Creating a Learning Laboratory for Urban Sustainability: Consulting

Clark University Clark Digital Commons International Development, Community and Master’s Papers Environment (IDCE) 5-2016 Creating a Learning Laboratory for Urban Sustainability: Consulting Project for The Blackstone River Corridor Living Systems Laboratory Jacquelyn Dayle Burmeister Clark University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.clarku.edu/idce_masters_papers Part of the Business Administration, Management, and Operations Commons, Environmental Studies Commons, and the Urban Studies and Planning Commons Recommended Citation Burmeister, Jacquelyn Dayle, "Creating a Learning Laboratory for Urban Sustainability: Consulting Project for The lB ackstone River Corridor Living Systems Laboratory" (2016). International Development, Community and Environment (IDCE). 63. https://commons.clarku.edu/idce_masters_papers/63 This Capstone is brought to you for free and open access by the Master’s Papers at Clark Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in International Development, Community and Environment (IDCE) by an authorized administrator of Clark Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. CREATING A LEARNING LABORATORY FOR URBAN SUSTAINABILITY : CONSULTING PROJECT FOR THE BLACKSTONE RIVER CORRIDOR LIVING SYSTEMS LABORATORY JACQUELYN BURMEISTER MAY 2016 A CAPSTONE PROJECT Submitted to the faculty of Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degrees of Master of Science in the D epartment of International Development, Community, and Environment and Master of Business Admini stration in the D epartment of Graduate School of Management And accepted on the recommendation of Timothy J. Downs, D.Env. Donna Gallo. Ph.D. ABSTRACT CREATING A LEARNING LABORATORY FOR URBAN SUSTAINABILITY : CONSULTING PROJECT FOR THE BLACKSTONE RIVER CORRIDOR LIVING SYSTEMS LABORATORY JACQUELYN BURMEISTER The Blackstone River Corridor Living Systems Laboratory (“LSL”) is a newly formed nonprofit organization with a broad and compelling mission to engage people with local history and water so as to improve public heath though bioremediation. It has evolved from a non - centrally administrated coalition of research institutions and municipalities interested in water quality to a multidisciplinary partnership, requiring consistent coordin ation. The broad organizational mission with such varied stakeholders requires a stable administrative platform, as well as funds to continue development of novel model process for wastewater treatment. The purpose of this project was to provide long ter m administrative and project support for the LSL. I worked with the LSL Team to select a funding source, create an organizational framework, organize project partners, design a compelling project, and ultimately write and submit a $453,000 grant proposal. ACADEMIC HISTORY Name: Jacquelyn Burmeister Date: March 2016 Baccalaureate Degree: B.S. in Biology Source: Duke University Date: May 2009 Occupation and Academic Connection Dual - Degree IDCE/GSOM student, Clark University, 2013 – 2016 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I share credit of this work with Mr. Gene Bernat, who has welcomed me to take part in the development of his vision for the Blackstone River Corridor Living Systems Laboratory. Without his extreme dedication to the Fisherville Mill Site, this project would not exist . His passion for the LSL is truly inspiring, and it was an honor to work beside him. I also wou ld like to express my deepest appreciation to my readers, Dr. Donna Gallo and Dr. Tim Downs for their guidance, feedback, and support throughout the s election , elaboration and refinement of my capstone project. By focusing on adding value , we developed a sustainable framework for future work at the LSL. A special thank you to all of the project partners, especially the Town of Grafton, who has believed in and supported the LSL and this project since the very beginning. Finally, I acknowledge Stefanie Covin o, who was integral in the choice and development of the RFP and who continued to work with me through the good times and bad as a colleague and as a friend. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS EXCECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................ ................................ ................................ ............. 1 BACKGROUND AND ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY ................................ ................................ ........ 2 Project Partners ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................... 8 The L SL Team ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................... 12 DEVELOPING AN ORGANIZATION ................................ ................................ ............................. 13 The Mission of the LSL: A Nexus for Sustainable Innovation ................................ ................. 13 Grant Submission Process ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 14 Methodology ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................... 15 SUBMISSION ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................ 18 OUTCOME AND FEEDBACK ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 39 CHALLENGES AND LESSONS LEARNED ................................ ................................ ...................... 39 Working with multiple partners in different geographic locations ................................ ........ 39 Designing a project and managing a team with limited reso urces ................................ ........ 43 Networking and loving what you do ................................ ................................ ..................... 44 MOVING FORWARD ................................ ................................ ................................ ................. 45 Appendix A. NEIWPCC RFP ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 47 Appendix B. Pre - proposal. ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 63 BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................... 66 v EXCECUTIVE SUMMARY The Blackstone River Corridor Living Systems Laboratory (“LSL”) is a newly formed nonprofit organization with a broad and compelling mission to engage people with local history and waterways so as to improve publi c heath though bioremediation . It is located at the Fisherville Mill Site in Grafton, MA . Starting as a laboratory for novel waste water remediation, i t had received wide public, private and community sup port . As the vision for the site evolved to become a learning tool for the socio - ecological history of the Blackstone River for people of all backgrounds, the range of partners for the project has expanded. L ack of consistent funding and a robust organiz ational structure made the effort to fulfill the organization’s mission inconsistent and disjointed. Creating the nonprofit was the first step to building a self - sufficient entity that could apply and admini ster funds to its projects as needed . The purpo se of this project was to provide long term administrative and project support for the Living Systems Laboratory from a medium sized funding source. In doing so, the LSL Team would create an organizational framework that would be capable of executing a la rge scale, medium term project with multiple, diverse partners. Jacquelyn Burmeister, MS/MBA candidate at Clark University Department of International Development, Community and Environment, worked with the LSL Team to select a funding source, create an o rganizational framework, organize project partners, design a compelling project, and ultimately write and submit a $453,000 grant proposal. This Capstone Project provides the organizational background to the Living Systems Laboratory and explains the nee d for the funding, as well as the process for achieving these outcomes. The centerpiece is the grant itself, which was submitted on November 17 th , 2015. The final portion of the document is dedicated to the challenges and lessons learned throughout the pr oject development process. Although the application was not funded, 1 the process of organizing partners and developing an organizational structure will be valuable when the LSL Team pursues other opportunities. BACKGROUND AND ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY The Blackstone River, stretching 46 miles from Worcester, MA to Providence, RI, provided power in the for m of rushing water to the factories that spurred the Industr ial Revolution. Producing textiles, wire, and furniture, these mill factories provided jobs t o many of the local townspeople in the early to mid - 1800’s. D uring this time, the town of Worcester was small and relatively isolated in the middle of the state. The Blackstone Canal was constructed between 1825 and 1828, allowing for increased trade of both agricultural and factory produced goods between the town and the Narraganset Bay area. A decade later, the o pening of rail lines made the canal obsolete, and led to even more urbanization (Rhode Island Rivers, n.d. ) . Accelerated growth outstripped the pace of infrastructure development, and

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