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ROLL Program’s Star Communities Initiative

The next phase of the ROLL Program (Replication of Lessons Learned)  - Sustainable Development of Model Communities on a Municipal Level in Russia, or the Star Communities Initiative scheduled for 2005-2006 is being implemented by the  Institute for Sustainable Communities (Vermont, USA) and the Fund for Sustainable Development (Moscow) with financial support from the United States Agency for International Development.  The program is a unique mechanism for carrying out effective low-cost environmental projects and techniques and strengthening interaction among organizations and regions of the country.

The Star Communities Initiatives is aimed at forming viable multi-sector partnerships among local and regional government, businesses, and NGOs on a community level.

This phase of the ROLL Program will assist communities, winners of the grant contest,  in developing and carrying out a complex of projects in a range of areas that will mobilize community resources in seeking sustainable optimal remedies to socio-economic and social regional challenges.

 The initiative will create examples that will serve as models for all of Russia by leveraging energy efficiency savings into creative and sustainable solutions to environmental, economic, and social development issues.

The priority area of the Star Communities Initiative is energy efficiency and, thus, every complex of projects is focused on one core energy efficiency project that takes place in one municipality and allows saving local budget funds intended for utilities services. These funds will be accumulated in the local budget through various mechanisms, such as Local Community Funds, corresponding local government ordinances and will be channeled to supporting local balanced social development.

The complexes also include projects addressing socio-environmental issues and contributing to sustainable regional development: improving human and environmental health, and promoting ecotourism, education, and information dissemination.

The key principles of the ROLL Star Communities Initiatives:

• Project complexes are fulfilled by a consortium of grantees that include local municipal authorities and representatives of two other sectors – non-governmental and non-profit organizations (NGO) and businesses, and also representatives of community services organizations, such as education and health protection.
• Project complexes involve community members and, especially, the youth into practical activities.
• The projects of the complex are targeted toward concrete results and include practical activities promoting sustainable regional development.
• Reinvesting in the future - all Star Communities should demonstrate their willingness to reinvest energy efficiency savings into community development and new socially significant programs.

Project activities will include testing the mechanisms for managing energy-efficiency savings on the basis of joint decision-making by all stakeholders on principles of cooperation and transparency.

Expected Key Results:

• Reinvestment of monies saved as a result of energy-efficiency projects into social, environmental or economic development projects, and future energy-efficiency projects.
• Development by  local governments, NGOs, businesses, and the public of mechanisms of joint financing of their communities on the basis of resource consolidation and transparent decision-making.
• Active public participation and, especially, of youth, in decision-making regarding community development planning and resource distribution.
• Introduction of integrated approaches to local decision-making promoting the long-term sustainability of Star Communities and the solution of issues linked with energy-efficiency, nature management, health, environmental education, responsible attitudes to business development, new jobs, etc.
• Formation of a network of model communities throughout Russia that will serve as examples for sustainable development in other regions.

The Star Communities Initiative of the ROLL Program is based on the successful results  of the Environmental Policy and Technology (EPT) Initiative (1993-1996), the ROLL-1 (1996-2000) and the ROLL 2000 Program (2000-2005) carried out in the Russian Federation with financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID); and of other socio-environmental projects funded by a range of Russian and international donors.
Since 1996, a total of over 470 projects were funded within the ROLL Program for a total amount of nearly $10 million. These projects were fulfilled in 85 of the 88 regions of the Russian Federation.

ROLL Program’s Star Communities Initiative. List of projects.

1. Kemerovo Oblast, Kemerovo
Project complex
“Sustainable Socio-Economic Development of Kemerovsky Raion Municipality through an Introduction of Effective Resource-Saving Techniques”
Grant amount $67,474      Total cost of consortium projects $179,775 Grantee contribution $112,028

Projects:
/Introduction of effective low-cost techniques for reducing losses and heat energy consumption at municipal facilities
/Introduction of a tested technique for treating slime water with the aim of considerably reducing the generation of coal conversion waste
/Introduction of a technique of biological reclamation of mining waste
/Manufacture of tested food products specially intended for eliminating alimentary diseases among the population of Kemerovsky district

2. Barguzinsky Raion, Republic of Buryatia
Project complex
Barguzin
Grant amount $75,303      Total cost of consortium projects $117,903 Grantee contribution $42,600

Projects:
/Gas instead of gasoline. Construction of a gas station for reequipping motor vehicles. Vehicle gasification in Baikal region for fulfilling the conditions of a Site of the UNESCO World Heritage. 
/Waste wood instead of coal. Transfer of coal-burning boilers in schools and community centers to the use of alternative fuel (wood waste)
/Support to socially deprived and low-income citizens (pensioners and the disabled – so as the poor do not become still poorer).
/From Consortium to the Local Community Fund in Barguzin Raion – reinvesting savings in community social projects.

3. Ivolginsky Raion, Republic of Buryatia
Project complex
Ivolga Consortium
Grant amount $74,000      Total cost of consortium projects $94,700   Grantee contribution $20,700

Projects:
/Solnechny (Sunny) Kindergarten.
/Heat generation
/Technology and Agrosystem Management Farmer Education Center.
/Ivolga Fund of the Local Community

4. Terneisky Municipal Raion, Primorsky Krai
Project complex
Promoting sustainable development in Terneisky Raion
Grant amount $53,522      Total cost of consortium projects $200,602 Grantee contribution $147,080

Projects:
/Modernizing the heating system and reconstructing buildings housing educational institutions in Terneisky Raion
/Youth priorities: healthy lifestyles, social success, and concern about the quality of the environment.
/Let us Broaden Our Range!

5. Khabarovsk, Khabarovsk Krai
Project complex
City outskirts
Grant amount $37,386      Total cost of consortium projects $132,609 Grantee contribution  $95,223

Projects:
/Modernization of a boiler plant with the help of energy-saving techniques at the Center for Psychological Rehabilitation and Correction in Khabarovsk
/Setting up a “social living room” for young volunteer environmentalists from problem families

6. Korsakovo settlement, Khabarovsky Raion, Khabarovsk Krai
Project complex
Energy efficiency activities at a children’s home in Korsakovo settlement and entertainment center in Matveyevka settlement
Grant amount $51,331      Total cost of consortium projects $104,650 Grantee contribution $53,319

Projects:
/Reconstruction of a boiler plant and the heating system in a children’s home in Korsakovo-1 settlement and the replacement of an electrode boiler at the entertainment center in Matveyevka settlement
/Improving the quality of drinking water at the water inlet in Korsakovo settlement
/Setting up a vocational training shop.

7. Nevyansky Raion, Sverdlovskaya Oblast
Project complex
Nevyansk – Favorite City
Grant amount $75,434      Total cost of consortium projects $209,717 Grantee contribution  $134,283

Projects:
/Care for the City
/Towards each other
/Pearls in the heart of the Urals 
/Dear to all residents - Nevyansky Pond

8. Semyonov and Voskresensky raions, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast
Project complex
Sustainable development of Nizhegorodskoye Zavolzhye
Grant amount $74,861      Total cost of consortium projects $175,290 Grantee contribution  $100,429

Projects
/Development and implementation in Semyonovsky Raion of an energy policy and mechanisms for reinvesting saved funds into energy-efficiency activities.
/Optimization of heating supply in schools in Semyonov, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, through the utilization of modern energy-efficiency techniques
/New technology and traditional crafts: introduction of energy-efficiency techniques at ZAO Khokhlomskaya Rospis
/Zhivaya Starina (Live Olden Times): regional interaction in developing the folk crafts sector and a tourism infrastructure in Nizhegorodskoye Zavolzhye.

9. Pushchino, Moscow Oblast
Project complex
Ecopolice Pushchino
Grant amount $70,392      Total cost of consortium projects $519,031 Grantee contribution $448,639

Projects:
/Streams of Saved Energy
/Clean City - with Children and for Children
/We are Responsible for Our City

10. Kabansky  Raion, Republic of Buryatia
Project complex
Lake Baikal Coastline
Grant amount $43,305      Total cost of consortium projects $72,550   Grantee contribution $29,245

Projects:
/Energy and resource saving in Kabansky Raion.
/Around Lake Baikal.
/Development of partnerships between the Baikalsky Biosphere Reserve and local communities.