No single group can make the Fox Valley sustainable on its own. Neighborhood associations know their blocks. Teachers know their students. Librarians know how to bring the public through the door. Business owners know where waste and energy costs hide. Municipal staff know how decisions actually get made. Our role is to bring a shared framework, ready-to-use materials and facilitation support so that each of those groups can do what they already do well, with sustainability built in.
This page explains the kinds of community partners we seek, what a partnership involves and how to propose one. Further down you will find a list of regional public resources you can contact directly. Those organizations are independent public programs and nonprofits, not our partners, and we list them only because they are useful.
Who we would like to work with
Neighborhood associations
Host a neighborhood energy challenge, a rain garden workday, a tool swap or a study circle on a local issue such as runoff, trees or walkability.
Schools and youth programs
Use our guides for classroom projects, green team clubs, school waste audits or family nights about home energy and composting.
Faith communities
Many congregations care for creation and for neighbors. Circles, building energy reviews and community gardens fit naturally with that mission.
Public libraries
Libraries are ideal hosts for free talks, study circles, seed libraries and displays that point residents to reliable local programs.
Local businesses
Host a Natural Step session for staff, sponsor a neighborhood event in kind, or share what you have learned with other employers.
Municipalities
Villages, towns, cities and their committees can co-host public conversations that feed into plans and policies. See our municipalities page.
What partnership looks like
Partnerships are informal, practical and built around a specific activity. There is no fee to propose one, and we do not ask partners to endorse us. A typical partnership is one event, one series or one project with a clear start and finish. If it goes well, we can plan the next one together.
| Partnership type | What the partner provides | What we provide |
|---|---|---|
| Hosted talk or workshop | Space, promotion to your audience, a contact person | Presentation, handouts, follow-up resources |
| Study circle series | A room for several sessions and help recruiting 8 to 12 participants | Session plans, facilitation guidance, discussion materials |
| Neighborhood project | Local organizers and knowledge of the area | Planning templates, how-to guides, measurement tips |
| Organizational program | Staff time and a decision-maker who supports the effort | Natural Step workshop and an action-planning framework |
Benefits for partners
- Ready-made content. You do not need to be a sustainability expert. Our guides and session plans give you a solid structure.
- A shared language. The Natural Step framework and our three guiding questions help diverse groups agree on what “sustainable” means before debating solutions.
- Local relevance. Materials are written for Wisconsin seasons, Fox Cities programs and the Fox River and Lake Winnebago watershed.
- Visibility for your work. With your permission, we can describe completed projects on our projects page or events calendar.
- Practical outcomes. Every partnership aims to end with something concrete: a plan, a pledge, a project or a measured change.
How to propose a partnership
- Describe your group. Tell us who you are, who you reach and where you are located in the Fox Valley.
- Name the goal. What would you like people to know or do afterward? Lower energy bills, a cleaner creek, less waste, a new policy idea?
- Suggest a format. A one-time talk, a study circle series, a workday, a staff workshop or something else.
- Share practical details. Possible dates, space, expected audience size and any accessibility needs.
- Send it to us. Use the partnership contact form or email [email protected]. We will reply to talk through next steps.
Regional resources you can connect with
The organizations below are public resources that Fox Valley residents, businesses and local governments can contact directly. They are not Sustainable Fox Valley partners or sponsors, and listing them does not imply any relationship or endorsement in either direction. Programs and details change, so always check the official website.
Energy
- Focus on Energy: Wisconsin’s statewide energy efficiency and renewable energy program, working with participating utilities. The first place to check for current rebates on insulation, heating equipment and more.
- Wisconsin Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy: the state office that leads clean energy and climate planning, including Wisconsin’s emissions reduction roadmap.
Water and watershed
- Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance: a nonprofit working to restore and protect the waters of the Fox-Wolf watershed, with programs on urban stormwater, shoreline restoration and an annual watershed cleanup.
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources: state guidance on recycling rules, stormwater, water quality, invasive species and much more.
Waste and recycling
- Outagamie County Recycling and Solid Waste: county information on recycling, landfill services and household hazardous waste.
- Winnebago County Solid Waste: the county transfer facility, recycling information and a household hazardous waste facility for Winnebago County residents.
Learning, land and transportation
- UW–Madison Extension, Outagamie County: research-based help on gardening, soil testing, horticulture, community development and more. Other counties have their own Extension offices.
- Wild Ones Fox Valley Area: a local chapter that promotes native plants and natural landscaping through programs and tours.
- Fox Cities Greenways: a nonprofit fostering the development and preservation of trails and greenways in the greater Fox Cities region.
- Valley Transit: public bus service for Appleton, Neenah, Menasha, Kaukauna, Kimberly, Little Chute, Fox Crossing, Grand Chute and Buchanan.
Frameworks and methods
- The Natural Step: the international organization behind the sustainability framework we use throughout this site.
- Everyday Democracy: a national organization known for its dialogue-to-change approach to community conversations and study circles.
Know of another public program that belongs here? Send it to us and we will review it. You can also browse our resources page for more links.