Overall Rating Platinum
Overall Score 86.88
Liaison Lisa Kilgore
Submission Date March 3, 2023

STARS v2.2

Cornell University
EN-10: Community Partnerships

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Gary Stewart
Director of Community Relations
Department of Government and Community Relations
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

1st Partnership 

Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability :
Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE)

Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? :
Yes

Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe?:
Multi-year or ongoing

Which of the following best describes the partnership?:
Sustainability-related

Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? :
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability:
Cooperative Extension Association of Tompkins County (CCETC) puts knowledge to work in pursuit of economic vitality, ecological sustainability, and social well-being. CCE brings local experience and research-based solutions together, helping New York State families and communities thrive in our rapidly changing world.

The Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Tompkins County is a subordinate governmental agency and not part of Cornell University. CCE partners with local, state, and federal government agencies, and is supported by the national Land-Grant system and Cornell University. In fulfillment of Cornell’s Land-Grant mission, faculty and staff—primarily from CALS and CHE—collaborate with extension associates, agriculture specialists, CCE educators and staff, local partners and volunteers across New York state to engage citizens and empower communities to transform and grow from the ground up.

Cornell University Sustainable Design a student-led organization partnered with Cornell Cooperative Extension to build the PowerHouse. This is now on display at the Sciencecenter for hands-on STEM activities and clean energy explorations inside the PowerHouse tiny home!

https://cce.cornell.edu
http://ccetompkins.org/community

See also:
- https://sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/about/partnerships/local-regional-partners/un-finger-lakes-energy-compact
- https://sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/about/partnerships/local-regional-partners

2nd Partnership

Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (2nd partnership):
Get Your GreenBack Tompkins

Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? (2nd partnership):
Yes

Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe? (2nd partnership):
Multi-year or ongoing

Which of the following best describes the partnership’s sustainability focus? (2nd partnership):
Sustainability-focused

Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? (2nd partnership):
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (2nd partnership):
Get Your GreenBack Tompkins(GYGB) is a community-initiated and community-supported campaign that works to help people and organizations take key steps that reduce our community’s carbon emissions, save money and create a socially just local economy.
Material support for GYGB is provided by members of Cornell, Ithaca College and other community members sitting on the steering committee. The members provide strategic planning sessions, decision-making, and consulting. This includes high level strategic planning to implement various programs in the community to help save money, save energy, reduce carbon emissions and support local jobs.
http://www.getyourgreenbacktompkins.org

Starting in mid-2022, GYGB became part of the Cornell Cooperative Extension.

3rd Partnership 

Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (3rd partnership):
Sustainable Tompkins

Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? (3rd partnership):
Yes

Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe? (3rd partnership):
Multi-year or ongoing

Which of the following best describes the partnership? (3rd partnership):
Sustainability-focused

Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? (3rd partnership):
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (3rd partnership):
Sustainable Tompkins is a citizen-based coalition working towards a more sustainable regional community. Projects focus on local carbon offsets, energy efficiency, climate protection, green purchasing, sustainable community development, green-collar jobs, sustainable enterprise, greening health care, and economic/ecological justice.

As seen on the Sustainable Tompkins website, Cornell is an important partner: "We are also grateful for the financial and in-kind support of Ithaca College, Cornell University, numerous local businesses, and dozens of community members."

An example of how Cornell financially supports this organization is through the Finger Lakes Climate Fund. Many Cornell Departments, for example, the Cornell Atkinson Center, Natural Resources, and English department, and others contribute to this fund by purchasing offsets. These funds from the offsets are distributed as grants to low and moderate-income residents in our community to reduce their energy consumption by insulating their homes, installing more efficient or renewable heating systems.
https://sustainabletompkins.org/programs/finger-lakes-climate-fund/
https://sustainabletompkins.org
https://sustainabletompkins.org/about-st/st-partners/

Optional Fields 

A brief description of the institution’s other community partnerships to advance sustainability:
Cornell is involved in many sustainability initiatives with local, state, and global communities. The Office of Engagement Initiatives and The Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future are two important leaders at Cornell in providing support for community, sustainability initiatives.

Website URL where information about the institution’s community partnerships to advance sustainability is available:
---

Additional documentation to support the submission:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
https://engaged.cornell.edu/
http://www.atkinson.cornell.edu/

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.