California State University, Northridge
EN-10: Community Partnerships

The Water Resources Policy Institute (WRPI) based out of CSU San Bernardino is a grant distributor for multiple initiatives and programs that support CSU campuses.

Water Resources and Policy Initiatives (WRPI) seeks to achieve a long-term, sustainable water supply for California through education, research and policy development by harnessing the resources and leadership from within the 23 CSU campuses. We foster academic preparation, applied research and policy development that address all aspects of water use. WRPI serves to focus synergistically with the CSU’s many centers and programs of excellence on water issues.​

In 2019-20, CSUN received three faculty research incentive awardees, eight faculty internship program awardees, and 16 student internship awardees. Student interns out of their USDA Water Research Internships with a focus on servicing disadvantaged communities/watershed restoration in CSUDH's community. WRPI has also sponsored faculty and staff research in support of water resource issues.

Program website: https://www2.calstate.edu/impact-of-the-csu/research/wrpi/Pages/about-us.aspx

2019-20 WRPI Annual Report: https://www.calstate.edu/impact-of-the-csu/research/wrpi/Documents/WRPI_Annual_Report_2019-2020.pdf

The CSUN Institute for Sustainability has a partnership with Food Forward, a non-profit that fights hunger and prevents food waste by gleaning fresh surplus produce and connecting this abundance with people in need. The Institute coordinates two orange picks per year in the 400 tree campus orange grove with Food Forward. We also provide outreach for the program and volunteers for picks. CSUN student volunteers, athletes, and student groups have been actively involved in harvests. This partnership started in 2009 and is ongoing. Since 2009, we have harvested over 150,000 pounds of oranges and donated them to feed local people in need.

To combat climate change while capturing health and economic benefits, the City of Los Angeles has set ambitious goals to transform its electricity supply, aiming for a 100% renewable energy power system by 2045, along with a push to electrify the buildings and transportation sectors. To reach these goals, and assess the implications for jobs, electricity rates, the environment, and environmental justice, the Los Angeles City Council passed a series of motions in 2016 and 2017 directing the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to determine the technical feasibility and investment pathways of a 100% renewable energy portfolio standard.

With great ambition comes great need for actionable data and analysis—so LADWP partnered with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) on the Los Angeles 100% Renewable Energy Study (LA100), a first-of-its-kind objective, highly detailed, rigorous, and science-based study to analyze potential pathways the community can take to achieve a 100% clean energy future. As a U.S. Department of Energy research lab with decades of experience in energy systems analysis, NREL offered unbiased, best-in-class expertise and modeling capabilities to help the city navigate its clean energy transition.

The CSUN Director of Energy and Sustainability is a member of the Advisory Group for LA100.
Program info: https://maps.nrel.gov/la100/about#about-the-la100-advisory-group