SDG Cities 2021 – 2024: A Story of local action and collaborative learning for the SDGs
In 2021, 10C Shared Space and the Pillar Nonprofit Network received funding from the Federal government’s SDG Funding Program to advance local action on the SDGs in mid-sized cities. From April 1, 2021 – March 31, 2024, 10C and Pillar worked collaboratively, learning together and along the community to develop new knowledge, approaches and stories of SDG localization.
Through a collaborative approach, SDG Cities aimed to increase engagement with and understanding of the SDGs in mid-sized cities. This meant raising the profile of the SDGs amongst local stakeholders and providing people with the tools, resources and support networks to translate knowledge to action.
Over 3 years, SDG Cities created flexible opportunities to engage, while navigating pathways for people to stay involved through time, building their SDG literacy and capacity for local action. Building relationships, the project team worked closely with participants as they gradually developed skills, overcame obstacles, formed new partnerships, and developed a deeper commitment to the SDGs. The project made significant progress on three core objectives:
- SDG Awareness & Engagement: SDG Cities directly engaged 750+ individuals across multiple sectors as well as an additional 1,500 more people through partnership events and outreach. Locally focused events, presentations and outreach efforts brought together subject matter experts, SDG advocates and local changemakers to share ideas and perspectives and develop strategies to implement SDG practices locally.
- Knowledge Development & Sharing: The project brought forward valuable resources for SDG localization collaborating locally with researchers and experts and with knowledge networks from across Canada. The team also supported publication of 46 stories of organizations and social enterprises actively advancing the SDGs and an additional 56 stories that documented local processes, initiatives and research helping to advance the SDGs in communities.
- SDG Implementation: SDG Cities supported people and organizations working for the SDGs locally to make progress on strategic SDG alignment, storytelling and impact reporting. By testing a variety of approaches and providing coaching and other support the project supported 60+ organizations to share their SDG related work through effective and impact driven storytelling.
10C and Pillar extend their gratitude to each other and the project’s funders as well as all those local changemakers who engaged with SDG Cities over a successful and collaborative 3 years!
From April 2021 to March 2024, SDG Cities was funded by the Federal Government’s Sustainable Development Goals Program.
SDG Cities: 2024 and beyond!
Moving forward, SDG Cities will become a program of 10C Shared Space with a focus on supporting changemakers working in local communities to expand their knowledge of the SDGs and take action in their communities. This website will be maintained and updated with valuable resources, learning events and network building opportunities related to the SDGs. For questions about SDG Cities, please contact Emily Hansen, Community Learning & Social Impact Lead at 10C Shared Space: emily@10carden.ca.
For those in London, Ontario and surrounding regions Pillar will continue to offer regionally focused SDG programming and learning opportunities. To learn more, please contact Luis Patricio, Learning & Development Lead at Pillar Nonprofit Network: lpatricio@pillarnonprofit.ca.