Through a grant from EPA's Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities program, two non-profit organizations are offering free technical assistance to communities looking to improve their sustainability and physical design.

Livability Solutions, a coalition of cutting-edge planners that includes the Project for Public Spaces, Dan Burden's Walkable and Livable Communities Institute, the Center for Neighborhood Technology and the Congress for the New Urbanism, is offering one or two-day workshops "intended to provide communities with strategies to enhance livability, to create lasting economic and environmental improvements, and to effect positive change for their residents. We will focus on helping communities reach a tipping point or overcoming a significant hurdle in reaching a particular livability or sustainability goal. Coalition members will work with selected communities to identify the tool or palette of tools that will best help them achieve their livability and sustainability goals, building off of each community’s unique character, culture, creativity, and effort." Applications are due Nov. 22.

Global Green USA is offering "sustainable neighborhood design technical assistance" based on the US Green Building Council's LEED for Neighborhood Design system. For more information and the application, which is due Nov. 18, visit http://globalgreen.org/leedndtechassist.

EPA is offering a webinar to explain more detail about these and other assistance opportunities Nov. 9 at 2pm, click here to register

Luke Forrest is Project Coordinator with the Center for 21st Century Communities. Contact him at 734-669-6323, lforrest@mml.org or @l4est

The US Green Building Council is expanding the reach of its popular Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system to the neighborhood scale with LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED ND). Community leaders and developers can now receive recognition for the environmental sustainability of entire districts, rather than on a building-by-building basis. The Council's Detroit Regional Chapter is offering a one-day training event for planners, economic development professionals and other local government staff titled "Making LEED ND Happen in Your Community" April 1 in Southfield. The event is designed to educate participants on the rating system, its underlying principles and the advantages of pursuing LEED ND certification. To learn more details and to register, visit http://www.drc-usgbc.org/index.php?option=com_registrationpro&view=event&did=372&Itemid=128&shw_attendees=0.

Luke Forrest is Project Coordinator for the Green Communities Challenge and the Center for 21st Century Communities. Contact him by email or by calling 734-669-6323.