Host: City of Grand Junction
Region: Colorado
Openings: 1
Project Focus: Climate Adaptation (e.g., sea level rise planning, environmental justice, climate migration planning), Climate Mitigation, Energy Efficiency, Infrastructure Development – including Broadband, Public Health,Transportation / Mobility, Urban Planning
Skills Needed: Community Engagement, Facilitation, Community Outreach, Marketing,

Remote or On-Site Placement

On-site

Service Needs & Plans

The City of Grand Junction‘s Mobility Division focuses on elevating the awareness and adoption of low- and zero-emissions transportation–especially walking and cycling–via supporting multi-modal infrastructure projects, community focused programming, and teachers’ incentives. Current successful grant applications in the last year+ have enabled the purchase and deployment of eCargo Bikes to 3 City departments, providing e-bikes to 84 low- and moderate-income community members, and an ongoing study into the feasibility of EV Carshare.

Project Description

1. The goal is to drive awareness and adoption of zero- and low-emissions vehicles.
2. The role of the fellow will be primarily on community education and engagement, with some aspects of sustainability or mobility policy and planning.
3. Project outcomes include leading successful community engagement events, surveys, and other outreach; helping develop metrics to quantify progress towards meeting State Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Goals; and building relationships with other organizers and stakeholders in the community.
4. The 2023 Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan outlines 39 objectives to drive awareness and adoption, and with only one full-time Mobility staff, it is challenging to deliver against most of these. Similarly, the 2023 EV Readiness Plan and proposed Sustainability and Adaptation Plan identify many opportunities to improve adoption of zero- and low-emissions vehicles. Having a Fellow will allow staff to broaden their focus to address more gaps.

Desired Skills

• Understanding of and commitment to Greenhouse Gas Reductions goals
• Driven and self-guided
• Engaging and collaborating with stakeholders
• Optional: Experience in K-12 education or community programming

Organization & Workplace Highlights

The City of Grand Junction is an open and transparent government which employs a professional, hardworking staff dedicated to public service and improving the lives of its residents. The City has invested in outreach and engagement staff and is focused on providing an accessible and inclusive government for and by the people. Grand Junction is also at a pivotal point in its history as more people are recognizing the high quality of life the area enjoys as well the lower cost of living compared to many great Colorado cities. The City has invested significantly in recent years in the city’s waterfront, downtown, parks, and recreational amenities, and many say the city is at a key transition point.

The City of Grand Junction’s thriving community is increasingly committed to environmental and social justice. The recently adopted Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan reaffirms the Cityʼs priority to enable equitable mobility for all its residents. The City is committed to fostering equity and resilience through the newly established Housing, Sustainability, and Mobility Divisions. Working for the City in this capacity will allow a Fellow to see the inner workings of local government and identify intersections of Sustainability and Mobility work that may interest them in their careers. From policy work to public outreach and engagement, this work constantly evolves and provides real experiences that create visible change within the community where we all live, work, and play. As each new division finds its stride, Fellows play a part in shaping projects from ideation all the way to implementation.

Community Highlights

Grand Junction, Colorado is the largest city between Denver and Salt Lake and is in the center of Colorado’s only metropolitan region outside of the Front Range. Grand Junction gets 300+ days of sunshine per year, attracting many folks for the access to mountain biking, river sports, skiing, and hiking opportunities, but we also have access to road riding, arts & culture, and many shops and restaurants in the walkable downtown area. Regional bus and train transit allow for affordable access to larger-scale cities without having to fly.

Colorado Mesa University is a Division II school and Colorado’s most affordable college. It attracts about 10,000 students annually into Grand Junction, contributing to the lively community when school is in session.