Indiana University’s Environmental Resilience Institute (ERI) has received $50,000 from Honda to help Hoosier communities pursue their climate goals and build resilience to climate change.
The contribution from Honda will support programs housed within ERI’s McKinney Midwest Climate Project, an initiative that partners with Indiana communities, businesses, and nonprofits on high-impact climate solutions and connects students interested in sustainability and resilience careers to professional work experiences.
Since 2022, Honda has provided awards totaling more than $250,000 in support of ERI’s mission. This year’s contribution will be used to help five to seven communities make progress on their climate action plans and climate vulnerability plans, which outline key steps a city, town, or county has identified to mitigate or adapt to climate change. As participants in ERI’s Resilience Cohort program, local governments receive direct technical support to prioritize actions, create implementation workplans, apply for federal funding, and engage the public. They also gain access to McKinney Climate Fellows, IU students interested in sustainability careers.
“In the last five years, Indiana communities have taken significant steps toward understanding how climate change affects them and what it will take to meet this challenge,” said ERI Managing Director Sarah Mincey. “Now it’s time to roll up our sleeves and do the work, which will take dedicated effort over many years. Supporters like Honda play an essential role in enabling Indiana’s sustainable future and nurturing the next generation of sustainability leaders. We are grateful for their multi-year commitment to ERI’s programs.”
“Honda is proud to partner with ERI to advance its goal of helping local Indiana communities make progress on climate action plans,” said Bobbie Trittschuh, manager of Charitable Giving at Honda. “Together, we can help build a more sustainable future.”
Since 2019, ERI has worked with nearly 50 Indiana local governments on climate planning and preparedness, initiating 16 community-wide climate actions plans through its Resilience Cohort. This year, the Cohort is working with local government staff to apply community capacity toward climate goals and to restore urban tree canopies.
ERI’s McKinney Climate Fellows places IU undergraduate and graduate students into paid internships with Indiana local governments, businesses, and nonprofits to advance organizational goals related to climate and sustainability. Entering its eighth year, the program has resulted in more than 200 student fellowships and upwards of 79,000 hours of service to the state. About 75% of fellows have gone on to work in environmental and sustainability careers after graduation, with about half choosing to live and work in Indiana.
About the Environmental Resilience Institute
Indiana University’s Environmental Resilience Institute brings together a broad coalition of government, business, nonprofit, and community leaders to help Indiana and the Midwest better prepare for the challenges of environmental change. By integrating research, education, and community, ERI is working to create a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous future. Learn more at eri.iu.edu.
About Honda Corporate Social Responsibility and the Honda USA Foundation
For more than 60 years in the U.S., Honda has been committed to making positive contributions to the communities where its associates live and work. Honda’s mission is to create products and services that help people fulfill their life’s potential, while conducting business in a sustainable manner and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. Advancing its corporate social responsibility, Honda and the Honda USA Foundation support this direction through giving focused on education, the environment, mobility, traffic safety and community. Learn more at http://csr.honda.com/.
