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From storms that disrupt daily life to flash floods that threaten homes and infrastructure, the impacts of heavy rainfall are becoming increasingly frequent and severe. In response, Rebuild by Design is thrilled to announce the launch of “Rainproof [Your Community’s Name],” a new initiative supporting 10 partner projects around NYC with $10,000 each to nine community partners. This initative aim to support ongoing or new innovative projects that adopt and implement the recommendations and guiding principles from the Rainproof NYC Working Group process. Together, we are working to adapt Rainproof NYC’s citywide recommendations to localized action to mitigate the impacts of heavy rain.
The selected projects, featured below, span the five boroughs and reflect a diverse range of approaches, from AI to artistic public outreach to hyperlocal education. The year initiative will conclude with a public report-out session wherein our partners will share their project progress.
MEET OUR PARTNERS
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Increasing Rainproof Education and Community Stewardship
The HOPE Program; South Bronx
The HOPE Program will work to extend its current environmental literacy curriculum to include education dedicated to nature-based solutions for stormwater management, as well as create access to knowledge and resources for community members through our Bridge to HOPE programming. HOPE will also dedicate tangible efforts by offering maintenance of rain garden assets in the South Bronx that will facilitate the hands-on environmental projects and training that prepare our participants with the necessary skills for the workforce and contribute to the climate resiliency of the community served.
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Rainproof Flatbush
Central x South East Brooklyn CDC; Flatbush, Brooklyn
The main goals of Rainproof Flatbush are to build community, raise awareness, and prepare people for flooding emergencies. A local working group and planning academy will be established to build the capacity of community residents, to inform a strategic plan to address flooding based on the specific challenges in Flatbush. It would also support information gathering about the impact of flooding from a wide range of stakeholders and the development of digital and print materials that can be disseminated via the organization’s website, newsletter, digital platforms, community meetings, and events.
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Rain Activated: Empowering East Flatbush Through Resilience and Art
Brooklyn Level Up, Inc.; East Flatbush, Brooklyn
BKLVLUP’s Rain Activated: Empowering East Flatbush Through Resilience and Art transforms the challenge of flooding into an opportunity for community action and preparedness. This project provides all community members, be they homeowners, tenants and/or small businesses with a Rainproof Toolkit, combining practical solutions and hyper-localized resources. Featuring rain-activated public art installations and hands-on interactive workshops, the initiative inspires unity, fosters environmental stewardship, and equips East Flatbush to face future storms with resilience and confidence. Through education and collaboration, Rain Activated empowers the community to turn rainy days into catalysts for positive change.
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The Dear Neighbor Project
Van Alen Institute – Points of Promise Initiative; Gowanus, Brooklyn
The Dear Neighbor Project is presented by Brooklyn-based artist, Tiffany Baker and supported through Van Alen’s Institute’s Points of Promise initiative. The project is a multi-site mural campaign activating 15 locations in Gowanus Brooklyn. Dear Neighbor highlights how residents in Gowanus have been impacted by and support each other during flood events. Audio recorded stories from interviews with neighbors are transformed into large-scale outdoor murals. Dear Neighbor also raises awareness about flood prevention methods, through workshops, helping to engage and educate the community.
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Flood Education Project
Southeast Queens Residents Environmental Justice Coalition (SQREJC); Southeast Queens
The primary goal of this project will be to educate the Southeast Queens community on flood preparation, flood mitigation, and the alternative uses for rainwater. A secondary goal of this project will provide resources, such as rain barrels and flood sensors, to residents actively experiencing flooding in their homes due to heavy rainfall. Finally, SQREJC will also use its social media campaign to encourage community members to fill out flooding surveys, in order to produce a more accurate account of the extent and the severity of flooding in Southeast Queens.
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Building Resilience: Enhancing Community Capacity for Flood Mitigation and Advocacy
Nonprofit Staten Island; Staten Island
The Rainproof [Staten Island] micro grant project will enhance local flood resilience through education, advocacy, and resource distribution, focused on connecting with underserved populations and environmentally vulnerable neighborhoods. Led by Nonprofit Staten Island (NPSI) in close alignment with its SI COAD coalition and Community Climate Corps, the project focuses on equipping communities with actionable flood mitigation strategies, distributing critical tools such as hydra-barriers and residential floodgates, and fostering grassroots advocacy. These efforts aim to bridge gaps in resources and knowledge, ensuring Staten Islanders are better prepared to meet the challenges posed by increasing rainfall.
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FloodChat
The City Sponge, Unified Ground; Citywide
FloodChat is meant to help NYC residents – 2.3M renters specifically – prepare to “live with more water” by making the community engagement aspect more engaging, specific to their situation, and digestible versus overwhelming. We leverage the capabilities of AI to synthesize vast amounts of decentralized information and make it more accessible in a conversational, multi-language format.
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Flood Sensor Aunty
Sabina Sethi Unni; Citywide
Flood Sensor Aunty is a family-friendly, funny play about a flood sensor working at her aunt’s chai shop who really wants to be a movie star. Halfway between really funny devised theater and culturally competent community disaster prevention for South Asian/Indo Caribbean communities, this show is about how the best way to protect yourself from flooding, climate change, and despair is through knowing your neighbors. We’ve had four performances in brown public spaces this past September (Richmond Hill, Jackson Heights, Floral Park, and Astoria)- so audiences left with bellies full of free (oat milk) chai, headlamps, zines with resources about flood protection, and laughs. The Rainproof [Your Community’s Name] micro-grant supports the return of seven more performances this Earth Day!
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NHSNYC’s Rainproof NYC Integration
Neighborhood Housing Services of New York City; Citywide
Neighborhood Housing Services of New York City (NHSNYC) proposes integrating Rainproof NYC’s curriculum, resources, and toolkit into its existing educational programs for homebuyers, homeowners, landlords, and renters. This $10,000 microgrant will empower low-to-moderate-income New Yorkers, particularly non-English-speaking residents, immigrants, and female-headed households, with tools and knowledge to mitigate the effects of heavy rainfall and flooding. Through bilingual workshops, counseling sessions, and community resource fairs, NHSNYC will educate participants on rainproofing measures, emergency preparedness, and affordable stormwater management solutions. This initiative aims to foster resilience, promote equity, and ensure vulnerable communities have access to vital resources to safeguard their homes and neighborhoods from climate impacts.
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Rainproof Calvary First Nigerian SDA Church
The Climate and Health Equity Foundation; Citywide
To effectively disseminate the findings and recommendations of Rainproof NYC and foster meaningful community engagement, the Climate and Health Equity Foundation (CHEF) will disseminate Rainproof NYC findings by: 1) conducting a workshop with Calvary First Nigerian Seventh-Day Adventist Church (CFNSDAC) to discuss recommendations and foster collaboration. 2) recruiting and training five Community Climate and Health Ambassadors (CCHAs) to educate their communities and mobilize action on climate-related health risks. 3) developing a website and robust social media presence to disseminate research, showcase successes, and provide valuable resources to the broader community.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
This initiative represents a critical step in translating citywide recommendations into localized action. By focusing on the specific needs of each community, “Rainproof [Your Community’s Name]” aims to create scalable solutions that build upon the broader goals of climate adaptation and water management.
- Micro-Grants: Nine grants of $10,000 each to develop/expand community-driven solutions to manage rainfall and reduce flood risk.
- Community Impact & Ownership of Challenge: Supporting initiatives that advance equity, innovation, and resilience in vulnerable neighborhoods through localized action.
- Collaboration in Action: Creating partnerships between local organizations, city agencies, and experts to develop scalable, impactful solutions expanding the Rainproof NYC network.
- Centralizing Action: Beyond direct funding, our selected projects will convene into a year-long cohort featuring at minimum quarterly check-ins to share present ideas, identify missing gaps/trainings needed, overlaps, and share progress.
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
The launch of “Rainproof [Your Community’s Name]” is rooted in the following guiding goals:
Centralizing Rainproofing Efforts: By uniting fragmented initiatives across our City, this program ensures a cohesive network of folks across the City who care about Rainproofing. Our partners will contribute to a shared vision that integrates diverse efforts into a comprehensive, citywide strategy that Rainproof NYC has been building over the past year. The microgrants will catalyze partnerships between professionals, community organizations, and local leaders. The program will facilitate knowledge-sharing and on-the-ground insights, encouraging shared ownership of rainproofing initiatives.
Fostering Inclusive Participation: Recognizing that marginalized and underserved communities are disproportionately affected by heavy rainfall, this initiative prioritizes their active involvement. Grantees will have access to tools, resources, and events to ensure equitable participation in decision-making and implementation processes.
Strengthening Policy Advocacy and Accountability: The program aligns with a broader mission to drive systemic change, advocate for equitable rainproofing policies, and hold our City accountable. Quarterly check-ins and public programming will help establish transparency and build public trust in these efforts.
Sustaining Long-Term Engagement: Beyond the micro-grants, Rebuild by Design will maintain a dynamic calendar of events and activities to foster sustained participation. By keeping the rainproofing network visible and active, this program will nurture a culture of collaboration and shared purpose.
Thank you to all our generous funders for supporting Rainproof NYC, with a special thanks to the Wells Fargo Foundation whose support allowed us to expand the number of organizations included in this initiative.
RAINPROOF NYC RESOURCES LINKS
The “Rainproofing New York City: Recommendations from the Working Groups,” report documents the recommendations that came out of the working group process, and will serve as a resource for other cities who are working to address the challenge of increased heavy rainfall
To read the full report:
Working groups participants and members of the public crafted Rainproof NYC Principles that address:
- Equity
- Collaboration
- Infrastructure & Land Use
- Accountability
- Other