Ready to dive into the deep end? NY has a plan so everyone can, safely
Summertime is here in NYC, which means lots of overheated New Yorkers are looking for fun ways to cool off. While the past year has brought about many new opportunities to use public spaces, such as the NYC Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Open Streets and Open...
Five Tips for Nonprofit Budget Analysis
The pandemic continues to impact nonprofits, both increasing the demand for their services and decreasing the availability of funding for them. In a survey of 66 nonprofits conducted by Nonprofit New York, 64% of New York nonprofits experienced a disruption of...
Urban planners: what do they do?
There is a common saying that “all cities are similar, but no two cities are the same.” If you stop to think about it, cities have unique qualities which have been strategically planned based on their respective histories and cultural influences, shaping them into...
Electric vehicles are coming. Is New York ready?
Electric transportation is getting a lot of attention these days, and with good reason. Transportation was the largest contributor of greenhouse gases in 2019 in the United States, producing 29% of total emissions according to the EPA. Fortunately, electric vehicle...
Unpacking the Elements of Effective Program Evaluation Systems
Why is effective program evaluation so important? Designing and rolling out a new grant or loan program can be an extremely time intensive process. From ensuring that the program will meet the needs of its target audience and funders while staying true to the values...
Virtual engagement matrix: a guide to choosing the right engagement tools
Choosing the right tool is crucial to the success of your community engagement campaign. But with so many to choose from, it's hard to know where to start. We're making it easier with our virtual engagement matrix, inspired by New York Magazine, where we've called out...
Building a more sustainable future through management and planning solutions
Caring for the environment comes in many forms—structural and individual, obvious and hidden. While we take on projects of all shapes, sizes, and interests here at Public Works, our commitment to environmental responsibility and environmental justice runs throughout...
Unpacking Grant & Loan Program Design
In our previous post, “Unpacking the Layers of the COVID-19 Stimulus” we dissected some of the considerations and components of the American Rescue Plan (ARP), the $1.9 trillion stimulus package that was passed in March of 2021. One specific allocation of the ARP is...
Wind Energy: Farms of the Future, by Emily Pfeiffer and Bebe LeGardeur
Offshore wind farms are increasingly hailed as an answer to many of our most urgent energy issues, as well as a vehicle for job creation and technological innovation. The Biden administration recently announced a new national agenda for this growing industry, which...
Unpacking the Layers of COVID-19 Stimulus, by Jordan Cosby and Bebe LeGardeur
The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act is working its way into your community to extend needed economic support as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As an overview, the ARP provides supplemental unemployment benefits; direct cash payments to individuals and families;...