In recognition of the central role that women play in environmental and climate movements and the resources they acutely need to grow their impact, the U.S. Grassroots Accelerator for Women Environmental Leaders supports women leaders from the U.S. and U.S. Territories with skills, tools, and networks critical to transforming pressing environmental and climate challenges into scalable solutions for all. As part of a 4-month incubator, participants further their work on a community-based environmental project for which they are in a leadership position. The accelerator is a collaboration with Women’s Earth Alliance and the Sierra Club, who are working together to engage their local chapters and use their far-reaching platforms to resource innovative grassroots projects led by women. Twenty-one women were selected for the 2019 program by application and represent a wide breadth of both demographics and project issue areas.
While the majority of the 4-month training is online, participants had a valuable chance to make it real by gathering at OAEC to connect in person October 13-17, 2019. Participants spent the week sharing knowledge and best practices among themselves on subjects ranging from political campaigning and fundraising to hands-on experiential learning in earth-tending practices. There was also a focus on leadership development skills in project evaluation, data collection, and assessment.
One of the training days was dedicated to communications, where participants produced online media content for their projects and got to practice and refine their fundraising pitches. Above all, the most valuable outcome of the gathering was the opportunity for deep networking, brainstorming, encouragement, and heart connection among the participants that they can draw from as their projects move forward.
The 2019 gathering culminated in an evening fundraising event in OAEC’s Oak Hall, where participants had a chance to give their pitch in front of a large group of collaborators, advisors, and potential funders from around the Bay Area. Participants also gave a presentation on the Sunday following the gathering at the Bioneers Conference.
OAEC’s Kendall Dunnigan (pictured above giving a tour of our composting toilets) is part of the design team for the curriculum development for the WEA accelerator and brings her unique expertise in curriculum development, ecology, and regenerative agriculture to this incredible team of organizers, which also includes Pandora Thomas, Corrina Gould, Niria Alicia, and the WEA staff. Kendall also served as host for the week-long immersive gathering at OAEC and gave presentations on water conservation and soil building.
