In June 2009, the New Hampshire Planning Association recognized the 10% Challenge with its Project of the Year Award. This project, on behalf of the City of Keene’s Cities for Climate Protection Committee, was designed and piloted by Collaborative Service Initiative students Sarah Harpster and Katie Stoner during the Fall 2007 and strengthened by Collaborative Service Initiative student Linda Malik during the Fall 2008 Clinic.
- Documenting – through video – the stories of individuals adversely affected by chloramine in a public water system
- Identifying “best practices” for farmers’ market operations and municipal arrangements to strengthen the Keene Farmers’ Market
- Research to support passage of federal legislation for rebuilding of public infrastructure damaged by hurricanes along the Gulf Coast
- Designing, piloting and strengthening a carbon-reduction program for local businesses in Keene, NH
- Developing an advocacy strategy and materials to protect water quality and public health through amending current NH septic system laws
- Researching organic standards for lawn and garden care for the Northeast Organic Farming Association Organic Land Care Program
- Preparing recommendations to the Wolfeboro, NH, Planning Board for strengthening sustainability initiatives in America’s oldest summer resort town’s new Master Plan
- Bringing the award-winning radio news show “Democracy Now!” to Keene on behalf of a local civic education group and building a sustainable base of support for community radio
- Researching and drafting communications pieces for UN advocacy and corporate engagement & shareholder activism in support of the Western Shoshone Defense Project’s efforts to stop expansion of gold mining operations onto sacred tribal lands by Canada-based Barrick Gold Corporation.
- Providing research and advocacy support for two natural resource extraction corporate shareholder proposals by the New York City Employees Retirement System
- Successful advocacy to establish a town conservation commission in Burlington, Connecticut
- Building effective grassroots campaigns for passage of legislation supporting New Hampshire’s Land and Community Heritage Program (LCHIP) and a Maine ballot initiative to grant current-use tax status to working waterfronts
- Organizing a state-wide strategy meeting for Vermonters working to challenge the harms of genetically modified seeds and foods
- Rights-based community organizing and advocacy to challenge a polluting power plant and to strengthen democratic governance in Russell, Massachusetts
- Developing a media strategy for a Connecticut-based healthy schools grassroots organization
- Designing/testing a member development strategy for a national campaign finance reform group
- Completing research on access to municipal water systems on behalf of Public Citizen
- Developing a template for municipal climate change action plans on behalf of Massachusetts Climate Action Network
- Completing research on alternative pest control models for the Boston-based Neighborhood Pesticide Action Committee
- Providing campaign strategy guidance and a corporate profile to a Massachusetts’ North Shore citizens’ organization seeking better environmental practices by a multinational mining corporation operating in their town
- Developing a corporate profile of Wal-Mart for national organizations campaigning to pass federal legislation mandating greater transparency of U.S.-based multinationals’ overseas operations.
