Local Governance

Greens talk a lot about impacting local governance. Then we often go and base political campaign on big issues, forgetting Tip O'Neil's maxim that "all politics is local." Often it is hard to sort through everything that is happening to understand where we are making a difference.

One effort to collect an publish information about Green impacts on local governance is at the Green Institute, self-described as "the only national policy institute in the United States based explicitly on the values and principles of Green politics, an eco-social analysis and vision that has spawned Green Parties in over 100 countries."

The Green Institute his doing several things that I feel I should call attention to. Collectively, they are referred to as the Local Governance Project. The are building a collection of "case studies from around the country of innovative progressive policy that is currently in use. The emphasis is on practical policy and not academic study." Currently, there is a bit of California material available.

• Arcata, Calif. Ordinance Regarding the Patriot Act article by Dave Meserve
• Santa Moncia, Calif. Sustainable City Plan a link to the plan on the web.

The Green Institute also solicits proposals for local projects which they might be able to provide with some minimal funding.

Green Community ProjectsUnder its Local Governance Program Area, the Green Institute is setting up a Green Community Projects funding plan. Green Community Projects will fund small-scale local Green projects that are determined by the Institute to be innovative and to further Green values and issues.Grants to individuals in this project area will be no more than $1000, and will result from evaluation of simple proposals. No detailed or complex proposal process is required. But the funding is under the legal limitations of non-profit, non-partisan activities.

Given the non-partisan legal requirement it should still be possible to find a way to fund some efforts.

Proposals will be evaluated on the following specific criteria:

1. Locally based
2. Innovative policy or organizing
3. Alternative institution building
4. Diversity in all its measures

Full description of the project is at this link. http://www.greeninstitute.net/communityprojects.shtml