New program available to help communities plan for resiliency

Applications are now available for a pilot program to help communities plan for resiliency, such as adapting to climate change as well as a range of other issues.

The New England Municipal Sustainability Network and the American Institute for Architects’ Center for Communities by Design have collaborated to create the Design And Resiliency Teams (DART) program for 2014.

A DART can assist a local government with addressing resiliency issues through an intense dialogue with a multi-disciplinary team of outside experts.

Teams will be custom-selected to meet the needs of each participating community, with roughly half the team drawn from around New England and the rest from all over the country.

Applications are open to any local government or local government partner anywhere in New England and the New York capital region.

There is no direct cost to local governments or their partners, but communities must show that they are ready to address resiliency issues and that the time is right for an intense effort to meet and discuss these issues with all stakeholders.

Applications will be considered starting on May 27 and will be accepted until two projects are selected for 2014.

For the program application or more information, visit www.apa-ma.org/4380 or contact Wayne Feiden at WFeiden@NorthamptonMA.gov.