LTC 181-2019 100RC Update MIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC # 181-2019 LETT R TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor Dan Gelber and Members o the City C. mission
FROM: Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager
DATE: 04/01/2019
SUBJECT: 100RC Update
I am writing to share some informa ion about the evolution of the 100
Resilient Cities network, pioneered by the Rockefeller Foundation. You
may have seen articles over the last few days about the end of the
program as we know it. Today the Rockefeller Foundation issued several
important notices.
The Foundation announced a $30 million grant to the Adrienne Arsht
Center for Resilience at the Atlantic Council, to support the Center's work
helping individuals, cities and communities across the globe build
resilience in the face of the unique challenges of the 21St century. The
grant begins a new phase of the Rockefeller Foundation's well-established
leadership on climate and resilience and establishes a new platform for
this important work to evolve and continue.
To ensure the work of 100 Resilient Cities is sustained and institutionalized in
this same capacity, The Rockefeller Foundation announces a separate,
$12 million grant to Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA) - the fiscal
sponsor of 100RC - to allow continued support and transition time to the
100 Resilient Cities network through much of 2019.
In addition to these two grants, the Rockefeller Foundation will enhance its
commitment to climate and resilience through two new efforts. First, the
Foundation will establish a new Climate & Resilience Office to manage its
investments and to integrate climate and resilience throughout its core
work in food, health, power, economic mobility, and innovation. This
office will also coordinate grant-making for disaster recovery work. And
second, the Foundation will support several localized resilience efforts in
the United States through its U.S. Jobs and Economic Opportunity Initiative.
In speaking with our relationship manager at 100 RC, staff learned that
support to all cities, including the Greater Miami and the Beaches
partnership, will fall under one of the programs detailed above. Resilient
305, the countywide strategy spearheaded by Miami Beach, Miami and
Miami Dade County is scheduled for release in May 2019. The City's
updated strategic plan, through the lens of resilience will also be
published this spring/summer.
Miami Beach has enjoyed the benefits of the network for close to three
years, including: the Urban Land Institute review of our stormwater
program, the Columbia University Resilience Accelerator process and
workshop for West Avenue, training opportunities for staff, expert
resources from the global network, and access to planning tools and
private sector subject matter experts. The City has fully embraced and
institutionalized resilience in planning and operations and will always
remain grateful for the opportunity.
I am confident that the local partners - Miami Beach, Miami and Miami-
Dade, along with the Miami Foundation - will shift into implementation of
Resilient 305 during the second half of the year. I see these new grant
programs as further opportunities. I will continue to keep you advised of
the evolution of this body of work and how we can continue playing a
role.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Susanne M.
Torriente, Assistant City Manager/ Chief Resilience Officer, or Amy
Knowles, Deputy Resilience Officer.
JLM/SMT/AK