The Kresge Foundation Extends Funding to Climate Change, Health & Equity Initiative
April 28, 2023

Kresge Awards Live Well Springfield $150K More to Continue Work

At the 2023 Kresge Convening Conference, CEO and President Rip Rapson announced, all grantees under the Climate Change and Health Equity Initiative (CCHE) will have nine more months to continue to address climate change, health, and equity issues in their respective communities. The $150,000 award is to support Live Well Springfield’s Climate Justice Initiative through the end of 2024. We and our Springfield partners at Way Finders and ARISE for Social Justice, who also attended the conference, are grateful for the continued support. It allows us to keep advancing policy advocacy on Community Choice Energy, the Race & Health Equity Impact Assessment Requirement, and work to address the needs of those impacted the most by climate change. 

The three-day conference took place in San Diego, California, between April 16th and 19th.

Senior Manager of Community Engagement, Samantha Hamilton was a panel guest alongside other statewide grantees which shared strategies and best practices for moving climate policies on local, statewide, and national levels. 


The Coalition is excited and grateful for the continued support from the Kresge Foundation and the growing friendships and connections made by the staff, technical assistance team, and fellow grantees. 

By Samantha Hamilton February 26, 2026
This month, Live Well Springfield (LWS) and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) partnered with the City of Springfield to host a listening session on inland flooding. Inland flooding happens when rain overwhelms local drainage systems, for example, when basements flood or when streets and sidewalks turn into rivers and ponds during heavy rain. Participants heard directly from Chris Cignoli, Director of the Springfield Department of Public Works (DPW), about the city's history and infrastructure related to waterways, piping, and flood prevention. Residents gained a deeper understanding of how city systems respond to flooding, what the DPW is responsible for, and the budget constraints the department faces. Chris encouraged residents to contact the city using the local 311 line to report potential flood risks or flooding-related issues, which creates a formal service request that must be investigated. The workshop centered resident voices and explored how flooding from heavy rainfall and the Connecticut River is impacting daily life across Springfield. Residents shared firsthand accounts of flooded basements, eroding yards, blocked storm drains, and chronic street flooding, revealing how widespread and interconnected these challenges are across neighborhoods. Working in small groups, participants mapped the areas in their neighborhoods most affected by flooding, connecting personal experiences with broader patterns of risk across the city. The information shared by residents will help inform Springfield's upcoming 10-year infrastructure plan, as well as regional flood risk reports being developed by PVPC and FRCOG.
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