Research Upstream & Zero‑Waste City Funding Models
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Candice L.
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📈 Market Transformation
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🎯 Opportunity Overview
Help Circular Philadelphia understand how other cities have funded upstream and zero‑waste initiatives. As a Funding Models Research Volunteer, you’ll investigate how municipalities across the U.S. and internationally have paid for reuse systems, repair programs, composting expansion, deconstruction pilots, and other waste‑prevention strategies. You’ll also liaise with our Circular Cities network to gather real‑world examples and insights directly from peer cities. Your work will help us build a comparative funding database that Philadelphia can learn from.
Help Circular Philadelphia understand how other cities have funded upstream and zero‑waste initiatives. As a Funding Models Research Volunteer, you’ll investigate how municipalities across the U.S. and internationally have paid for reuse systems, repair programs, composting expansion, deconstruction pilots, and other waste‑prevention strategies. You’ll also liaise with our Circular Cities network to gather real‑world examples and insights directly from peer cities. Your work will help us build a comparative funding database that Philadelphia can learn from.
🛠️ What Volunteers Do
- Research how cities have funded upstream and zero‑waste programs
- Identify funding mechanisms such as grants, public budgets, fees, taxes, philanthropic support, and public‑private partnerships
- Capture program details, funding amounts, outcomes, and implementation notes
- Liaise with our Circular Cities network to gather examples, case studies, and funding models directly from partner cities
- Add findings to a shared database for Circular Philadelphia and partner organizations
- Flag strong models that could be adapted for Philadelphia
💡 What You’ll Learn / Gain
- Insight into how cities around the US finance circular‑economy initiatives
- Experience researching public‑sector and philanthropic funding strategies
- Understanding of upstream solutions like reuse, repair, composting, and waste prevention
- A direct role in shaping how Philadelphia could fund its own zero‑waste future
⏰ Time Commitment
One 3‑hour shift; volunteers may sign up multiple times
One 3‑hour shift; volunteers may sign up multiple times
📍 Location
Remote
👥 Who This Is Great For
- Volunteers who enjoy research and comparative analysis
- Anyone interested in sustainability funding, public policy, or urban innovation
- Students exploring environmental studies, planning, or public administration
📝 Requirements
Comfort with online research; willingness to communicate with partner cities; we’ll provide templates and outreach guidance
Comfort with online research; willingness to communicate with partner cities; we’ll provide templates and outreach guidance
🚀 How to Get Started
Sign up here and we’ll add you to the orientation + share the research template.