alliance is a coalition of private firms, public agencies and nonprofit organizations
working together to tap new sources of funding, better leverage existing investments, and more
fully engage residents with the outdoors and nature. The Alliance was formally launched as anonprofit in July, 2011 and currently has 80 partners. The Alliance exists to ensure the region’s trail
network gets completed, that our natural areas get restored, and that people of all ages discover
they can enjoy the outdoors near where they live. We exist to make our region more attractive to
new businesses and to help our existing companies attract talent. We’re here to reduce utility andtransportation costs and keep our water clean. Finally, we’re here to help our partner organizations
build their capacity and become more successful. www.theintertwine.org
Northwest Earth InstituteNorthwest Earth Institute is a nonprofit organization that inspires people to take responsibility for
Earth. NWEI was founded in 1993 with a simple objective: to give people a framework to talk about
Appendix Four relationship with the planet and to share in discovering new ways to live, work, create andconsume. As more than 140,000 NWEI participants worldwide have discovered, NWEI discussion
courses give people a framework to talk about their relationship with the planet and to share indiscovering new ways to live, work, create and consume. Our discussion courses have been used in
the workplace, on college campuses, in centers of faith, and in the community. They are designed tohelp break big issues into bite-sized pieces. And they help create a personal network of sharedstories and support that makes it easy to take action. www.nwei.org
Sustainability 4 All
Currently the lack of diversity within sustainability discourse in the United States is reinforcing
dominant culture; by critically looking at issues related to race and privilege, highlighting diverse
perspectives and using multiple lenses and frameworks, sustainability educators can help bridge
this divide increasing the diversity of change agents and strengthening the overall movement.
Sustainability for All seeks to help bridge this divide by partnering with communities,
organizations, schools and individuals while providing resources, curriculum design, leadershiptraining, dialogues, workshops and consulting.
Portland is often thought of as a National Leader when it comes to sustainability. The effort toward
the equity portion of sustainability often pales in comparison to the environmental and economic
portions. In order to have a movement that is beneficial and relevant to everyone and to avoid
perpetuating the dominant oppressive cycles of our past and present, we need to find new ways of
doing things. Portland has a unique opportunity to change what it means to be green and make amovement that is truly for all. www.sustainability4all.org
Informal education organizations
Media Institute for Social Change
Since 2006, MISC has been teaching public interest journalism and supporting independent media.
They have successfully implemented a two-month summer program to teach college students how
to produce professional-quality film documentaries. The program examines local solutions for
global issues, and prepares students with creative and journalistic experience they can utilize tocreate change. For the past three years, MISC has hosted a Student Sustainability Film Festival.
Students from across the country produce films that highlight steps their community is taking
toward a sustainable future. Based in Portland, they are committed to supporting student voice inour region. www.mediamakingchange.org
OregonACE (Adult Conservation Education) Collaborative
Oregon ACE partners work strategically to cultivate adult land stewards for protecting humanhealth, habitat, and clean water. By creating consistent, science-based and integrated messages,
education, and programming, we leverage our collective resources to reach a wider, more diverse
audience and foster lasting behavior change and vibrant communities. Our common areas ofinterest include:
Habitat (conservation and restoration for native plants and wildlife; invasive species removal)
Toxics reduction
Water resource protection (storm water management and water conservation)
Appendix FACE Participants
Audubon Society of Portland
City of Gresham, Department of Environmental Services
City of Portland, Bureau of Environmental Services
Clean Water Services
Columbia Land Trust
Columbia Slough Watershed Council
Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District
East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District
Friends of Tryon Creek
Metro
Oregon Tilth
OSU Extension Services- Master Gardeners
OSU Extension Services- Master Naturalists
Portland Prevention Outreach (P2O)
Southwest Watershed Resource Center
Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District
West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District
The Xerces Society
Providers of ESD (botanical gardens, museums, zoos, etc.)
Oregon Zoo
The 64-acre Oregon Zoo is located in Portland, a city and surrounding metropolitan area of 2.26
million people. Attendance in 2011 exceeded 1.6 million. The nonprofit Oregon Zoo Foundation
enhances community involvement with the zoo, primarily through member-based support. Eachyear it contributes between $4 and $5 million to help fund the zoo's work in conservation,
education and animal welfare. www.oregonzoo.org
The Oregon Zoo’s Conservation Education Division promotes environmental literacy andsustainable actions through experiences that cultivate understanding of and respect for animals andthe natural world. They are in the process of developing a large Education Center on the grounds,
where they hope the RCE will help develop display materials and educational programs. See
Appendix G for their Partnership Fact Sheet.
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) is a scientific, educational, and cultural
resource center dedicated to improving the public's understanding of science and technology. OMSI
makes science exciting and relevant through exhibits, programs, and experiences that are presented
in an entertaining and participatory fashion.
OMSI seeks to inspire wonder by providing engaging science learning experiences because wevalue:
Learning: teaching, asking questions, sharing, experimentation
Creativity: making (new) mistakes, sharing ideas, innovating, pushing the envelope
Integrity: publishing visitor comments, staying open to criticism, having pride in our work,
presenting accurate science, supporting honest communication www.omsi.edu
Appendix F

Business and Industry Focused Programs
Cascadia Green Building Council
Cascadia Green Building Council (GBC) is a proud chapter of the United States Green Building
Council and Canada Green Building Council. Cascadia GBC boasts a powerful network of 15
branches in Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon. Each of these branches pushes thegreen building movement’s boundaries in each locale through targeted and locally relevant
programming and professional development. Cascadia GBC provides industry professionals withquality education while simultaneously meeting their continuing education needs for professional
credential maintenance. The annual Living Future conference is a vital program of Cascadia GBC
and will be hosted in Portland, OR in May 2014. living-future.org/cascadia
Earth Advantage Institute
Earth Advantage Institute designs tools to create better buildings. This organization strives totransform the building industry to harmonize the natural and built environment for future
generations. They focus on a currently hidden component of the human impact on Earth—building
energy efficiency, accounting for nearly 40% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Earth Advantage
Institute develops and delivers tools and strategies to solve these problems that are inherent in ourbuilt environment. They do so through three main activities: education, certification, research andconsulting. They support all participants in the building sector, from real estate professionals andcontractors to architects and developers. www.earthadvantage.org
Green CE
Green CE, Inc., is an online resource for design professionals who want to learn about green
building, sustainability, conservation, and how to create a healthy environment. Our mission is to
educate design professionals about environmental benefits, health benefits, and economic benefits
when designing a building. www.greence.com/
IBI Group
IBI Group’s expertise spans urban design and planning, building and landscape architecture,engineering, advanced transportation management and traffic systems, real estate analysis,
communications specializations, and software development. These are organized in four core
disciplines: Urban Land, Facilities, Transportation, and Intelligent Systems to ensure a holistic
approach to creating innovative, responsive, and intelligent solutions for our clients in both the
public and private sectors. The collaborative nature of our practice allows the firm to effectively
address the complexities inherent in the development of sustainable environments.
www.ibigroup.com
New Buildings Institute
New Buildings Institute (NBI) is a nonprofit organization working to improve the energy
performance of commercial buildings. It serves as a technical resource for the energy and building
industries, assessing technologies, promoting design approaches, and helping guide policies andprograms that will significantly improve the energy efficiency of the built environment.
www.newbuildings.org

Appendix FSupporters of ESD delivery (government)
Bonneville Power Administration
The Bonneville Power Administration provides educational resources to teachers and students,
grades four through twelve. Our materials focus on hydropower, electricity, renewable energy,
climate change, environment fish and wildlife and energy efficiency. Through these programs, BPA
assists regional schools in providing a high-quality education and preparing students for future
employment. We sponsor and participate in a variety of education programs for kids, including
science fairs and competitions, classroom presentations, summer science camps, worksite visits,
tours and career-based learning experiences. At BPA, we know the power of lending a hand. Our
volunteer program provides hands-on support to community projects that support math andscience education, energy conservation and environmental stewardship.
http://www.bpa.gov/PublicInvolvement/CommunityEducation/Pages/default.aspx
City of Portland
The City of Portland is guided by the Portland Plan, a collaboration of more than 20 municipal,
regional, and community agencies and organizations, focusing on a core set of priorities: prosperity,
education, health, and equity. Two key sustainability agencies within the City of Portland are thePortland Bureau of Environmental Services, which is charged with protecting public health, water
quality and the environment by providing sewage and stormwater collection and treatment
services for the Portland community, and the Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, whichdevelops innovative and practical solutions to create and enhance a prosperous, educated, healthy
and equitable city, through citywide strategic and comprehensive land use planning; neighborhood,
district, economic, historic and environmental research, planning and urban design; policy andservices to advance energy efficiency, green building, waste reduction, composting and recycling,solar and renewable energy use, and local sustainable food production; as well as actions to
mitigate and adapt to climate change. http://www.portlandoregon.gov
EcoDistricts
Our new name, EcoDistricts (formerly Portland Sustainability Institute), sums up our shared vision
for creating sustainable cities from the neighborhood up. An EcoDistrict is a new model of publicprivate partnership that emphasizes innovation and deployment of district-scale best practices tocreate the neighborhoods of the future—resilient, vibrant, resource efficient, and just. Our larger
scope is designed to better serve you, the growing number of innovative practitioners
and policymakers who are making a demonstrable impact in your communities and helping to growthe global green neighborhood movement. Urban development leaders of all stripes, from mayors
to universities to affordable housing providers, see EcoDistricts as the powerful way to address
many of their pressing challenges, from climate change to neighborhood degradation. In response,
we’re creating a convening, advocacy, technical assistance and research platform to inform anddrive EcoDistrict innovation - strategic in nature, collaborative in approach and practical inapplication. http://ecodistricts.org
Metro
Metro is our tri-county governmental agency, which oversees extensive and innovative
sustainability initiatives, education programs, and community conservation campaigns. From
recycling to healthy garden care, Metro is a world leader that helps citizens make a difference intheir own homes and communities. http://www.oregonmetro.gov/index.cfm/go/by.web/id/24199

Appendix F

Multnomah County
Multnomah County's Office of Sustainability promotes a sustainable community where present andfuture generations are able to prosper. The Office of Sustainability is a resource for county
operations and county residents on environment, economic and social equity issues such as: asustainable food system, energy and climate change, resource conservation, waste reduction andrecycling, green building practices, and more, including the development of a County Sustainability
Initiative. http://web.multco.us/sustainability
Oregon State Department of Environmental Quality
From government policies and research on pollution to state-wide procurement practices, the DEQ
leads the way in innovative operations and actions. They offer internships, research and grant
opportunities, and conservation education. http://www.oregon.gov/DEQ
Supporters of ESD delivery (civil society organizations)Hands On Greater Portland
Hands On Greater Portland believes that everyone can do something for the community. Thisempowering organization facilitates volunteerism by creating opportunities for civic engagement
and serving as a hub for finding ways to participate. Through sponsored projects and a calendar fullof volunteer opportunities, they connect volunteers with opportunities to feed the hungry, teachour children, house the homeless, restore our environment and meet other important community
needs. www.handsonportland.org
SE Uplift Neighborhood Coalition
Since 1968, the SE Uplift Neighborhood Coalition has provided critical staff and organizational
support to thousands of neighborhood association volunteers fostering safe, vibrant and diverse
neighborhoods within SE Portland. SE Uplift works with 20 neighborhood associations to promotesustainability. They empower citizens to effectively resolve challenges and uplift communities
through a variety of skill-building techniques, workshops, and resources. Their community
programs include Solarize SE, Neighborhood Small Grants, Graffiti Abatement Community Grants,
as well as neighborhood association support with neighborhood planning, fiscal sponsorship,sustainability, governance support, outreach & communications. http://www.southeastuplift.org/
United Nations Portland Chapter
This nonprofit, nonpartisan organization supports the work of the United Nations in the Oregon
area and encourages active civic participation in the most important social and economic issues
facing the world today. http://www.una-oregon.org/
U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development
The U.S. Partnership consists of individuals, organizations and institutions in the United States
dedicated to education for sustainable development (ESD). It acts as a convener, catalyst, andcommunicator working across all sectors of American society.
http://www.uspartnership.org/main/view_archive/1

Appendix FCurrent and Ongoing Activities(Developed at March, 2013, Stakeholder Meeting)

Objectives
1. To build a network of connected members, partners, and stakeholders for sustainability education.
2. To integrate sustainability education into the curriculum in formal and non-formal contexts.
3. To create lifelong learning opportunities in sustainability.
4. To leverage education and resources for improving sustainability challenges in the region.
5. To model and promote collaborative, inclusive processes and sustainability practices.
6. To promote and support research and innovation in sustainability.
7. To influence policy on sustainability education.

Current Ongoing Activities
Activities
Cocurricular Learning
Cocurricular Learning
Cocurricular Learning

Descriptors (i.e. Status,
frequency, type)business, student
organization/clubservice-learning

Organization
Marylhurst University
Portland State University

business, student
organization/clubstudent mentoring for diversifying
sustainability events
yearly, OctoberPortland State University

Conferences & Events

annual, May, students andfamilies

Bicycle Transportation Alliance

Conferences & Events

City Repair

Conferences & Events

annual, placemaking, urban
sustainability, social regeneration
annual, post-secondary, hosted at
University of Portland
annual, K-12

Conferences & Events

Tony Cortese speaking event

Portland State University

Conferences & Events

Portland State University

Conferences & Events

weekly (Fall, Winter, Spring),
speaker series
annual conference, Spring

Conferences & Events

annual, K-12, intra-district

Sustainable Schools Collaborative

Conferences & Events

Lois Gibbs speaking event and"Fierce Green Fire" film
Annual Conference

University of Portland

Cocurricular Learning
Conferences & Events

Conferences & Events

Curriculum

Sustainability 4 All
Association for the Advancement of
Sustainability in Higher Education

Focus the Nation
Oregon Green Schools

Sustainability 4 All

Association for the Advancement of
Sustainability in Higher Education
Appendix FCurriculum

Webpage clearinghouse

Association for the Advancement of
Sustainability in Higher Education

Curriculum

K-12 teachers, yearly, no/low cost

Bicycle Transportation AllianceCurriculum

pilot, PSU, PCC

Bicycle Transportation AllianceCurriculum

courses in community

Center for Earth Leadership

Curriculum

lesson plans, K-12, K-5

Eat. Think. Grow

Curriculumtransdisciplinary themes

International School

Curriculum

ongoing

Marylhurst University

Curriculum

books, online platform

Northwest Earth Institute

Curriculum

Gardening and healthy cooking

Oregon Food Bank

Curriculum

Green Outcomes andSustainability Focus Award

Portland Community College

Curriculum

instructor training through AASHE

Portland Community College

Curriculum

cocurricular program, curriculum,
leadership, change agent

Portland State University

Curriculum

faculty development workshop
and curriculum reorientation

Portland State University

Curriculum
Curriculum
Curriculum

diversity and sustainability
leadershipworkforce development

Sustainability 4 All
Sustainability 4 All
University of Oregon

Curriculum

train other institutions withpedagogy model via April
conference

University of Oregon

Grants, Funding &Grantwriting
Grants, Funding &Grantwriting

National Science Foundation

Portland Community College

James F. and Marion L. Miller
Foundation

Portland State University

Internships - Placements

improving

Lewis & Clark College

Internships - Placements

Cooperative Education

Portland Community College

Internships - Placements

integrated multi-unit program,
paid internships

Portland State University

Internships - Positions

unpaidOutgrowing Hunger

Internships - Positions

unpaidRegional Center of Expertise

Leadership &Organizational
Development

Marylhurst University

Appendix FLeadership &Organizational
Development

Mentoring programs and SPARC

Portland Community College

Leadership &Organizational
Development

bring in permaculture people

Regional Center of ExpertiseMarketing & Outreachlistserv, network (800 members)

Bicycle Transportation AllianceMarketing & Outreach

K-12

Center for Earth LeadershipMarketing & Outreach

K-12

Oregon Green Schools

Marketing & Outreachlistserv (600+)

Portland State University

Marketing & Outreachpost-secondary

Portland State University

Marketing & OutreachRegional Center of ExpertiseMarketing & Outreachhelp with messaging to include
diverse groups
promotion of otherschools/institutions events open
to the publicMarketing & Outreachlistserv, diversity and sustainability

Sustainability 4 All

Marketing & Outreach

K-12

Sustainable Schools Collaborative

Marketing & Outreach

K-12, intra-district

Member Meetings

quarterly

Regional Center of ExpertiseNon-formal Learning

study tours for delegations fromother cities and countries
green outcomes for classes

Portland State University

Outcomes & Assessment

community and environmental
responsibility outcome for all
graduates

Portland Community College

Outcomes & Assessment

sustainability course identification
tool

Portland State University

Outcomes & Assessment

existing learning outcomes,
working on assessment

Portland State University

Outcomes & Assessment

Regional Center of Expertise

Portland Community College

Outcomes & Assessment

University of Oregon

Post-graduate
opportunities
Programs

University of Oregon
yearly, October, behavior change

Northwest Earth Institute

Programs

fee-based service

University of Oregon

Projects

annual, placemaking, urban
sustainability, social regeneration
block-level

City Repair

Projects

Planet Repair
Appendix FProjects

map plan to state standards

Research & Development

social network analysis of local
sustainability-focuses intentional
communities

Research & Development

list of sustainability education
publications and options forstudent publication

Portland State University

Research & Development

Community Based Participatory
Research project

Portland State University

Research & Development

connections to publication:"Journal of Sustainability
Education"

Research & Development

obstacles teachers face in
implementing ESD, K-12
equity and sustainability research

Research & Development

Sustainable Schools Collaborative

Resources

matrix of community
opportunities and institutional
contacts

Regional Center of Expertise

Volunteer - Positions

teaching children about safe
bikingBicycle Transportation Alliance

Volunteer - Positions

Service projects

Hands On Greater Portland

Volunteer - Positions

application committee, event
planning
events, student groupcollaboration

Regional Center of Expertise

Volunteer - Positions

Sustainability 4 All

Possible Future Activities
Activities

Descriptors (i.e. Status,
frequency, type)

Organization

Cocurricular Learning

student organization dialogue

Regional Center of Expertise

Conferences & Events

annual, post-secondary, hosted in
Portland 2014

Association for the Advancement of
Sustainability in Higher Education

Conferences & Events

Innovation Celebration

City of Portland

Conferences & Events

climate change activism

Conferences & Events

Green Jobs, bring Van Jones toPortlandAppendix FCurriculum

15-year goal to reach every
Oregon student

Bicycle Transportation AllianceCurriculum

K-12 PE and health teachers
trained to teach Bike & Pedestrian
curricula

Bicycle Transportation AllianceCurriculum

curricula incorporated into
standards and funded

Bicycle Transportation AllianceCurriculum

In development, launches Fall2013
training on ESD methods inclassroom, integrating ESD into
curriculum, using with informal
education, systems
dynamics/thinking, futureenvisioning, transformative
learning, shaping learningorganizations
workshop to share models of
integrating ESD into
employee/student orientations

Marylhurst University

Curriculum

integration of personal andprofessional leadershipdevelopment, capacity building forchange leadership in region

Regional Center of Expertise

Curriculum

education that is not limited toonly local and current knowledge-increase international andhistorical

Graduate Teaching Fellows
for researchseeking funding

Curriculum

Curriculum

Internships - Positions

Regional Center of Expertise

Regional Center of Expertise

University of Oregon
Sustainability 4 All

Leadership &Organizational
Development

professional development series

Regional Center of Expertise

Leadership &Organizational
Development

create learning communities /communities of practice in areasof interest

Regional Center of Expertise

Leadership &Organizational
Development

involve environmental healthcommunity

Regional Center of Expertise

Leadership &Organizational
Developmentalign with UN Sustainable
Development goals, AASHE's
goals, Metro's goals, etc.

Regional Center of Expertise

Leadership &Organizational
Development

paid position for sustainability
consortium

Regional Center of Expertise

Appendix FLeadership &Organizational
Development

need to develop common
understanding of the RCE beyond
environmental

Regional Center of Expertise

Leadership &Organizational
Development

rotate members of ongoing"strategic integration team"

Regional Center of Expertise

Leadership &Organizational
Development

connect to national leadershipprograms for sustainability(Together Green, ECP, CDE, etc.)

Regional Center of ExpertiseMarketing & Outreachshare partner stories of howorganizations and people arecontributing to a sustainable
futureRegional Center of ExpertiseMarketing & Outreachlistserv/website as central sourcefor events
paid PR staff position

Regional Center of Expertise

educate and involve the media
about sustainability ed events
list of sustainability-oriented
writers, media people, etc.
(Oregonian, Willamette Week,
Indy bloggers)

Regional Center of ExpertiseMarketing & Outreachbuild connections with churches
to address food security in fooddeserts

Regional Center of ExpertiseMarketing & Outreachpartnerships with government
officials"one stop shop" about programs

Regional Center of Expertise

opportunity to use PSU's modelacross institutions

Regional Center of ExpertiseMarketing & OutreachMarketing & OutreachMarketing & OutreachMarketing & Outreach
Outcomes & Assessment
Post-graduate
opportunities

Regional Center of Expertise

Regional Center of Expertise

University of Oregon

Portland State University

Programs

annualRegional Center of Expertise

Programs

Regional Center of Expertise

Projects

study abroad to visit other UNU
RCE peers, facilitate exchange
educational eco-tourism aroundfood systems
policy change

Projects

PD to support plan

Sustainable Schools Collaborative

Research & Development

curriculum and program
evaluation

Bicycle Transportation Alliance

Research & Development

tech programs

Portland Community College

Programs

Regional Center of Expertise

Appendix F

Research & Development

have a strong collaborative
participatory research strand
educational, social, andenvironmental impacts of ESD
efforts--or compilation of existing
research

Regional Center of Expertise

Research & Development

developing indicators forsustainability education in theregionRegional Center of Expertise

Research & Development

do more social network analysis

Research & Development

article on how churches canaddress community food security
database for assessment
techniques
Equity, diversity, and sustainability
use model to employ graduates bycontracting out skilled,
experienced leaders to work on
regional sustainability challenges

Research & Development

Resources
Resources
Sustainability Careers &Workforce Development

Sustainability Careers &Workforce Development

Regional Center of Expertise

Regional Center of Expertise
Sustainability 4 All
Portland State University

Green jobs

Appendix FAppendix G: Unemployment Rates
Unemployment by race and ethnicity, Portland MSA and United States, 2006-2008
and 2009-2011, three year estimates

Source: US Census, American Community Survey, Table: S2301

Appendix G

Unemployment by educational attainment, Portland MSA and United States, 20062008 and 2009-2011, three year estimates

Source: US Census, American Community Survey, Table: S2301

Finding & Trends:
The unemployment rate for the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) was
higher than the national rate from August 2008 to April 2011. Recently, the gap between the two rates haslessened. In March 2013, the unemployment rate for the United States was 7.6 and the rate for thePortland MSA was 7.7.
Unemployment rates for every racial and ethnic group increased in both the Portland MSA and the UnitedStates from 2006-2008 to 2009-2011. During both time periods, the unemployment rate for African
Americans and Blacks, American Indians and Hispanics were greater than those of Whites and Asians inboth the Portland MSA and the United States. Between 2009 and 2011, Asians had the lowest
unemployment rate at 7.8 (+/-0.9).
Between 2006-2008 and 2009-2011, unemployment rates increased for all groups regardless ofeducational attainment. In the Portland MSA, people with a Bachelor’s degree has an unemployment rateof less than half the rate of those with a high school diploma, and those without a high school diploma
suffered from an unemployment rate of almost 17 percent. The unemployment rate for people in thefollowing categories was higher in the Portland MSA than in the United States as a whole: High School
Diploma, Some College or Associates Degree and Bachelor’s Degree of Higher.
Appendix G

Between 2006-2008 and 2009-2011, unemployment also increased for every age category in both thePortland MSA and the United States. Unemployment disproportionately affects those under 25 years old.
In 2009-2011, the highest unemployment rates were for 16-19 year olds (34.3 +/-2.1) and 20 to 24 years
olds (17.9 +/-1.2). Unemployment rates were higher in the Portland MSA than in the United States for thefollowing categories: 16-19 year olds, 25-44 year olds, 45-54 year olds, 55-64 year olds, 65-74 year olds
and total.

Using the indicator to drive change:
Employment is the primary source of income for most families. Unemployment disproportionately affects
minorities, the young and the less educated. Job training, education and other programs designed to fightunemployment will have the most impact if they are targeted at the groups with the highest level of need.
Because education is a key driver for higher earnings and lower unemployment, broader educational
opportunity could drive down the unemployment rate in the long run.

Sources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Program
Oregon Workforce and Employment Research Division
United States Census, American Community Survey

Appendix G

Appendix H: International, State, County, and Institutional
Initiatives
Aiming Higher: Tertiary Education Responseto the Development of Sustainable Development Goals
Achieving sustainable development requires the recognition and development of relevant
competencies, values, skills and approaches in order to think critically and constructively toaddress the local and global challenges facing society now and into the future. Universities andcolleges have substantial influence and reach, with a capacity to fulfill this requirement, particularly
given the efforts in place to integrate sustainable development into curricula, research, operations
and community engagement efforts. This role which tertiary education can, should, and does play isrecognized within The Future We Want, and should also be recognized when developing the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This document is the result of a collaborative effort amongst colleagues from within the tertiary
education sector, with voices from institutions across the globe represented. We ask those who areresponsible for developing the SDGs to recognize the role of tertiary education and take thisfeedback into consideration.
Educational institutions at all levels need to embed sustainable development throughout
the curriculum, with clear sustainable development outcomes and frameworks to support
this action in order to reorient workforce training, professions and industry.
In order to be successful in embedding sustainable development across the curriculum at alllevels, it is helpful to have a standard sustainability literacy definition to guide
implementation efforts. Once defined, a baseline should be sought regarding current
sustainability literacy levels with an aim to double sustainability literacy worldwide by
2020.
There is a critical need to rethink economic models and focus on the “triple bottom line” topromote healthy economies, communities and ecosystems. Educational institutions canhelp guide discussions and build knowledge and models to support sustainable
development.
It is essential to recognise the importance of service-learning, living laboratories,
internships, and applied research in a student’s formal and non-formal education, coupledwith the establishment of holistic educational frameworks focused on inter-disciplinarity, tohelp create an informed community of active and culturally-aware citizens who can become
agents of change to realise the goals and objectives set to reach sustainable development.
Resources need to be invested in workforce development in facilitating the dissemination ofsustainability skills and knowledge throughout the local and global community in order toprepare students to work within sustainable economies.
Educational institutions, as with business and industry, should have requirements within
institutions and accrediting bodies to promote sustainability as a part of the values andstrategic plans of institutions that include the holistic engagement of students, staff, faculty,
and administrators.
There is a critical need to increase the awareness of the MDGs, UN programs, andsustainable development within educational institutions, along with government, business

Appendix H

and community agencies. Tertiary education can address these goals through the creationof coherent and consistent platforms and curriculum which can guide the education of ourstudents.
The operational practices of all government, business and industry, NGOs, and educational
institutions should be called into consideration, with a need to show how each is addressing
issues such as: climate change, disasters and conflict, ecosystem management,
environmental governance, harmful substances, and resource efficiency. Tertiary education
can help develop the metrics and monitoring of the practices as well as provide thetechnical training necessary for success in these fields.
To increase the dissemination of knowledge between developed and developing countries,
the UN is called upon to assist in the funding and facilitation of exchange programs forteaching and research staff, as well as students. It is also requested that internships
specifically for students be included in this consideration.
The UN is also called upon to facilitate platforms for the sharing of resources, curriculum
and technology transfer, with contributions to this platform reviewed and analysed byeducational experts.
Tertiary education institutions should be included in conversations between corporations,communities, NGOs, and government, and can serve in critical roles on advisory boards forpolicies and practices. This stakeholder role should be recognized as integral in achieving
sustainable development goals.
The UN is called upon to increase the amount of financial support available for poorer
students to assist them in attending tertiary level studies. In the same vein, the UN could
facilitate a model of an international revolving loan fund for students and staff ofinstitutions to access to take action towards sustainable development.
As centers for innovation, tertiary education need further investment to stimulate thedevelopment and growth of new models and systems to help transition and transformsocieties toward a sustainable world.
As institutions responsible for the generation of knowledge, skills, competencies, and life-longlearning, it is critical that universities and colleges become recognized and supported for theseessential contributions to sustainable development. The SDGs must be developed with an active
voice and in a manner that cannot be ignored. The time for rhetoric has passed. The time fordefinitive action is now.
Developed as a result of a workshop conducted during the 2012 AASHE Conference in Los Angeles,
which was attended by individuals from institutions across North America, Australia, South Korea,
the Netherlands, France, and the United Kingdom.

Oregon Environmental Literacy Plan
http://www.ode.state.or.us/gradelevel/hs/oregon-environmental-literacy-plan.pdf

Appendix HMetro Regional Planning and Policy
http://www.oregonmetro.gov/index.cfm/go/by.web/id=33630
The region's land use and transportation policies protect farms and forests whilerevitalizing downtowns and main streets. Learn about the vision guiding policy decisions
and development to make a great place for current and future generations. The quality oflife we enjoy here is the result of conscious decisions and hard choices made by citizen
leaders, business owners and elected officials. In recent decades, the people of this region
have joined together to protect farms and forests, preserve the character of single-familyneighborhoods, revitalize commercial districts, invest in transportation options andsafeguard clean air, clean water and healthy ecosystems. The region is growing faster thananyone expected when the region's long-range plan was first developed. This rapid growthbrings jobs and opportunity, but it also creates new challenges. As our population
continues to grow, the Metro Council is committed to continue this important work,
bringing people together to protect the things we love about this place and charting a wise
course for the future.
Region’s Six Desired Outcomes
Whether your roots are generations deep or newly planted, you are part of a communitythat treasures the nature around us, the neighborhoods and businesses that sustain us andour shared commitment to preserving our quality of life. In 2008 regional leaders agreed
on six desired outcomes for communities throughout the region. By embracing measurable
outcomes, leaders shifted from talking about abstract concepts like "compact urban form"
to focusing on things that really matter in our everyday lives. Identifying regional values
ensures decisions are guided by a clear focus. The following six desired outcomes for theregion were adopted by Metro Council in 2010 as part of the region's growth management
policies:
Vibrant communities: People live, work and play in vibrant communities where theireveryday needs are easily accessible.
Economic prosperity: Current and future residents benefit from the region's sustained
economic competitiveness and prosperity.
Safe and reliable transportation: People have safe and reliable transportation choices thatenhance their quality of life.
Leadership on climate change: The region is a leader in minimizing contributions to global
warming.
Clean air and water: Current and future generations enjoy clean air, clean water andhealthy ecosystems.
Equity: The benefits and burdens of growth and change are distributed equitably.
Appendix H

Regional Vision: The 2040 Growth ConceptThis region is admired across the nation for its innovative approach to planning for the
future. Our enviable quality of life can be attributed in no small measure to our stubborn
belief in the importance of thinking ahead.
One example of this foresight was the Metro council's adoption of the 2040 GrowthConcept, a long-range plan designed with the participation of thousands of Oregonians in
the 1990s. This innovative blueprint for the future, intended to guide growth anddevelopment over 50 years, is based on a set of shared values that continue to resonate
throughout the region: thriving neighborhoods and communities, abundant economic
opportunity, clean air and water, protecting streams and rivers, preserving farms andforestland, access to nature, and a sense of place. These are the reason people love to live
here.
Policies in the region’s long-range plan encourage:
safe and stable neighborhoods for families
compact development, which uses both land and money more efficiently
a healthy economy that generates jobs and business opportunities
protection of farms, forests, rivers, streams and natural areasa balanced transportation system to move people and goods
housing for people of all incomes in every community.
Ten urban design types are identified in the 2040 Growth Concept as the "building blocks"of the regional strategy for managing growth. Read about how each of these components
contributes to making a vital, livable region for generations to come.

Appendix H

The Portland Metro Climate Prosperity Project: A Greenprint for the Metro Region
http://ecodistricts.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Greenprint_Final_Jan11.pdf
In 2009, the Portland metropolitan region became a pilot of the national Climate
Prosperity Project, an invitation-only initiative led by the Rockefeller Brothers
Fund to develop a new kind of regional strategy that simultaneously emphasizes
economic prosperity and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. We asked
a simple question: how does the Portland region successfully scale up the green
economy while meeting established livability and environmental goals?
Our region is an early adopter of green technologies, conservation, and innovative
public policy. It’s known as a place where the environment and livability takes
priority, bucking national trends around sprawl and greenhouse gas emissions.
But our environmental leadership has not fully materialized into a strong economic
development and public policy strategy that builds social capital across theregion. The promise of a clean economy is in our sights, yet other regions arevying for the leadership role — and they have the intent and capacity to pass us by.
This Greenprint is a call to action. It is a set of strategies to elevate and prioritize
our activities, starting immediately. We can no longer afford to work without astrong regional platform on which to frame collaborative efforts. We can andmust align our initiatives to grow our competitive advantages, scale up our efforts,
reduce our environmental impacts, and capture the benefits of the clean economy
for all of our residents.
Success will require a united and aggressive effort by business and policy leaders
to strengthen and expand the Portland region’s role on the leading edge of the
global clean economy.
The time to act is now — please join us.

ACTION 1: Expand Green Project Finance
Establish energy efficiency finance program
Develop regional investment strategy to support green infrastructure, smart growthand sustainable development projects
Develop utility service and revenue recovery models to accelerate resource
efficiency and smart grid technologies
Develop regional green bank strategy that explicitly directs loans into energy
efficiency and renewable energy investments
Appendix H

Encourage the Oregon Investment Council to invest a portion of the state treasury
portfolio into local clean technology and efficiency projects
Create replicable ecosystem services marketplace for sustainable forestry,watershed and agriculture projects
Enhance state incentives and policies for clean technologies
ACTION 2: Accelerate Energy Efficiency and Clean Energy
Establish a regional energy policy for efficiency and local clean energy production
For major redevelopment sites, adopt high-performance building and infrastructure
standards
Accelerate bulk procurement of on-site clean energy systems
Create unified customer energy literacy campaign for the region
Support transportation electrification throughout the region
ACTION 3: Commercialize Green Technologies
Create a “one stop” commercialization resource center for businesses
Create a commercialization gap fund through the State of Oregon’s signature
Research Centers
Organize companies into consortia to work together on proof-of concept newbuildings, energy technologies and retrofit projects to develop and commercialize
innovative technologies
ACTION 4: Cultivate the Clean Tech Cluster
Support the regional wind energy industry
Support the regional solar energy industry
Support the regional green development industry
Support the regional transportation electrification, battery storage and smart gridindustries

Appendix H

ACTION 5: Cultivate a Sustainable Forestry and Agriculture Cluster
Support efforts to strengthen the regional food system as an economic development
cluster
Support the emerging regional biomass industry
ACTION 6: Develop a Pipeline of Green Talent
Forecast workforce needs
Strategically invest in post secondary programs that will result in family wage green
jobs
Integrate green curriculum into metro region school districts (K-12)
Create pathways to employment for all through sustainable workforce retraining
programs
ACTION 7: Build Support and Communicate Results
Create Climate Prosperity Leadership Council
Set up a measurement system to track quarterly and annual progress on key
economic and environmental measures
Broaden support for Greenprint implementation

Appendix H

Tenancy and/or Program Partnerships Education Center at the Oregon Zoo
RFI 14-2403

Metro Oregon Zoo
600 NE Grand Ave.
Portland, OR 97232
503-797-1700
www.oregonzoo.org

Project Manager
Stacey Triplettstacey.triplett@oregonmetro.gov
503-797-1882
Department Procurement Staff
Kim Bardes, CPPB
Kim.Bardes@oregonmetro.gov
503-220-5718

Notice is hereby given that the Request for Information (RFI) for Tenancy and/or Program
Partnerships - Education Center at the Oregon Zoo shall be received by Metro, 600 NE
Grand Avenue, Portland OR 97232 until close of business on September 30, 2013. It is thesole responsibility of the submitting party to ensure that Metro receives the response by
the specified date and time. Responses may be mailed, delivered, faxed or emailed.
Appendix H

I.

INTRODUCTION
The Education Division of the Oregon Zoo of Metro, a metropolitan service district organizedunder the laws of the State of Oregon requests information regarding interest in Tenancy and/or
Program Partnerships at the Education Center at the Oregon Zoo. Responses will be due as
indicated on the RFI cover page.
This Request for Information is intended to gather data from any member of the community inpreparation for potential, upcoming procurements in support of the development and operation of
the Education Center at the Oregon Zoo as a permanent regional conservation, sustainability andenvironmental education asset.

II.

BACKGROUND/HISTORY OF PROJECTIn 2008, voters entrusted Metro with the authority to fund capital planning and construction
activities for a new conservation education center (among other improvements). This Education
Center at the Oregon Zoo will serve as a place for the region's residents to increase theirenvironmental literacy and to take action on behalf of the natural world. The spaces of andexperiences contained within the Center will promote sustainable actions and connect visitors toregional resources for conservation and environmental education. Information on current Oregon
Zoo education programs is available on the website, http://www.oregonzoo.org/discover for those
who are unfamiliar with current offerings.
Pre-schematic design of the Education Center at the Oregon Zoo, completed as part of the zoo’sComprehensive Capital Master Plan, allocates approximately 30,000 square feet of indoor space
to the center. Construction of the facility is anticipated to be complete in late 2016 at the very
earliest.

III.

PROPOSED SCOPE OF WORKThe Education Center at the Oregon Zoo will meet and exceed the needs of the programs
currently delivered on site at the Zoo education facilities. With careful agreements, some regional
demands for conservation education can be met in the new building. The Zoo intends to create
partnerships with organizations and groups that are willing to trade services and programming inorder to achieve shared conservation education, environmental literacy and sustainability goals.
Metro is seeking information from any parties interested in performing any of the following on an
ongoing basis with a set frequency and schedule:
a. producing professional development events for environmental, sustainability andconservation educator (formal and nonformal) audiencesb. providing drop-in, public information services at a walk-up window of information
kiosk for visitors to the Oregon Zoo vicinity (Washington Park)c. producing displays or presentations on conservation, sustainability and/or
environmental education topics that are geared to family and/or general publicaudiencesd. delivering no-fee and low-fee educational programs to be held in evenings and/or
weekends
e. leading naturalist-guided walks into Washington Park surroundings
f. outfitting of indoor and outdoor learning spaces such as with equipment, naturalfeatures, etc.
g. administering data or other resources for in-house databases intended toconnect professionals and/or the public to regional resources for sustainability,
conservation and/or environmental education purposes and librarian/archivist
services to maintain data integrityh. other activities in support of the mission of the Oregon Zoo.

IV.

RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONSAppendix H

A.

Submission of Response
Five (5) copies of the response shall be mailed or hand-delivered to Metro, addressed to:Metro
Attention: Stacey Triplett, RFI 14-2403
600 NE Grand Avenue
Portland, OR 97232-2736
Responses can also be faxed or emailed to the following:
503-797-1795 Fax
stacey.triplett@oregonmetro.gov

B.

Deadline
Responses will not be considered if received after the date and time indicated on the RFI
cover page.

C.

RFI as Basis for Reponses:
This Request for Information represents the most definitive statement Metro will makeconcerning the information upon which responses are to be based. Any verbal
information which is not addressed in this RFI will not be considered by Metro. Allquestions relating to this RFI should be addressed to Stacey Triplett,stacy.triplett@oregonmetro.gov. Any questions, which in the opinion of Metro, warrant awritten reply or RFI addendum, will be furnished to all parties receiving this RFI. Metro
may not respond to questions received after 3:00 p.m. on September 16, 2013.

D.

Procurement Procedure Requirements
Metro in no way implies or guarantees any purchase or procurement of potential
solutions submitted in response to this RFI. Metro reserves the right to use theinformation obtained through this RFI if it is in the best interest of Metro to issue acompetitive procurement in the future. Participation in this RFI is voluntary and any
expense incurred in providing a response, to include product demonstrations orinformational interviews if requested by Metro, shall be the sole responsibility of thevendor.
In the event that a procurement results from this RFI, price alone will not be the only
criteria that will be used to select vendors. Other criteria will include, but not limited to,experience, past performance, diversity and sustainability.

V.

RESPONSE CONTENTS
The response should contain no more than four (4) pages of written material (excluding resumes
and/or brochures, which may be included in an appendix), describing the information requested,as outlined below. The response should be submitted on recyclable, double-sided recycled paper(post consumer content). No waxed page dividers or non-recyclable materials should be includedin the response.
Potential partners should address each of the following items in their response to this RFI:
Section A. Transmittal Letter containing signature of authorized party who submits the responseon behalf of the responding organization. The response will be considered valid for one
hundred-eighty (180) days.
Section B. Selection of those elements in Section III. Proposed Scope of Work above that yourorganization is interested in providing directly or supporting financially. Outline yourproposed role in said partnership elements.

Appendix H

Section C. Description of your mission and how your organization sees the Education Center at
the Oregon Zoo fulfilling it.
Section D. Past experience as a tenant and/or partner in the greater Portland, OR – Vancouver,
WA area.
Section E. Estimated payments, if any, to Oregon Zoo for services selected in item B. above.
Section F. Estimated cost if any, to the Oregon Zoo of services selected in item B above.
Section G. Identify and detail any conditions to participation; all interested parties must identify
and detail any conditions on their responses, such as and including, lease documents,
joint decision-making agreements, Board approvals, etc. Additionally, required space,staffing and any physical requirements are to be described here as well. Interested
parties are advised that they may be contacted to participate in meetings for the building
design process, if there are conditions to such participation, please state them as well.
As an alternative to this response, interested parties may choose to submit Attachment A below.

Appendix H

ATTACHMENT A

Simple reply for future consideration (post-construction timeframe)

Date:
To:
Oregon Zoo, Environmental Education Division
From: _____________________________Re:Interested in utilizing space, partnering and/or presenting programs in the future

We, the undersigned, express our interest in the Education Center at the Oregon Zoo.
At this time, we do not have any particular requirements for the building, space nor access points.
We wish to be included in programming and other collaborations once the building is designed and built.
Regards,_______________________________
Must be executed by Authorized fiduciary officer such as: Executive Director or Board Chair

cc: File for 2016 review

Appendix H

Integrated Strategies

The Portland Plan has three integrated strategies
that provide a foundation for alignment, collective action and shared successThriving educated youth
Economic prosperity and affordability
Healthy connected city

THE PORTLAND PLAN | Page 24 | www.pdxplan.com

Portland Community College’s Green Course Outcomes
http://www.pcc.edu/about/sustainability/
Portland Community College’s Sustainability Council’s Definition of Sustainability:
Sustainability means using, developing and protecting resources in a manner that enables
inhabitants of our planet to meet current needs and provides that future generations canalso meet future needs, from the joint perspective of environmental, economic andcommunity objectives.
AASHE’s Guidelines for Adopting a Definition of Sustainability in the Curriculum:
Sustainability-focused courses concentrate on the concept of sustainability, including its
social, economic, and environmental dimensions, or examine an issue or topic using
sustainability as a lens.
Sustainability-related courses incorporate sustainability as a distinct course component or
module or concentrate on a single sustainability principle or issue.
The goal of sustainability education is to provide students, regardless of their courses ofstudy, the knowledge and skills to help create a healthy economy, society, andenvironment.
In order to determine whether or not a course has this goal in mind, it is useful to ask
whether or not a given course will help students to achieve one or more of the following.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Understand and be able to effectively communicate the concept of sustainability.
Develop and use an ethical perspective in which they view themselves as embeddedin the fabric of an interconnected world.
Become aware of and explore the connections between their chosen course of study
and sustainability.
Develop technical skills or expertise necessary to implement sustainable
solutions.
Understand the way in which sustainable thinking and decision-making contributes
to the process of creating solutions for current and emerging social, environmental,
and economic crises.
Contribute practical solutions to real-world sustainability challenges.
Synthesize understanding of social, economic, and environmental systems andreason holistically.

www.aashe.org

Appendix H

PCC’s Green Course Outcomes:
Students should be able to:1) Critically examine the complex and interconnected relationship between humanbehavior and the environment through a lens of sustainability and “the triple
bottom line” (people, planet, profit).
2) Critically evaluate the root causes of environmental problems, including
historical, cultural, ethical, political, economic, social, structural, and/or
infrastructural issues, in order to recommend, implement and/or engage inproblem-solving to address the challenges and opportunities of promoting
sustainable development.
3) Examine existing and alternative resource use and identify quantitative or
qualitative processes to educate and provide services to prevent, reduce, or mitigate
environmental degradation and increase resource and energy efficiency.
4) Express the significance of environmental sustainability in written, oral, artistic,
physical, and/or mechanical forms.
5) Use an awareness of the impacts of ecological issues and policies on communities
of diverse backgrounds, on the local, regional, national, and international level, inorder to interact with sensitivity, respect, and a sense of responsibility to others andthe future.
6) Apply sustainable practices in the workplace and communities, as citizens,
and/or in the development of public policy.
7) Apply an understanding of basic ecological principles (the interconnectedness oforganisms to each other and their environment) to environmental problems andsustainability issues.
www.pcc.edu/about/sustainability

Appendix H

Appendix I: Sustainability Framework
At this point in our development, we are working with the sustainability framework forconceptualizing our efforts.

Source: U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development

Appendix I

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