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California job seekers found new careers with help from a rent relief program. Here's how

Jeong Park

March 09, 2021 |

Sacramento Bee |

Multi-Media |

Under 3 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Stockton, California

Rent relief payments in California are helping public housing residents pursue full-time employment. The Jobs-Plus initiative provides payments that are conditional on enrolling in job training and placement programs. An increased income often disqualifies public housing residents from benefits and subsidies such as food stamps, childcare, and discounted rent rates which can negate the increased income from higher wages or more hours. Rent relief empowers residents to build a security net for themselves in addition to pursing full-time employment without the strain of losing much-needed benefits.

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Preserve, revive, restore: Indian ponds spring back to life

Anuradha Nagaraj

March 08, 2021 |

Thomson Reuters Foundation |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: India, Saligao, Goa

Through a government funding program, several communities are working on initiatives to improve their access to clean drinking water. In India, one community formed a citizen’s group, cleaned up a local pond, and restored its natural water flow. Another initiative involved more than 1,000 women from 21 villages to build rainwater harvesting structures. These projects are seen as models for water conservation efforts as climate change exacerbates the country’s ongoing water crisis.

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The Cherokee Nation Infuses Cash Into Language Revitalization Efforts

Kristi Eaton

March 08, 2021 |

The Daily Yonder |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Cherokee Nation

Tribal members are being paid to learn the Cherokee language through the Master Apprentice Program. The $16 million effort to maintain a tie to the culture through language is being funded from the tribe’s casino revenues. Participation has increased since the inception of the initiative six years ago.

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The EV tax credit can save you thousands — if you're rich enough

Shannon Osaka

February 26, 2021 |

Grist |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

A tax credit was supposed to incentive Americans to buy electric vehicles, but testimony from car buyers and research has shown that only people who can afford the full purchase are getting access to the benefit. The tax break gives electric car purchasers a credit on their taxes the following year, but only as much as they owe the government. The purchase could end up costing more than buyers expected, which can be a barrier for people who want to switch to electric.

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How Vermont's Energy Efficiency Utility Is Helping Businesses Sweat the Small Stuff

Chad Small

February 23, 2021 |

Next City |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Bennington, Vermont

To make their restaurant more energy efficient and to cut its carbon footprint, The Publyk House utilized the services of Efficiency Vermont, a publicly funded energy efficiency utility. As part of their Deep Energy Retrofit program, the utility helped install insulation, LED lighting, and high-efficiency appliances at the restaurant, allowing them to save 50 percent on energy in two years. Since the start of the program, 10 businesses have been able to cut their energy consumption in half.

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Once destined for raw bars, 5 million oysters are being rerouted to coastal restoration efforts

Lela Nargi

February 23, 2021 |

The Counter |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New Jersey

The Supporting Oyster Aquaculture and Restoration initiative (SOAR), coordinated by the Pew Charitable Trusts, The Nature Conservancy, and various state agencies, NGOs, and universities, spent millions buying oysters from 100 farms in seven states to put back into the oceans for reef restoration. Working in areas that already have reef monitoring programs, SOAR is supporting 20 reef restoration projects to create habitat for more oysters and other marine species, clean the water, and mitigate coastal flooding. SOAR also helped mitigate potential losses for shellfish farmers due to COVID-19.

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Flood City: Louisiana prepares to move neighborhood after 50 years of floods

Andrew Yawn

February 19, 2021 |

USA Today |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New Roads, Louisiana

Pecan Acres in Louisiana is known as Flood City since many residents can’t remember a time when their homes weren’t impacted by rising waters. To help these people, the state has started a relocation project to move the neighborhood to higher ground. The new neighborhood, called Audubon Estates, already has 17 households signed up to move in. The government is buying the residents out of their old homes, which has proved a more difficult process than originally thought. Yet, some are ready for the change.

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Large food companies are looking to lock carbon in soil as a way to meet ambitious emissions goals

Meg Wilcox

February 09, 2021 |

Ensia |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Fairfield, Maine

Stonyfield, an organic dairy company, is working with six of its suppliers to pilot how farms can measure the amount of carbon it’s trapping in soil through regenerative farming practices as a way for the company to achieve its goals to cut carbon emissions. The OpenTEAM initiative is working to demonstrate how a dairy farm could improve its soil health to reach carbon net zero and, eventually, have food companies pay its farmers to adopt the new practices.

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Norway's Electric Car Triumph Started With an '80s Pop Star

Will Doig

February 08, 2021 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Norway

After Norwegian pop band A-ha made headlines for using an electric vehicle in 1989, the government began implementing incentives for people to drive the cars. These perks made electric vehicles so popular in the Scandinavian country that they had to start scaling some of them back. Still, by the end of 2020, nearly 90 percent of all cars sold were rechargeable.

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Innovation, bonuses may help curb Michigan's home health care shortage

Ted Roelofs

February 05, 2021 |

Bridge Michigan |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, New York

A home health care agency in New York has "become a nationwide model" for hiring and retaining home health aids. Crucial to the program's success is a series of incentives offered to employees such as "subsidies to pay for college courses and career advancement," continuous training, guaranteed hours, and insurance. Although the implementation of this program may not be financially feasible in other areas, it has created a noticeable loyal workforce for the industry.

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