Electrify the South Collaborative

 

The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) and Southeast Sustainability Directors Network (SSDN) are hosting a collaborative of local governments this September in Savannah to build local government capacity to access federal transportation electrification funding.

Participation will be limited to 100 attendees. We welcome up to two representatives from any local government in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee to join us on September 14 and 15 in Savannah, Georgia. We anticipate a diverse pool of participants (sustainability staff, city managers, elected officials, fleet staff, planning staff, finance staff, etc.) that reflect and represent the unique electric transportation goals of participating municipalities.

Space is limited to 100 attendees. Membership in SACE or SSDN is not required. 

Goal

  1. Equip local governments with the knowledge, tools, and technical assistance needed to apply directly for federal funding and to influence state formula funding planning and implementation
  2. Strengthen peer-to-peer networks to support information sharing and application collaboration where applicable
  3. Discuss how to ensure Justice40 guidelines are integrated into project planning and implementation
  4. Enhance local government and state agency collaboration to ensure state-led program design and funding priorities align with local needs and priorities
  5. Support rural and urban communities in the Southeast to capture a proportional share of federal investments

Agenda

Thursday, September 14 

VENUE
Fairfield Historic Downtown Savannah
135 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Savannah, Georgia 31401

  • 2-2:15: Welcome
    • Topic: Initial kickoff to tone set and have someone frame up an inspirational conversation on opportunities and challenges
  • 2:15-3:00: Kickoff
    • Topic: It Takes a Village: A kickoff conversation with community engagement and collaboration leaders about the need for and benefits of community engagement.
  • 3-4 PM: Table Conversations 
    • Facilitated small table conversations to identify and discuss challenge trends and themes facing local governments in accessing and implementing federal electric transportation programs.
  • 4-5 PM: Daily Debrief
    • Topic: Facilitated report out to room sharing challenges and collectively identifying solutions.

VENUE
SoHo Cafe
12 W Liberty St, Savannah, Georgia 31401
Within walking distance (.5 miles) of hotels: (Aloft Savannah Downtown Historic District and Fairfield Downtown Historic District)

  • 5:30 – 7:30 PM: Evening Reception, cocktail and hors d’oeuvres hour

Friday, September 15

VENUE
Fairfield Historic Downtown Savannah
135 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Savannah, Georgia 31401

  • 8 AM: Breakfast
  • 9- 10:30 AM: Challenges and Solutions 
    • Topic: Audience discussion with the panel of federal and state government representatives to discuss the challenges and solutions identified the day prior.
  • 10:30 AM -12:00 PM: Local Government Success Stories
    • Topic: A panel of local governments will share the outcomes of successful federally funded electric transportation programs from development through implementation (transit, school bus, micro-mobility, charging infrastructure)
  • 12 – 1 PM: Lunch
  • 1-3 PM: Local Government Peer-to-Peer Integration
    • Topic: We’ve heard and talked about all this stuff, now what? What gaps in education do we still need to fill, what are the opportunities to support local governments with more relationship-building with agencies, and more?

Logistics + Notes

  • The event will start on the afternoon of the 14th and conclude on the afternoon of the 15th.
  • There is no registration fee to attend this event.
  • Lodging on the 14th will be provided. Once your reservation is confirmed, we will coordinate with you to book a hotel at either the Aloft Savannah Downtown Historic District or the Fairfield Downtown Historic District.
  • $100 travel stipends are available through a generous Movement Infrastructure Grant from Mosaic. Please indicate on the sign-up form if you are in need of a travel stipend.
  • We value inclusion and access for all participants, please submit accommodation requests on the sign-up form. This event is wheelchair accessible.

Questions about the event? Please email Dory Larsen, Senior Electric Transportation Program Manager at the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.