Bringing Home the Green Recovery: A User's Guide

T he recently passed $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is a big, bold, and historic investment intended to kick-start the United States economy and lay the foundation for long-term economic growth and stability.  It can also serve as a down payment, if invested wisely, on building an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty.

The challenge, however, is the political and economic urgency to spend Recovery Act funds quickly in order to put large numbers of people back to work.

Green For All and PolicyLink have prepared this User’s Guide to assist local and state advocates, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and policymakers in making the best use of recovery dollars.

The guide is organized into four parts:

summarizes the Recovery Act, emphasizing information local and state leaders focused on building an inclusive green economy should be aware of as implementation unfolds.

offers ideas to help local and state leaders develop strategies to influence how dollars are spent to maximize an equitable and green recovery.

complements the recommendations section by identifying program-specific hooks and pressure points that advocates, practitioners, and policymakers can use to ensure that low- income communities are at the center of state and local recovery and reinvestment initiatives.

offers an in-depth grid summarizing a range of programs and funding streams that can be utilized to foster inclusive and green communities and help lower-income people and communities of color access quality green jobs. It also offers website links to additional resources that local and state leaders can utilize to shape implementation efforts.

Learn more about the Economic Recovery Package.