Utah Community Advocates Program Launch

Opt-in to the Utah Community Advocates Program today.

On January 9th, Sierra Club Utah launched the Community Advocates Program to support Utah communities' access to federal funds for climate and environmental initiatives. The event brought community members together from across the state, from Logan to Ogden, Salt Lake City, West Valley City, Park City, Price, Hurricane, and Saint George.

For those who were not able to join, you can find the event slides here and watch the event recording here.

The Utah Community Advocates program aims to build teams of volunteers to harness federal funding at the state and local level. Participants who opt in to the program will learn how to support implementation, whether it’s working alongside local businesses and schools to apply for grants, spreading awareness about rebates, or holding elected officials accountable. They’ll organize with others in their communities and will be supported with training, toolkits, coaching and more.

At the heart of the Utah Community Advocates Program is a goal to ensure an equitable distribution of climate funds throughout Utah. During the event, Sierra Club team members emphasized the vital role advocates will play in monitoring federal funding programs, engaging decision-makers, building relationships, and mobilizing community support. The Community Advocates Program will include virtual monthly meetings, from January through June, where advocates will receive support to advocate for funds that align with their unique community needs. 

Resources:

As a member of the Community Advocates Program, Sierra Club will provide resources such as digital tools, one-on-one coaching sessions, campaign templates, and practical training to help community members advocate for funds on issues they care about. To support local collaboration, the program will introduce county-based sub-teams later in the year.

Next Steps: Join the Utah Community Advocates Program

Review the Sierra Club IRA/IIJA Compendium Field Guide to explore Sierra Club's funding priorities and learn how they can benefit your community.

In several weeks, we’ll reconvene for our first official advocates’ meeting to discuss and collectively choose environmental and climate programs to advance in Utah. Be sure to sign up for the program and we look forward to organizing with you in the weeks and months ahead.

For questions, please reach out to Joan Entwistle at joanentwistle@gmail.com and Rebekah Ashley at rebekah.ashley@sierraclub.org.